It was a hard decision, but it was the right decision: we delayed turning in signatures for the Michigan Election Integrity Initiative until we can build up a bigger cushion of extra signatures.

It was a hard decision, but it was the right decision: we delayed turning in signatures for the Michigan Election Integrity Initiative until we can build up a bigger cushion of extra signatures. So we will spend a few more weeks collecting more. We only have one shot to turn in enough and we needed to be sure. This means the initiative won’t be on the November 2022 ballot: it’ll either be passed into law by the Republican controlled Legislature (Governor can’t veto) or by the voters in 2024.

Yesterday, outside Michigan’s Capitol:

A few hours later was the campaign’s press conference:

Thurs, June 2nd, 2022

Over the past few days, the campaign has scrambled to process all the petitions pouring in for Michigan’s Election Integrity Initiative.

But there was a bottleneck.

From the beginning, the leaders of the campaign committed to a 100% signature check meaning all petitions and all signatures would be reviewed before being turned in. Such quality control procedures are essential to make sure the opponents don’t get away with sabotaging the signature drive by “sneaking in” a ton of invalid signatures.

And because of that, in the final hours yesterday, it was like the python swallowing the pig — there were just too many unchecked petitions.

And only in the afternoon did the actual count become clear.

And that spurred this critical debate within the campaign:

Some of the first timers were saying “We probably have more than enough, let’s turn them in.”

But the school-of-hard-knocks veterans said: “We’ve only got one shot at this and we need to be sure — we need a bigger cushion.”

The veterans’ view prevailed.

Leaders like Paul Jacob made the hard decision to delay turning in the signatures:

I think it was the right decision.

340,047 verified voter signatures were required to qualify this initiative for the November 2022 ballot.

And these boxes contained petitions filled with 438,000+ signatures.

That’s an extra 100,000+ signatures which are needed to help offset illegible handwriting, folks who moved, etc.

That’s a very big cushion.

But we have only one shot to qualify this historic initiative for a vote.

And because it is almost certain that the initiative will be passed into law (either by the Republican controlled Legislature or by the voters), the veterans understood that the only way opponents can stop it was by disqualifying a disproportionate number of voter signatures.

So a bigger cushion of extra signatures will be collected in the next few weeks and only then will they be turned into Michigan’s Secretary of State to get the initiative certified.

So another trip to Michigan seems likely — I’d love another chance for Riley and I to collect signatures together — we are a dynamic Dad-Daughter-Duo:

Once the signatures are turned in and the initiative is certified, then either the Republican controlled Legislature will pass it into law or, if they don’t, the initiative will automatically be placed on the November 2024 ballot. And with polls showing 80% public support for it, it’ll be a slam dunk for voters to approve it.

Again, I think getting extra signatures was the right decision.

Because way too much effort by tens of thousands of volunteers made it essential to do this. I’m talking about folks like the political warriors from Washington who trekked with me to Michigan to help out:

What do you think? Was it the right decision? I’d appreciate your feedback.

I’m very proud to be part of a great team of people who are working in 7 key swing states on 7 Election Integrity Initiatives:

We want to make sure in future elections that valid votes count and invalid votes don’t.

Is it any wonder Bob Ferguson wants to prohibit all my future political activity?

Please donate to my legal defense fund today:

Mail-in donation: Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund, 500 106th Ave NE #709, Bellevue, WA, 98004
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Appealing the AG’s ridiculously unconstitutional restrictions on the First Amendment is absolutely critical. Because if he gets away with it with me, he’ll just target someone else.

And I refuse to let that happen.

I’m only here is because of the love and support of folks like you who’ve watched this gross abuse of power by the AG and are willing to help me and my family get through this.

I love you all.

And now a message from Larry Jensen & Sid Maietto:

We’re asking folks to donate to our PAC so we can keep fighting for taxpayers with attorney Joel Ard’s initiative: STOP ALL INCOME TAXES.

The taxpayers of Washington need our help now more than ever. Donate to our political committee so we can keep fighting for you:

Mail your check — made payable to “Permanent Offense I-1499” — to: Permanent Offense, PO Box 6151, Olympia, WA, 98507
Or donate online: PermanentOffense.com

Kindest Regards,

Sid Maietto & Larry Jensen

— END —

Thanks everyone.

Larry, Tim, & Sid