A ballot initiative that would replace the city of Detroit’s much-maligned recreational marijuana ordinance is headed to the Detroit Election Commission.
A group called Citizens for Better Social Equity collected 4,844 signatures to get the initiative on the Nov. 7 ballot.
The Detroit City Council had the option of enacting the initiative or sending it to the Detroit Election Commission, which will determine whether there are enough valid signatures to place the issue on the ballot. Last week, the council, which opposes the initiative, decided to send it to the commission.
Supporters of the initiative seemingly face long odds because the city’s Law Department said the group lacks enough valid signatures. Under the Detroit City Charter, 2,811 signatures are needed, and the Wayne County Clerk’s Office validated 3,087 of them.
But the city’s Law Department insists the initiative needs at least 6,475 signatures under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act.
“Therefore, the petition signature requirements in the charter are inapplicable and the MRTMA clause controls,” the Law Department said in an opinion issued to Detroit Clerk Janice Winfrey’s office. “MRTMA requires more signatures than the petitioner obtained, and the city has historically required. Accordingly, the petition does not meet the state mandated signature requirement, and…