Section 01
Proposal 1 Voter Guide: Understanding Constitutional Conventions
What Is a Constitutional Convention?
A constitutional convention is a meeting of elected delegates who are chosen to review a state’s constitution and propose changes or a new constitution. Any proposals made by a convention must be approved by voters before taking effect. But that vote is a single yes-or-no on the entire rewritten constitution, held within 90 days of the convention adjourning. Voters cannot keep the parts they like and reject the parts they don’t.
A constitution is the highest legal document in a state. It establishes the structure of government, outlines the powers of public officials, and protects certain rights and responsibilities. A constitutional convention is one method a state can use to consider broad constitutional changes.
During a convention:
- Voters first decide whether to hold a convention.
- If approved, delegates are elected by voters.
- Delegates meet to discuss and draft proposed constitutional revisions.
- The proposed constitution is submitted to Michigan voters for a single up-or-down vote on the whole document.
Not every state uses constitutional conventions, and each state’s process is governed by its own constitution.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII; Ballotpedia
Why Does Michigan Vote on This Every 16 Years?
Michigan voters are asked whether to hold a constitutional convention every 16 years because the Michigan Constitution requires the question to appear automatically on the statewide ballot. The vote is a regular constitutional requirement—not a citizen initiative or an act of the Legislature.
The current Michigan Constitution, adopted in 1963, requires this periodic vote so that citizens have an opportunity to decide whether they want to convene a convention to consider broader constitutional revisions.
Since the current constitution took effect, Michigan voters have rejected constitutional convention questions in:
The question appears again in 2026 because of the Constitution’s 16-year schedule.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII, Section 3; Ballotpedia
How Does a Constitutional Convention Work?
If Michigan voters approve holding a constitutional convention, the process continues through several additional steps before any constitutional changes could take effect. A “Yes” vote does not itself change the Michigan Constitution. It commits the state to the full process below: delegate elections, a convention with no deadline that sets its own rules and budget, and a final all-or-nothing vote on whatever the delegates produce.
Step 1
Statewide Vote
Michigan voters decide whether to hold a constitutional convention during the statewide general election.
Step 2
Delegate Elections
If the convention question passes, delegates are elected by Michigan voters. Delegates represent different areas of the state and are responsible for participating in the convention.
Step 3
Constitutional Convention
Delegates meet to review the current constitution, debate possible changes, and develop proposed revisions or a proposed new constitution.
Step 4
Statewide Ratification Vote
Whatever the convention produces goes to voters as one package. If voters approve it, every change takes effect at once. If voters reject it, the state will have spent the full cost of the convention with nothing to show for it. Either way, voters get no say on individual provisions.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII; Ballotpedia
How Are Convention Delegates Elected?
Convention delegates are individuals elected by Michigan voters to represent their communities during a constitutional convention. Their responsibility is to participate in the convention and consider possible constitutional revisions.
If voters approve holding a convention:
- Delegate elections are held following the convention vote.
- Voters elect delegates from districts established under Michigan law.
- Once elected, delegates meet as the constitutional convention.
Delegates are separate from members of the Michigan Legislature. Their authority is limited to participating in the constitutional convention process.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII; Ballotpedia
How Can Michigan’s Constitution Already Be Amended?
Michigan’s Constitution can already be amended without holding a constitutional convention. The Constitution provides multiple methods for proposing amendments, each with its own requirements.
Legislative Referrals
The Michigan Legislature may propose constitutional amendments by a two-thirds vote of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. If approved by the Legislature, the proposed amendment is placed on a statewide ballot for voter approval.
Citizen Initiatives
Michigan citizens may also propose constitutional amendments through the initiative process. To qualify for the ballot, supporters must collect the required number of valid petition signatures established by state law. Once qualified, the proposed amendment is submitted to voters at a statewide election.
In both cases, a proposed constitutional amendment takes effect only if it receives approval from Michigan voters.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII, Section 2
Learn More
For additional information about Michigan’s constitutional convention process, see:
Still Have Questions?
You may also be wondering:
Section 02
Understanding Proposal 1
What Is Proposal 1?
Proposal 1 is a statewide ballot question asking Michigan voters whether the state should hold a constitutional convention. A constitutional convention is a process in which elected delegates review the Michigan Constitution and may propose revisions or a new constitution. A vote on Proposal 1 does not directly change the Michigan Constitution. It asks voters whether to hand the entire document to 148 elected delegates for a general revision, with the result coming back as a single take-it-or-leave-it vote.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII, Section 3; Official 2026 Ballot Language; Ballotpedia
Why Is Proposal 1 on the Ballot?
Proposal 1 appears on the ballot because the Michigan Constitution requires voters to consider the question every 16 years. The measure appears automatically under the Constitution and is not the result of a citizen petition, legislative proposal, or governor’s action. This recurring vote gives Michigan voters the opportunity to decide whether to convene a constitutional convention to consider broader constitutional revisions.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII, Section 3; Ballotpedia
What Does a “Yes” Vote Mean?
A Yes vote approves holding a constitutional convention. It does not amend the Constitution by itself, but it starts a process voters cannot steer once it begins: delegates are elected in low-turnout partisan races, the convention writes its own rules and sets its own budget, no deadline applies, and the only check voters retain is a single yes-or-no vote on the finished document. A Yes vote does not tell you what will change. That is exactly the point: you are approving a rewrite without knowing what it will say.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII; Official Ballot Language; Ballotpedia
What Does a “No” Vote Mean?
A No vote means Michigan will not hold a constitutional convention at this time. If Proposal 1 is not approved:
- No constitutional convention will be convened.
- The current Michigan Constitution will remain in effect.
- Constitutional amendments may still be proposed through the existing amendment processes described in the previous section.
