Michigan bans open carry of guns inside and near polling places

[demmiblue]

Source: The Detroit News

Lansing — Michigan is prohibiting the open carry of guns within 100 feet of polling places amid fears of voter intimidation during the pivotal Nov. 3 election.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sent guidance to local election officials on Friday — 19 days before Election Day — to clarify that the open carry of firearms on Election Day in polling places, clerk’s offices and absent voter counting boards is banned, according to three Michigan clerk's offices that received the guidance.

"The presence of firearms at the polling place, clerk’s office(s), or absent voter counting board may cause disruption, fear, or intimidation for voters, election workers and others present," the new guidance says.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson

"Absent clear standards, there is potential for confusion and uneven application of legal requirements for Michigan’s 1,600 election officials, 30,000 election inspectors, 8 million registered voters and thousands of challengers and poll watchers on Election Day," it adds.

Read more: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/16/michigan-bans-open-carry-guns-polling-places/3676462001/

[genxlib]

1. I would say this is great news

But this will just encourage the meatheads to show up armed to protest their "rights" being taken awake.

[forgotmylogin]

36. THIS WASN'T ALREADY A RULE?

I voted early at a board of elections in a government building, and there was an airline-style xray belt/metal-detector everyone had to pass through to enter.

[LiberalLovinLug]

43. My first thought too

I know there are gun rights and all, but surely there are laws already that prohibit open carrying of weapons near ANY government building ANYTIME! Simply for security reasons alone.

[beachbumbob]

2. they should include automatic confiscation of weapons and never be returned

[yankee87]

42. Agreed

Should be

[James48]

3. Under what legal authority?

Open carry has been a hot topic for years here in Michigan as no law prevents it, and the right to bear arms is in the State Constitution. I have no idea where this authority is coming from, but you can bet it is going to be challenged, and the current Michigan Supreme Court is 4-3 Republican.

[lagomorph777]

9. There is an active terror network operating in Michigan. Looks like a state of emergency to me.

[FBaggins]

10. Don't governors declare emergencies?

Not secretaries of state?

[3825-87867]

11. Under what authority?

We have a little thing called Amendment 1. There's a reason Number 2 IS number 2!
But in 2004 the Bush people set up protest free zones in New York to supposedly prevent problems during the Republican Convention.. We were told we still had the right to free speech - just elsewhere.
And you know what? Nothing was ever done about it. No court ruled against them moving us protesters away from Bush's convention.
Therefore, precedence!

[jmowreader]

13. That brings out a conversation I had with a RWer...

The individual told me the amendments are numbered in order of importance.

I asked him, if this is true, why is “the government may not turn your house into a barracks without permission” (3rd Amendment) more important than “the government may not read your personal paperwork for no reason” (4th), “the government may not force you to testify against yourself” (5th), “you can’t be locked up forever without a trial” (6th) or “you can’t be executed for jaywalking, no matter how bad you need it” (8th). Could it possibly be that they just picked the 10 British atrocities the colonists hated the most, and wrote amendments outlawing them.

[3825-87867]

15. Good Point

But times were a little different and maybe they had their priorities a little different because of the times.
I'm not sure Id have put Number "2" where it is as I think others might be a little more orderly important - again, because of the attitude of the times.

They weren't as "peaceful" as today! LOL!

And you bring up a good point.
What would be the order of importance of the first 10 or even the others based on today's times? I need to think about that!

[sl8]

27. Also, the first 2 amendments to pass Congress weren't ratified.

So, the current 1A and 2A were originally #3 & #4, as drafted and approved by Congress.


From https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript

[...]

Article the first... After the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor less than one Representative for every forty thousand persons, until the number of Representatives shall amount to two hundred; after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall not be less than two hundred Representatives, nor more than one Representative for every fifty thousand persons.

Article the second... No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Article the third... Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article the fourth... A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

[...]

[hack89]

33. Some, including the 2A, were lifted from the British Bill of Rights

They said they were fighting to protect their rights as Englishmen- when they won they didn’t make up a bunch of of rights - the codified the ones they thought were important form their past.

[mdbl]

26. Well i hope the 4-3 Stupreme Court doesn't mind guns at their hearings then

wonder what they would say about that?

