🚨 Did you know this will be on your Michigan ballot in November...
Michigan voters are being asked a pretty extraordinary question:
Should we open up Michigan’s Constitution and potentially rewrite it?
This is Proposal 1, and whether you’re Republican, Democrat, independent—or completely sick of politics—you should understand what this means before filling in that bubble.
Here’s the 5th-grade version:
Think of Michigan’s Constitution as the rulebook for our state government. It establishes the basic rules for things like the Legislature, governor, courts, elections, taxation, education and local government.
Michigan's Constitution requires us to be asked every 16 years whether we want to hold a Constitutional Convention—or “Con-Con.” That's why this is appearing now. The last time voters were asked, in 2010, about 67% voted no.
So what happens if Michigan votes YES?
We do not automatically get a new Constitution.
Instead, Michigan would hold another election within six months to choose 148 delegates—one from each of Michigan's 110 state House districts and 38 state Senate districts. Importantly, those delegates are elected in partisan elections.
Those delegates would meet in Lansing and could propose a general revision of Michigan's Constitution. And here's the part people really need to understand:
There isn't a predetermined list of three or four issues they are allowed to address.
A convention could consider relatively modest changes—or potentially propose sweeping changes to Michigan's governing document.
But there is one HUGE safeguard:
The delegates don't get the final word. WE DO.
Whatever constitution or amendments emerge from the convention must ultimately go back before Michigan voters. If voters reject the proposal, our existing Constitution remains.
🤔 So why might someone support it?
A convention provides an opportunity to examine a Constitution written more than 60 years ago, clean up outdated provisions and consider structural changes that are difficult to accomplish through individual amendments. Supporters can reasonably argue that government, technology and Michigan itself have changed enormously since 1963.
🤔 And why might someone oppose it?
Because opening the entire Constitution also creates uncertainty.
Special-interest groups, political parties, unions, businesses and advocacy organizations could spend heavily trying to influence which delegates are elected and what provisions they pursue. A convention would also cost taxpayers money, consume significant time and could ultimately produce something voters reject anyway.
And here's what I think voters should be asking themselves before November:
Do you trust 148 newly elected delegates to open Michigan's entire rulebook?
Are there problems with our current Constitution significant enough that individual constitutional amendments aren't enough?
Who will fund the campaigns to elect these delegates?
Which organizations will try to influence them once they're in Lansing?
What parts of our Constitution would you absolutely NOT want changed?
And perhaps the biggest question:
Is opening the whole Constitution an opportunity to improve Michigan government—or an unnecessary risk when we can already amend the Constitution one issue at a time?
There are arguments to be made on both sides of this one.
So don't vote YES because somebody tells you it's a chance to “fix Michigan". And don't vote NO because somebody tells you opening the Constitution is automatically dangerous.
The official ballot language asks whether elected delegates should convene in 2027 to draft a general revision of Michigan's Constitution, which would then be presented to voters for approval or rejection.
The official 2026 Michigan ballot question will look like this:
Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the State Constitution for presentation to the state’s voters for their approval or rejection?
Know what you're actually voting on. Ask questions. Read the arguments. Then make your own decision. Because this little question on your November ballot could start a very big and expensive process.
michiganpublic.org/politics-…