Group abandons lawsuit over affirmative action

PHOENIX (AP) — Supporters of a proposal to ban affirmative action in Arizona said they were abandoning a lawsuit aimed at getting the measure on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The Arizona Civil Rights Initiative campaign had contested the state's conclusion that it hadn't collected enough valid signatures, but the campaign issued a statement Friday saying it couldn't review all the signatures rejected by election officials in time.

The effort to amend the Arizona Constitution will be made anew for the 2010 ballot, the campaign said. "Arizona voters will have a chance to vote on this important issue."

The proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution was intended to dismantle state and local government preferential programs for women and minorities.

Former University of California regent Ward Connerly bankrolled the initiative. His group already has been successful with initiatives in California, Washington and Michigan. A similar measure is on Nebraska's ballot and another is pending in Colorado.