(The Center Square) – More than a year from Election Day, a number of proposals are already moving toward appearing on Michigan’s 2026 ballot.
Currently, six proposals have received approval from the state Board of State Canvassers and are in the process of gathering signatures. One proposal is already set to appear on the ballot.
Each proposal must be presented in a 100-word summary to voters. According to state law, the board must determine whether the language of the summaries are “true and impartial.”
Since 1986, Michigan voters approved 34 ballot proposals, defeating 31.
The one measure already set to appear on the ballot asks voters whether to hold a state constitutional convention. It will appear on the ballot as an automatic ballot referral, meaning it automatically appears on the state’s ballot every 16 years.
Michigan is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question, something that was first approved by Michigan voters in 1960.
Five of the proposals are constitutional amendments.
• AxMITAX: Prohibit state, county, or municipal property taxes; require 60% of voters to approve local taxes; and require a 2/3 vote of both the state Senate and House to increase any state tax which would raise revenue by more than 0.1% over five years.
• Protect Voters Rights: Require individuals to verify United States citizenship during voter registration; require photo ID for in-person and absentee voters.
• Americans for Citizens Voting, Version 1: Require the Secretary of State to verify citizenship of all registered voters, document citizenship, remove non-citizens using governmental records, and track separate eligibility requirements for federal and state/local elections; and prohibit counting ballots from voters with unverified citizenship.
• Americans for Citizens Voting, Version 2: Require citizenship verification for all voters through statewide program, document submission, or provisional voting; require removing noncitizens after notice and 45-day rebuttal; and prohibit counting ballots from voters with unverified citizenship starting in 2027.
• Rank MI Vote: Require ranked-choice voting for federal offices and state leadership by allowing voters to numerically rank candidates by voter preference starting in 2029.
The sixth proposal that has been approved is a voter referendum. The Voters to Stop Paycuts referendum would repeal Public Act 1 of 2025, which raised the state minimum wage to $15 by 2027. If passed, it would return the state to previous legislation which totally phased out the tipped wage system.
Business leaders in the state have been vocal in their opposition to this referendum.
“This is a damaging proposal for the economy, for small businesses, larger businesses, but especially for workers,” said Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, as previously reported by The Center Square.
To be placed on the November 2026 ballot, each proposal must receive more than 300,000 signatures by March 2026.
