How do you measure type size? Michigan wants to know

[meddington]

From my home state...

The issue is whether a coalition of unions and others behind the repeal effort circulated petitions with headings in 14-point type. A 1954 law (amended in 1965) does not specify how type size is supposed to be measured or what font should be used, and some justices want to know if actual letters should be measured instead of the "printer's block" equivalent that includes rectangular space around the letters.

Election officials warn 6 ballot measures in jeopardy if Supreme Court accepts type-size argument in emergency manager case | MLive.com

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Type Size

Type Size

Mr Meddington


A PDF for you




Regards, Alois

 

[gordo]

It's great how elected officials focus their energies on the really important issues affecting the public. Not!

Best gordo

 

[CathieH]

OMG, what a waste of time an energy.

Here, I'll fix it. Headings: 18 pt. Helios - no, Triumverate, wait, better make that Helvetica - with 19 pt. leading. Body copy: 10 pt. Times New Roman with 11 pt. leading, indenting each paragraph .25".

Problem solved. Let's move on.

 

[JTFLO]

Are you kidding me? Our Tax Dollars hard at work!

 

[dabob]

If you think thats waste of energy you should try and deal with the BATF wine label specs . . . there type size is measured in milimeters and they only measure the cap height . . . go figure - and better yet they only accept jpgs for approval - haven't figured out what a pdf is yet - more government intelligence -

 

[Jim Restle]

When I was a proofreader, I used an old fashioned E-scale chart. And I confess that I only measured the actual letter height. I think I still have a couple, and I'm in Ohio so I could let your Supreme Court borrow one if necessary.

Maybe the aggrieved party can claim they used a different font than Helvetica, and 14 point only looks like 12 point.

 

[prwhite]

Stephen Colbert would have a field day with this. Much to do about nothing can only be interpreted as comedic!

 

[meddington]

Hold on to your pica rulers...expecting a ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court soon...

Michigan Supreme Court considers font size on emergency manager petition | Politics/Election 2012 | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Can the will of the people be circumvented based on the width of a dime? Stay tuned!

 

[Bill W]

ahh Mr. Meddington - always refreshing to hear what is really important in life - especially as I sit here scanning press targets whose curves look like camel's back with many many humps.

 

[meddington]

Update: Sanity prevails...sort of.

“It is clear that the point size of all the required text refers to the size of the type and not the individual letters.” -Justice Mary Beth Kelly

So that's logical, however..." Her opinion strikes down an earlier opinion that found “substantial compliance” with petition details such as the size of the font used on the petition should not keep an otherwise valid voter petition off the ballot."

So, this of kind of like "we'll ok...this time, but don't let it happen again." Setting the stage for more map-cap politics in Michigan! At least it won't be boring.

Supreme Court: Emergency manager repeal must go on November ballot | Michigan news | Detroit Free Press | freep.com