East Lansing, Michigan, Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment (November 2023)

East Lansing Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment
	Election date; November 7, 2023
	Topic; City governance and Local charter amendments
	Status; Defeated
	Type; Referral

East Lansing Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment was on the ballot as a referral in East Lansing on November 7, 2023. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported changing the composition of the East Lansing City Council from five members to seven members.

A "no" vote opposed changing the composition of the East Lansing City Council to seven members, thus keeping the City Council at five members.

Election results

East Lansing Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment
Result	Votes	Percentage
Yes	2,599	48.27%
No	2,785	51.73%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment was as follows:

“

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE EAST LANSING CITY CHARTER TO CHANGE THE CITY COUNCIL COMPOSITION TO SEVEN MEMBERS

Currently, the City of East Lansing Charter establishes that the City Council be composed of five (5) members.

The City Council is proposing that Charter Section 3.1 be amended to change the composition of the City Council to seven (7) members, of which the additional members shall be elected at the next regular general November election.

Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the East Lansing City Council

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Michigan

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Michigan.

How to vote in Michigan

Poll times

In Michigan, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Most of the state is observes Eastern Time, while several counties observe Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.^[1]

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Michigan, a voter must be a United States citizen and a resident of their city or township for at least 30 days. Voters must be at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not be currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.^[2]

Voters may register to vote online, by mail, or in person at clerk's offices in their county, city, or township, or at a state department branch office 15 days or earlier before an election .^[2]

Within 14 days of an election and on Election Day, voters can register in person at their local clerk's office by presenting proof of residency documentation.^[2] According to the Michigan Secretary of State's website:^[2]

“

Proof of residency is official documentation (paper or digital) that lists a voter’s current name and address. When registering to vote within 14 days of an election, voters must present one form of proof of residency in person at a local clerk’s office. Proof of residency examples include:

Michigan driver’s license, state ID, or U.S. Passport
A utility bill
Insurance documents (health, car, home, etc.)
A bank or credit card statement
Financial aid or school enrollment documents
A lease agreement
A paycheck or other government check
Other government document^[3]

”

Automatic registration

Michigan automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they apply for or update a driver’s license or personal identification card.^[4]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Michigan has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.^[4]

Same-day registration

Michigan allows same-day voter registration.^[4]

Residency requirements

Michigan law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.^[2]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Michigan does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.^[5] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

This page, administered by the Michigan Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Michigan requires voters to present photo identification while voting.^[6]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Michigan Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

Michigan driver’s license (may be expired)
Michigan personal identification card
Driver’s license or personal ID card issued by another state
Federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID
U.S. passport
Military photo ID
Photo ID from an educational institution
Tribal identification card with photo.

Voters can obtain a state identification card at a secretary of state branch office for $10. Voters over the age of 65, voters who are blind, and voters whose driving privileges have been terminated due to a physical or mental disability can obtain an identification card for free. Additionally, voters who can present a reason for having the fee waived may also obtain an ID for free. Visit the Michigan secretary of state’s page or call (888) SOS-MICH (767-6424) for more information.^[7]

Footnotes

↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: Elections and Voting," accessed April 16, 2023
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 Michigan Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 7, 2024
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 26, 2024
↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
↑ Michigan.gov, "Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect," accessed October 7, 2025
↑ Kingsford Michigan, "A Guide to Voter ID/Affidavit at the Polls," accessed October 7, 2025

[1] Michigan Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: Elections and Voting," accessed April 16, 2023

[mireg-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 Michigan Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 7, 2024

[quotedisclaimer-3] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[ncsl-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 26, 2024

[5] Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."

[mvid-6] Michigan.gov, "Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect," accessed October 7, 2025

[7] Kingsford Michigan, "A Guide to Voter ID/Affidavit at the Polls," accessed October 7, 2025

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

East Lansing Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment

Election date November 7, 2023
Topic City governance and Local charter amendments
Status Defeated
Type Referral

	v • e State of Michigan Lansing (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2025 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

East Lansing, Michigan, Number of City Council Members Charter Amendment (November 2023)

Contents

Election results

Text of measure

Ballot title

Full Text

Path to the ballot

How to cast a vote

Poll times

Registration

Automatic registration

Online registration

Same-day registration

Residency requirements

Verification of citizenship

Verifying your registration

Voter ID requirements

See also

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

SITE NAVIGATION