Local News

Lawsuit Challenges Michigan Ban On Straight-Party Voting

/ CBS Detroit

DETROIT (AP) - The former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit to try to overturn a law that bans straight-party voting.

Mark Brewer, a lawyer, is representing three people and a union-affiliated group. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Detroit federal court, claims the new Michigan law violates the U.S. Constitution and laws protecting minorities and the disabled.

In January, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a law that prohibits voters from using a single mark to vote for all candidates from one party. The bill was passed by Republicans who control the House and Senate.

Snyder said 40 other states have similar bans. Straight-party voting is popular in the Michigan's largest counties, Wayne and Oakland. Democrats in the Legislature opposed the law.

© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

First published on May 24, 2016 / 4:51 PM EDT

© 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.