Proposal 1: Constitutional conventionHold a convention to rewrite the state constitution
Read the full text of the measure: Bureau of Elections ballot questions (PDF)
In plain words
Every 16 years, Michigan's constitution (the state's basic rulebook) makes voters decide whether to hold a convention to rewrite it. If Yes wins, voters would elect one delegate from each state Senate and state House district within six months. The delegates would meet in Lansing starting October 5, 2027, with no deadline to finish. Any new constitution they write would go to voters at least 90 days after the convention ends. If voters turn it down, the current constitution stays. (votebeat.org )
Before and after
| Question | Today | If it passes |
|---|---|---|
| State constitution | The 1963 constitution, changed over time by amendments voters approve | Stays in force while delegates work, and stays if voters reject their draft |
| Delegate elections | None | One delegate per state Senate district (38) and per state House district (110), elected within six months after the 2026 results are certified |
| Convention | None | Delegates meet in Lansing starting Oct. 5, 2027; no end date |
| Final say | Not applicable | Voters approve or reject any new constitution at an election at least 90 days after the convention ends |
| Next automatic vote on a convention | 2042 | Not applicable |
Numbers from the official ballot title (ballot title ); also see (votebeat.org )
Biggest change
- Starts a process, not a new constitution: voters would elect 148 delegates (one per state Senate and House district), and any draft they write must later be approved by voters. source: wcmu.org
- A convention would have no limit on what it could take up. Delegates could write a whole new constitution or propose specific amendments. source: michamber.com
Who it affects most: Every Michigan resident, since a convention could propose changes to any part of the constitution, including voting rules, taxes, abortion rights and how amendments get on the ballot.
Cost to the state: Unknown. No official cost estimate for the delegate elections or the convention was found.
Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.
What your vote means
Voters elect 148 delegates in 2027 to write a new or revised constitution, which voters would then accept or reject at a later election.
No convention is held; the current constitution stays as it is, and the question returns in 2042.
Our one-line summary. Michigan does not publish an official "what your vote means" statement; the ballot title above is the official description.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why this is on the ballot
It changes the state constitution, so only another statewide vote can change it back. It passes with a majority of the votes cast on it.
- Article XII, Section 3 of the current constitution puts this question on the ballot automatically every 16 years. If voters say no, it comes back in 2042. source: michamber.com
- The current constitution was written at a 1961-62 convention, took effect in 1964, and is Michigan's fourth. Voters turned down a new convention in 1978, 1994 and 2010; in 2010 it failed 67% to 33%. source: wcmu.org
- Recent changes to voting rules came through voter-approved amendments: Election Day registration and no-excuse absentee voting (2018), and early voting and a permanent absentee list (2022). A convention could keep or remove them. source: wcmu.org
Why supporters want it
- House Speaker Matt Hall (R) said at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference that "they stuff so many things in this constitution," pointing to the 2018 voter-approved amendments on marijuana and the independent redistricting commission. source: votebeat.org
- Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R) has said he wants to update many parts of the constitution, including how university boards are chosen. source: votebeat.org
Why opponents object
- The coalition Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests says a full convention "opens a Pandora's Box" with "potentially devastating consequences for Michigan citizens for decades to come." source: votebeat.org
- Michigan Chamber: "A Constitutional Convention is a long, drawn-out process that risks years of uncertainty and gridlock in Michigan." League of Women Voters of Michigan: "Voting access could be stripped away." source: michamber.com
- Former U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D): "I'm concerned what reopening the entirety of the state constitution might mean for this state." Former Attorney General Bill Schuette (R): "A constitutional convention would just be a circus." source: wnem.com
Who backs each side
- For: no campaign committee supporting Proposal 1 had registered as of July 2026, per state campaign finance records. Against: Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests, whose members include Voters Not Politicians, the League of Women Voters of Michigan, the ACLU of Michigan, the Michigan AFL-CIO, the Michigan Council of Carpenters & Millwrights, the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the West Michigan Policy Forum and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. As of late April 2026 it had raised more than $680,000, including $385,000 from The Fairness Project, a Washington, D.C., group. source: votebeat.org
- Also opposed: the Michigan Education Association and Business Leaders for Michigan. source: michamber.com
In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.
What you will see on your ballot
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
The official ballot title, word for word from the Bureau of Elections' official ballot wording .
A proposal to convene a constitutional convention for the purpose of drafting a general revision of the state constitution
Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the State Constitution for presentation to the state’s voters for their approval or rejection?
Yes
No
Copied word for word from the Bureau of Elections' official ballot wording for Proposal 2026-1 (dated July 24, 2026).
Latest news
Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.
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Full text of the measure
Read it in the Bureau of Elections ballot questions (PDF) .
Read more
- Bureau of Elections: November 2026 statewide ballot questions (PDF)
- Votebeat: Proposal 1 explained
- Citizens Research Council: general revision of the Michigan Constitution (PDF)
- Bureau of Elections: official ballot wording (PDF)
We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.