Royal Oak Voters Approve Human Rights Ordinance

With all precincts reporting, Mayor Jim Ellison declared a victory for supporters of Prop A - the human rights ordinance - at Fifth Avenue in downtown Royal Oak.

"It's time," Ellison said. "Attitudes and perspectives toward the LBGT community are changing and Royal Oak needs to keep up with the times."

Ellison said he is gratified that voters agreed with the decision city commissioners made in March when they passed a human rights ordinance by a 6-1 vote. Opponents of the issue, however, succeeded in placing the issue on the ballot after submitting the required number of signatures of registered voters.

For Allison Vankuiken, of One Royal Oak, the win validates the commission's original decision to join other Michigan communities, including Ferndale, Birmingham, Huntington Woods and Ann Arbor, and adopt a human right ordinance.  

"Our city leaders got it right," said Vankuiken. "They represented our values extremely well and I am glad to live in Royal Oak."

Also happy was Commissioner Jim Rasor, who along with Commissioner Kyle DuBuc, first requested a discussion of a human rights ordinance in November 2012.

"I couldn't be happier with the vote," Rasor said. "Royal Oak rejected the politics of divisiveness and fear and embraced love and acceptance. It shows what a decent community we live in and how much we value all the citizens of Royal Oak."

The final tally for the victory is 6,645-5,515 or 54 percent of the vote. Elections results remain unofficial until they are certified. (Click here for results by precinct.)