WobblyReport

Multiple petition drives gearing up in the Mitten Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers (est. 1850) has been busy throughout late spring reviewing numerous petition proposals that state residents are likely to see when we are out and about in public this summer. Here are a few of the petition drives being reviewed and my views on their substance. RANK MI VOTE Summary: Constitutional amendment to guarantee voters in Michigan the right to: rank candidates in order of preference in most federal, state, and certain local elections; require that candidates for major offices receive a majority of votes to be elected; receive timely notice of changes to polling places or voting procedures; cast a ballot if in line at the time polls close; use secure and accessible paper ballots in all elections, preserved for certification, recounts, and audits; vote for eligible write-in candidates not listed on the ballot; participate in primary elections held at least 140 days before the general election....

The shoestring-budget defenses around the kitchen garden off the side of the house are less than totally effective against deer. Plastic fenceposts and mesh survived the winter and are holding up better than expected, with lengths of twine fixed to nearby tree limbs and light, metal stakes in the ground for reinforcement. Protected from human predation within city limits through various ordinances and common sense, North American deer become remarkably emboldened. People are warned against treating them as nonhuman companions and videos from rutting season corroborate. So despite additions of bamboo poles, fishing line and strips of plastic for visibility, they have yet made incursions into the kitchen garden and trampled or eaten young plants. Additional defense measures will be necessary. We haven’t observed them in the act. Motion-activated, outdoor cameras have become more affordable but the information collected may not be worth the sensation that comes with seeing hard work de...