2022 Michigan voter guide: What’s on the ballot?

Michigan voters will decide three constitutional amendments on the ballot Nov. 8.

Election season is here – and there are three major initiatives on every ballot in Michigan. Here’s what you need to know before heading to the polls on Election Day. 

Proposal 1: Legislative term limits and financial disclosure constitutional amendment

What it does

Michigan Proposal 1 would amend the state constitution to change term limits. Current limits are three two-year terms (six years) in the state House and two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. They cannot serve more than 14 years in total, regardless of chamber. 

This proposal would reduce the maximum number of years a legislator can serve to 12 years while also allowing them to serve that entire tenure in one chamber (House or Senate). 

At the same time, the measure addresses financial disclosures by requiring state lawmakers, the governor, the secretary of state and the state attorney general to disclose certain financial information. The information required for disclosure includes: description of assets, sources of all forms of income, description of liabilities, positions held outside their elected office, arrangements regarding future employment, continuing benefits from former employers other than the state,and payments and gifts received from lobbyists.

What supporters say 

This would increase transparency and give legislators more time to focus on their constituents in a single chamber. The group behind the measure wrote “Michigan deserves financial transparency from its statewide elected officials and term limits that lead to strong leadership and good government.”

What opponents say 

Leaders of pro-term limit groups call the measure “one of the worst scams I’ve seen” on social media. He argued that, rather than enforcing stricter term limits, it would nearly double the amount of time a legislator can serve in a single chamber. 

Voting yes means:

• You support changing the term limits for state legislators from three 2-year terms (6 years) in the state House and two 4-year terms (8 years) in the state Senate to 12 combined years in the Legislature.
• You support requiring elected state legislative and state executive officials to file annual financial disclosure reports on their income, assets, liabilities, gifts from lobbyists, positions held in certain organizations, and agreements on future employment.

Voting no means:

• You prefer to leave term limits as they are currently.
• You prefer to leave disclosure standards unchanged.

Proposal 2: Voting policies constitutional amendment

What it does

Proposal 2 would change voting access and procedures by creating a constitutional amendment that does the following: 

• Allows nine days of early voting
• Publicly subsidizes absentee ballots and a tracking system for the ballot location
• Continues to allow registered voters without a state ID to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity 
• Allows public sources and charities to fund elections (subject to disclosure rules)
• Allows voters to register for absentee ballots for all future elections
• Requires ballot drop boxes for every 15,000 voters in a municipality
• Establishes that post-election audits can only be conducted by state and local officials
• Requires canvass boards only to certify election results based on the official vote counts

What supporters say

The measure offers flexibility for voters to cast their ballots, makes elections more accessible and ensures election security while protecting voter privacy. 

What opponents say

This measure would open the door to abuse, as it constitutionally mandates that one does not need to show an ID in order to vote. Opponents have also raised concerns over election security and administrative costs. In addition, there are concerns about private charities – rather than public entities – funding elections.

Voting yes means: 

• You support guaranteeing that military and overseas ballots postmarked by election day are counted.
• You support allowing for a signed affidavit as an alternative to the existing photo ID requirement, to vote.
• You support allowing authorizing voters to drop off absentee ballots at drop boxes.
• You support allowing for nine days of early voting.
• You support requiring public disclosure of donations from private entities that were used to pay for elections or audits.

Voting no means:

• You oppose the above provisions being added to the Michigan Constitution. 

Proposal 3: “Reproductive Freedom for All” constitutional amendment 

What it does

Proposal 3 would amend the Michigan Constitution to include protection for “reproductive freedom” and invalidate what Bridge Michigan described as “a dormant 91-year-old ban on abortions.”

The amendment could also impact or eliminate several other existing regulations, including:

• Restrictions on late-term abortions
• Minimum health standard requirements for abortion clinics
• A parental consent law for minors that Michigan lawmakers approved in 1991
• Preventing taxpayer funds for being used for abortion
• Required informed consent
• Statutory rape laws
• Reporting of dead body by medical examiner including those who died from attempted abortion
• Laws against fetal trafficking

What supporters say

The ACLU says the proposal would protect women’s choice to end pregnancy without “political interference.”

What opponents say

Michigan Right to Life calls the proposal “too confusing, too extreme.” Citizens to Support MI Women and Children said, “This poorly-worded amendment would repeal dozens of state laws, including our state’s ban on tax-funded abortions, the partial-birth abortion ban, and fundamentally alter the parent-child relationship by preventing parents from having input on their children’s health.” Due to its broad language, some opponents also believe Proposition 3 could lead to the removal of restrictions on gender transition surgeries for minors. 

Voting yes means:

You support adding the following language to the Michigan Constitution, among other language: “the right to make and effectuate decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care.”

Voting no means:

Opponents say the amendment “is not about protecting existing rights, but smuggling a radical proposal into the constitution that would repeal or drastically alter dozens of state laws. The amendment would fundamentally change the relationships between parents and children, as well as women and their doctors.”

Key Dates

Sept. 29: Absent voter ballots must be available for issuance to voters.

Oct. 24: Last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk for the November general election.

Oct. 25 to Nov. 8: In-person registration is available with the local clerk with proof of residency. This ends at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. 

Nov. 8: General Election Day.

Nov. 8: Election Day registrants may obtain and vote an absent voter ballot in person in the local clerk’s office with proof of residency or vote in person in the proper precinct until 8 p.m.