Laws governing local ballot measures in Michigan

Laws Governing Local Ballot Measures

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Terms

Initiative • Home rule • General law city • Charter city • Petition • Initiative petition circulation periods • Circulator • Paid circulator • Volunteer circulator • Circulator affidavit • Signer • Valid signature • Forged signature • Fraudulent signature • Invalid signature • Electronic petition signature • Legislative alteration • Registered voter

This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Michigan. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.

Explore the links below for more information:

• Laws addressing local ballot measure powers in Michigan
• General requirements for local ballot measures
• Rules for citizen-initiated local ballot measures
• Rules for referred local ballot measures

Law

The Michigan Constitution and Michigan Compiled Laws establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.

• Constitution:
  • Article VII, Michigan Constitution
  • Article IX, Michigan Constitution

• Statute:
  • Michigan Election Law (MCL 168)
  • Home Rule City Act (MCL 117)
  • Home Rule Village Act (MCL 78)
  • Revised School Code (MCL 380)
  • School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (SBQLP)

General

The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Michigan, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.

• Vote requirements: Most local ballot measures require a simple majority vote for passage.
  • Certain millages require a 2/3 vote.
  • Acquiring or granting a non-revocable public-utility franchise requires a three-fifths (60%) majority of votes for approval.

• Required ballot measures:
  • New or increased local taxes (under the Headlee Amendment) require voter approval.
  • School district bonds and many school capital millages require voter approval.
  • Local charter adoptions and charter amendments require voter approval.
  • The consolidation or merging of counties, or certain reductions to size of counties, require voter approval.
  • The acquiring or granting of a non-revocable public-utility franchise, or selling a municipal public utility, requires voter approval.

• Election timing: Most local ballot measures are placed on the regular election date. Local statutes may dictate whether questions appear on general elections, regular municipal elections, or special elections.

Initiatives

The following outlines additional rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Michigan.

• Authority: All city charters may be amended through an initiative petition. This includes a single subject rule. Rejected amendments may not be resubmitted for two years.

• Signatures:
  • Home-rule cities have an initiative signature requirement of 5% of registered and eligible voters.
  • Home-rule villages have an initiative signature requirement of 20% for local charter amendments.

• Deadlines:
  • All initiative signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the filing of the petition.
  • The city or village clerk has up to 45 days to verify the signatures and certify the initiative.
  • Signatures are valid up to one year.
  • The question is then scheduled for the next regular or general election more than 90 days after certification.
  • Special elections may also be scheduled on regular election dates if the petition requests it and has signatures from more than 20% of the population. It must be scheduled within 120 days of filing, and the clerk has 90 days to call the election.

Referrals

The following outlines additional rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Michigan.

• Authority:
  • City and village governing bodies can refer charter amendments to the ballot.
  • County boards can refer millages, bond questions, and charter amendments.
  • Township boards can refer millages, special assessments, and tax questions.
  • School boards can refer bond questions and other millages.

• Deadlines:
  • Referrals must be certified to the county clerk by 4:00 PM on the twelfth Tuesday before the election, or, if certified to a clerk other than the county clerk, must be certified to the county clerk at least 82 days before the election.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States

As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.

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http://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_local_ballot_measures_in_STATE

See also

• Laws governing local ballot measures
• Laws governing ballot measures in Michigan
• Local ballot measures, Michigan
• Counties in Michigan

Footnotes

Laws governing ballot measures in the United States

Laws governing ballot measures

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

Types of ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measures • Legislatively referred ballot measures • Automatically referred ballot measures • Commission-referred ballot measures • Convention-referred constitutional amendments

Ballot measure policy terms

Glossary of ballot measure policy terms