Tagged: ballot question petitions

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan could require people paid to collect signatures for a ballot drive to wear an ID badge.

Legislation to be considered by a House committee Tuesday would require the ID to say that the person is being paid and to identify who's paying the circulator. The ID would be required for constitutional amendments, initiated legislation and referendum drives.

Another proposed change would prohibit a circulator of recall petitions from being paid a fixed rate or amount for each signature.

The practice of paying people to gather ballot signatures has come under scrutiny in recent years.

The House Elections and Ethics Committee isn't expected to vote on the bill Tuesday.

Ballot campaigns would no longer be allowed to pay petition circulators based on the number of signatures they collect if a state house bill becomes law.

The measure was introduced just days after Michigan voters rejected all six proposals on the November ballot.

Republican state Representative Ken Horn said paying for signatures is an incentive for circulators to mislead voters.