Michigan Proposal No. 1, Term Length for County Officers Initiative (1938)

Michigan Proposal No. 1
Election date November 8, 1938
Topic Local government officials and elections
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

Michigan Proposal No. 1 was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in Michigan on November 8, 1938. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported establishing four-year terms for the county clerk, county prosecuting attorney, county sheriff, county treasurer, and county register of deeds.

A “no” vote opposed establishing four-year terms for the county clerk, county prosecuting attorney, county sheriff, county treasurer, and county register of deeds.

Election results

Michigan Proposal No. 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		414,832	32.24%
No		872,057	67.76%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposal No. 1 was as follows:

“

(Proposal No. 1) SHALL THE CONSTITUTION BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM OF OFFICE FOR COUNTY CLERK, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, SHERIFF, TREASURER AND REGISTER OF DEEDS? AMENDING SECTIONS 3 AND 5 OF ARTICLE VII OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION: No. 1    Section 3. There shall be elected in each organized county in which they reside a sheriff, a county clerk, a county treasurer, a register of deeds, and a prosecuting attorney, and the said enumerated elective officers shall hold office for four years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. This constitutional provision shall affect the aforesaid officers elected on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday of November, 1938, and every four years thereafter. Their duties and powers shall be prescribed by law. The board of supervisors in any county may unite the offices of county clerk and register of deeds in one office or separate the same at pleasure. This constitutional provision supersedes any and all existing constitutional or legislative provisions as it affects the term of the aforesaid enumerated elective officers.     Section 5. The sheriff shall hold no other office. He shall be elected at the general election for a term of four years in accordance with section 3 of this constitution. He may be required by law to renew his security from time to time and in default of giving such security, his office shall be deemed vacant. The county shall never be responsible for his acts. Yes No

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Michigan

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In Michigan, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

See also

1938 Measures

• 1938 Measures
• Local government officials and elections on the ballot
• 1938 legislative sessions

Michigan

• Michigan ballot measures
• Michigan ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• University of Michigan Press, "The Initiative and Referendum in Michigan," 1940