[keithbvadu2]

29. Like the NRA has some conventions that do not allow members to be armed.

Like the NRA has some conventions that do not allow members to be armed.

The NRA knows its members are not trustworthy.

[mdbl]

31. NRA what a bunch of hypcritical bastards

[FBaggins]

4. Sounds reasonable... but does she have the power to make that rule?

I would think that many polling places are already covered by existing laws (churches/schools/etc.)... but where would she get the authority from to add restrictions ad-hoc?

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. Every damn state needs to implement this into law

fuck this macho fascism.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Wrong framing. They're NOT banning open carry of guns anywhere, rather ...

they're banning anyone carrying a gun from approaching a polling place. You can still carry the gun all you want, you just can't vote while doing so. Uglicans have absolutely nothing against blocking people from voting !

So which are you gonna give up ... your vote, or strutting around waving your penis surrogate every single second of the day ?

[dchill]

28. That's the exact point about rights. Other people have them, too.

[Turbineguy]

7. What about

wingnuts putting a cucumber in their pants to compensate?

[jmowreader]

14. That is still legal

[PatrickforO]

23. That is really funny.

[lagomorph777]

8. Given the active terror network uncovered in MI (probably national),

this is the least they can do. Should be a bigger circle though - wider than the range of an AR-15.

[patphil]

12. 100 feet isn't nearly enough.

100 yards would have been better; out of range for shouting and eye contact.

[Swede]

16. As a Canadian, I can't believe that open carry is a thing.

Who needs a rifle and sidearm when walking the streets or shopping?

[BlueWavePsych]

17. You should be glad Canuck.

You don't have to deal with the kind of insanity we have here. Stay safe.

[PSPS]

19. It's a uniquely american fetish

[dchill]

30. I have known guys who wouldn't go for a loaf of bread...

... without their gun. It's a peculiar, particular insecurity.

[jalan48]

32. I'm an American and I don't understand why we have open carry.

[maxsolomon]

35. A little story to illustrate how Americans live:

I-5 northbound through Tacoma has been a construction zone for years. In a sunny weekend traffic jam last summer, a motorcyclist did something that infuriated a man in his 60s in a sedan with his wife. Cut him off, rode between cars, who knows.

Further up the road, both were again stuck in traffic. The man got out of his car and confronted the motorcyclist. Words were exchanged, the man struck or shoved the cyclist, who was, unusually, female, but also wearing full leathers and a helmet.

She pulled out a handgun and shot him dead. She was never charged.

Tra la la, that's life in America. Any confrontation that turns physical can get you shot dead. If you claim self-defense, you walk away a hero.

Unless, of course, you're a member of Antifa. Then you get 30 bullets pumped into you without warning.

[BlueWavePsych]

18. Too many terrorists at Michigan!

[Yeehah]

20. Now watch asshole sheriffs refuse to enforce

Bring in the state police if that happens.

[elleng]

21. Oh, how brave,

but bring your guns, long/short/whatever, to the Michigan capitol, eh?

[PatrickforO]

22. Well, yeah. No way should guns be allowed at polling places.

Only desperate MAGAts would want that.

[DENVERPOPS]

34. Agreed

100 feet?????? Hell, 100 yards wouldn't be far enough........

[roamer65]

24. If you go to the polls in MI and see guns inside the 100 ft exclusion zone...

Call 911.

Report it.

I plan on taking a drive around my township on Election Day, watching for it.

[kimbutgar]

25. I wonder if the repuke legislature or the repuke party will sue in court to get this overturned?

[marble falls]

37. Interesting enough there is no voting at gun ranges.

[sinkingfeeling]

38. How soon before the GOP and NRA have a lawsuit before the SCOTUS?

[Kid Berwyn]

39. GOP bastards can't distance themselves fast enough from the NAZIs.

Good thing for mirrors, photography, and the Internet Archive.

[Initech]

40. This should be nationwide, no debate.

This is a tactic that is being used to intimidate voters and that is a felony last I checked.

[Midnight Writer]

41. So who's going to enforce this? Poll workers?

[Maven]

44. It's INSANE that this was allowed in the first place.

FFS, this country.