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US Rep. Conyers joins suit to get back on ballot

By WTOP Staff

JEFF KAROUB
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Longtime Michigan Congressman John Conyers joined a federal lawsuit Thursday taking aim at the requirement that petition collectors be registered voters, as part of a larger challenge to an order removing his name from the primary ballot in August.

Conyers, who was first elected to the House in 1964 and represents a district including Detroit and several suburbs, joined the suit two days after Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett determined he didn’t have enough signatures to appear on the Aug. 5 Democratic primary ballot. She found Conyers was more than 400 signatures short of 1,000 needed.

The suit was filed against Garrett and Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson by the American Civil Liberties Union’s Michigan chapter on behalf of two petition circulators and others. The signatures they gathered weren’t counted because they hadn’t complied with state voter registration requirements.

The ACLU also asked the court to order Garrett and Johnson to stop enforcing the law, which the group deems unconstitutional. A hearing is planned for Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

Johnson’s office declined comment. Garrett said in a statement earlier this week that it was “a very unfortunate circumstance” but she was “bound by the current laws and statutes of the state of Michigan.”

Under state law, people who circulate nominating petitions to get candidates on primary election ballots must be registered voters. However, according to the ACLU’s lawsuit, Michigan lawmakers last month amended the law to eliminate voter registration requirement for those circulating ballot initiative and referendum petitions and qualifying petitions for several statewide offices.

The lawsuit and ACLU officials say the U.S. Supreme Court and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Michigan, have struck down such requirements because they violate rights of free speech and political association.

“Courts across the country have held that petitioning to place an individual on the ballot is core political speech,” said Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU’s Michigan chapter.

Conyers has until Friday to appeal Garrett’s ruling to the Michigan Secretary of State, and his campaign chairman, state Sen. Bert Johnson, said he will do so. As for the lawsuit, Johnson said it “mimics, mirrors and has the same merit of any suit” that Conyers would file independently to fight a law Johnson calls “draconian.”

In an interview on a downtown Detroit sidewalk, Conyers said “of course” when asked if he believed he would get on the ballot.

But he quickly added, “it’s in court so I don’t want to start predicting. I take that statement back.” He declined further comment at the urging of an aide.

Conyers’ opponent in the primary is the Rev. Horace Sheffield III. His campaign manager, Richard Jones, filed the challenge after learning at least two people hired to get signatures for Conyers weren’t registered at the time to vote in Wayne County.

Democratic National Committee spokesman Mo Elleithee said Thursday that President Barack Obama “fully supports Congressman Conyers’ re-election, and looks forward to working with him in the next Congress.”

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Associated Press writer Ed White contributed to this report.

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Follow Jeff Karoub at https://twitter.com/jeffkaroub

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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