- The constitutional convention question will appear again as required by the Michigan Constitution in 16 years.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII, Sections 2–3; Ballotpedia
Official Ballot Language
Proposal 1 asks Michigan voters whether the state should hold a constitutional convention. The ballot question asks voters to decide whether to begin the constitutional convention process. It is not a vote on specific constitutional amendments or policy changes. For the complete and official ballot language, voters should refer to the statewide ballot published by Michigan election officials.
Source: Official 2026 Ballot Language; Michigan Department of State
Key Dates
November 3, 2026 — General Election
Michigan voters will decide Proposal 1 during the statewide general election.
Delegate Elections
If Proposal 1 is approved, delegates are elected as provided by the Michigan Constitution and applicable Michigan law.
Constitutional Convention
Following the election of delegates, the constitutional convention convenes to consider possible constitutional revisions.
Statewide Ratification Vote
Michigan voters will approve or reject the convention’s work as a single package at a statewide election held within 90 days of adjournment. There is no option to accept some changes and reject others.
Source: Michigan Constitution, Article XII; Official Michigan Election Information; Ballotpedia
What Does Polling Show?
A WDIV/Detroit News poll of likely Michigan voters, conducted August 31 through September 3, 2026, found 47% would vote yes on Proposal 1, 31% would vote no, and 22% were undecided. The poll reported a 4% margin of error.
47%
Yes
31%
No
22%
Undecided
Pollster Richard Czuba cautioned that it is difficult for a ballot question to succeed if it is polling below 50% at this stage of the election cycle, noting that ballot proposals typically need to be in the upper 50s to withstand opposition.
Michigan voters have rejected the constitutional convention question every time it has appeared under the current constitution: in 1978, 1994, and 2010. In 2010, 67% voted no.
Source: The Detroit News, “Voters back Con-Con, ‘money out of politics’ ballot proposals, poll finds,” September 9, 2026; WDIV/ClickOnDetroit; Ballotpedia
Still Have Questions?
Now that you understand how Proposal 1 works, you may also be wondering:
Section 03 · Coalition Recommendation
Why Our Coalition Recommends Voting No
The sections above explain how constitutional conventions work and what Proposal 1 would do under the Michigan Constitution. After reviewing the proposal and Michigan’s existing constitutional amendment process, our coalition believes voters should reject Proposal 1 and continue using the tools that already exist for constitutional change. Our recommendation is based on the following considerations.
Michigan Already Has a Proven Process for Constitutional Change
As explained earlier in this guide, Michigan’s Constitution already provides multiple ways to make constitutional changes. Citizens can propose constitutional amendments through the initiative process, and the Legislature can place proposed amendments on the ballot with a two-thirds vote of both chambers. In either case, Michigan voters have the final say. Our coalition believes these existing processes allow constitutional issues to be considered individually, giving voters the opportunity to evaluate each proposed amendment on its own merits rather than as part of a broader constitutional revision.
We Believe Constitutional Changes Are Best Considered One Issue at a Time
A constitutional convention allows elected delegates to consider broad revisions to Michigan’s Constitution. Our coalition believes that the state’s existing amendment process provides a more focused and predictable approach. Rather than reopening multiple sections of the Constitution at once, individual amendments can be debated publicly and presented to voters one proposal at a time. In our view, this makes it easier for voters to understand each proposed change and evaluate it independently.
Our Coalition Has Concerns About the Scope and Uncertainty of a Constitutional Convention
As explained earlier, a constitutional convention has broad authority to consider constitutional revisions. This kind of broad authority can create unnecessary uncertainty because multiple constitutional issues could be considered during a single convention. Voter approval at the end is not a safeguard against a bad rewrite; it is a forced choice between the entire new document and the entire old one. Michigan’s existing amendment process gives voters something better: a clean vote on each change, one at a time.
Additional Concerns Raised by Coalition Members
Coalition members have also identified several practical concerns that influenced our recommendation.
Cost
Holding a constitutional convention would require a significant public investment to conduct delegate elections, organize the convention, and administer the overall process. Our coalition believes those public resources are better spent addressing issues through Michigan’s existing constitutional amendment process.
The nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency’s preliminary estimate put the cost of a convention at roughly $80 million. Its formal report models $10 million to $47 million per year in operating costs, with no limit on how many years a convention could run, plus up to $61 million in election costs if delegate and ratification elections aren’t held on regular election dates. (Source: Senate Fiscal Agency, “Ballot Proposal 26-1: An Overview,” October 2026)
Delegate Elections
Because delegates would be elected in a separate statewide election, many voters may have limited familiarity with the candidates seeking to represent them. Our coalition believes this could make it more difficult for voters to evaluate delegate qualifications than it is to evaluate individual constitutional amendments that appear directly on the ballot.
Influence of Special Interests and Political Lobbying
Delegate campaigns could attract substantial spending from special interest groups and organizations seeking to influence constitutional debates. Because delegate elections would create an entirely new statewide campaign, our coalition believes there is greater opportunity for political lobbying, independent expenditures, and well-funded outside organizations to shape who is elected and which constitutional changes receive attention.
Uncertainty
Ultimately, our coalition believes Michigan benefits from a constitutional amendment process that considers constitutional changes individually rather than through a convention with broad authority to revisit multiple sections of the Constitution at once.
Why We Recommend Voting No
Michigan’s Constitution already provides established ways for citizens and elected officials to propose constitutional amendments. Those processes require public debate and ultimately allow Michigan voters to decide whether proposed amendments should be adopted. After reviewing Proposal 1, our coalition believes those existing tools remain the best way to consider constitutional changes. For those reasons, we recommend voting No on Proposal 1.