Michigan ballot measure · November 3, 2026
Michigan Proposal 1, explained
Whether to hold a state constitutional convention. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wording
A PROPOSAL TO CONVENE A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DRAFTING A GENERAL REVISION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION. 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?
This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
What it actually means
Michigan's constitution requires this question to go to voters every 16 years, whether or not anyone is asking for it. A yes vote would start a process: Michiganders would elect delegates, the convention would meet in 2027 and could rewrite any part of the constitution, and whatever it produced would come back to voters for a separate up-or-down vote. A no vote leaves the constitution as it is and the question returns in 16 years.
If you vote YES
- A convention of elected delegates would be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the Michigan Constitution.
- Delegates would be elected — one from each state House district and each state Senate district, 148 in all.
- The convention could propose changes to any part of the constitution; nothing in the question limits its scope.
- Whatever the convention drafted would be presented to Michigan voters for approval or rejection at a later election, so no change takes effect from this vote alone.
- Michigan is one of 14 states that put a convention question on the ballot automatically; for Michigan the interval is 16 years, set when voters approved Proposal 3 in 1960.
If you vote NO
- No convention would be held, and the Michigan Constitution would stay as it is.
- The constitution could still be amended the usual ways — by the Legislature referring an amendment, or by citizens gathering signatures for an initiated constitutional amendment.
- The automatic question would return to the ballot 16 years from now.
- Michigan voters have rejected this question every time it has been asked since the current constitution took effect.
Why supporters say YES
"They stuff so many things in this Constitution, all kinds of things, every time … Some of those proposals sounded good, but then had intentions that the public is frustrated about."
— State Rep. Matt Hall (R), Speaker of the Michigan House
"I think there's a lot of things that should be discussed … And the constitution could be a lot simpler than what it is right now."
— State Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R)
Why opponents say NO
"Voters have said no to a Con-Con by huge margins every time it has come to a vote, and for good reason. A Constitutional Convention would allow political insiders and deep-pocketed special interests to take power away from the people of Michigan, which is why voters should reject Proposal 1 in November."
— Lisa Wozniak, CEO and president, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, for the Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests campaign
"While a Con-Con sounds like it might empower regular people, in fact opening up our entire constitution would allow it to be hijacked, risking the ability of everyday Michiganders to have their voices heard. It's just too risky."
— Ron Bieber, president, Michigan AFL-CIO
"While there's room to update our state's constitution, most issues can be addressed without reopening the entire document – and there's no guarantee a convention would deliver better outcomes, particularly given out-of-state and special interest influence or sweeping, single-issue agendas that could stall investment and job growth in Michigan."
— Wendy Block, senior vice president of business advocacy, Michigan Chamber of Commerce
What’s genuinely uncertain
- The opposition is unusually broad, spanning organised labour and business: the Michigan AFL-CIO, the Michigan Education Association, Business Leaders for Michigan, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters of Michigan and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters all oppose it. Supporters are individual legislators rather than a registered campaign.
- Nothing in the question limits what a convention could change, and neither side has published an estimate of what a convention would cost or how long it would sit.
- Because any revision would come back to voters, a yes vote authorises a process rather than a specific change; what that process would produce is unknowable in advance.
The bottom line
Whether to open the whole Michigan Constitution to a convention of elected delegates whose work would come back to voters, or leave it to be changed one amendment at a time; legislative supporters say the document has become cluttered, while a coalition of unions, business groups and civic organisations says reopening it invites outside money and interests to rewrite it.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Checking it against the official text
The Michigan Secretary of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Michigan Secretary of State.
Other measures on the Michigan ballot
Candidates on the same ballot
- U.S. Senate election in Michigan
- Michigan governor's race
- Michigan's 1st congressional district
- Michigan's 2nd congressional district
- Michigan's 3rd congressional district
- Michigan's 4th congressional district
- Michigan's 5th congressional district
- Michigan's 6th congressional district