Laws governing ballot measures in Michigan
From Ballotpedia
This page provides an overview of resources addressing the laws and procedures that govern statewide and local ballot measures in Michigan, including the initiative and referendum process, constitutional amendments, signature requirements, recall procedures, and campaign finance regulations.
Explore the links below for more information:
- Types of ballot measures in Michigan
- Laws governing the initiative process in Michigan
- Amending the Michigan Constitution
- Laws governing local ballot measures in Michigan
- Signature requirements for ballot measures in Michigan
- Laws governing recall in Michigan
- Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Michigan
- Campaign finance requirements for Michigan ballot measures
- Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Michigan
Laws governing ballot measures in Michigan
Types of ballot measures in Michigan
- Michigan has three types of citizen-initiated ballot measures: initiated constitutional amendments, indirect initiated state statutes, and veto referendums.
- In Michigan, the legislature can refer constitutional amendments, state statutes, bond measures, and constitutional convention questions to the ballot.
Laws governing the initiative process in Michigan
- In Michigan, citizens have the power to indirectly initiate state statutes and directly initiate constitutional amendments, as well as the power to repeal legislation through veto referendums.
- Michigan adopted a new constitution in 1963, which granted the people the right to use the initiative and referendum process.
- From 1880 to 2024, voters decided 102 citizen-initated ballot measures in Michigan.
Amending the Michigan Constitution
- Michigan became a state in 1837. The current Michigan Constitution was adopted in 1963.
- The Michigan Constitution can be amended in three ways:
- Legislatively referred constitutional amendment: A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the Michigan State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
- Initiated constitutional amendment: Citizens can initiate constitutional amendments in Michigan.
- Convention-referred constitutional amendment: A state constitutional convention can vote to refer constitutional changes to the ballot.
Laws governing local ballot measures in Michigan
- In Michigan, the initiative process is available in:
- Two charter counties which have a mandated initiative process.
- 46 Home-rule villages which have a mandated initiative process.
- 277 charter cities which have a mandated initiative process for charter amendments. Cities may also adopt initiative for ordinances in their charter, and many have done so.
Signature requirements for ballot measures in Michigan
- In Michigan, the number of signatures required for ballot initiatives is tied to the number of votes cast in the preceding gubernatorial election.
- An initiated state statute requires a number of signatures equal to 8% of the votes cast for governor.
- An initiated constitutional amendment requires a number of signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast for governor.
- A veto referendum requires a number of signatures equal to 5% of the votes cast for governor. In order to suspend the law until the election, petitioners must submit signatures equal to 2% of the votes cast for governor.
- Signatures must be submitted to the state:
- 120 days prior to the targeted election for initiated constitutional amendments.
- 160 prior to the targeted election for initiated state statutes.
- 90 days following the final adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted bill was passed, for veto referendums.
Laws governing recall in Michigan
- Michigan and Oregon, which also created the right of recall in 1908, were the first two states to adopt statewide recall procedures.
- Michigan allows for the recall of all elected state and local officials, with the exception of judges of courts of record.
- Michigan is one of nine states with provisions that say that the right of recall extends to recalling members of its federal congressional delegation, but the Supreme Court has never ruled on whether such recalls are constitutional.
Laws governing state constitutional conventions in Michigan
- According to Section 3 of Article XII of the Michigan Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 16 years starting in 1978. Michigan is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.
Campaign finance requirements for Michigan ballot measures
- PACs that support or oppose ballot measures in Michigan must register and report campaign finance.
- According to the Michigan Bureau of Elections, ballot question committees "may receive unlimited contribution amounts from a legal source."[1]
Changes to laws governing ballot measures in Michigan
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
As of September 2025, the Michigan State Legislature had not passed legislation that changed the laws governing ballot measures in 2025.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan Electronic Reporting and Tracking System, "Ballot Question Manual," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "HB 5571," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "HB 5573," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "HB 5574," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "HB 5575," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "House Bill 5252," accessed June 13, 2023
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "Senate Bill 280," accessed June 20, 2023
