Ballot Initiatives
This proposal modifies term limits, allowing members to serve up to 12 years in a single chamber. Mandates financial disclosure on income, future employment, and assets for all state legislators and statewide officeholders
What is Proposal 1?
This partisan office issues executive orders, negotiates with the state legislature on different policies and can veto or sign bills into law.
Who is the governor?
Criminal Justice: the Governor can approve or veto bills that set guidelines or alternative penalties for prison sentences.
Gun Control: in 2022 MI Governor directed all state departments to put federal resources into gun violence prevention initiatives
This office serves alongside 8 other office holders and is responsible for all decisions on spending and services provided by the county
Who is the County Commissioner?
Reproductive health: County Commissioners impact the health services in the county.
For example, in 2019 Washtenaw County Commissioners approved $100,000 in emergency funding to maintain local Planned Parenthood operations in 2019
This elected official serves on a board which board formulates policy which impacts the school local district. They appoint superintendent, approves budget, and negotiates employee contracts.
Who is a member of the Local School District Board?
Racial Justice: Local school boards can pass policies which prohibit certain types of curriculum, such as critical race theory.
Why should you research the ballot before voting?
- Preparedness saves you time at the polls!
- Being an informed voter is hard without a bit of homework → you wouldn’t show up to an exam without studying!
-There is a lot on the ballot! It can be tempting to skip a section on the ballot when voters feel they don’t know enough.
This proposal, if adopted, would expand voting access in Michigan, allowing early voting, prepaid (free stamp) absentee ballots, permanent absentee ballots, and requires election donations to be disclosed
What is Proposal 2?
This elected official serves in Washington D.C and takes action on bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, and provide oversight of the executive branch. Hint: Michigan is only electing representatives from one branch of Congress this cycle.
What is a member of the House of Representatives?
Tax Code: The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by the HOR places a 15% minimum tax rate on the US’ most profitable corporations
Immigration: In 2021 the House passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act which would provide a path to legal immigration status for unauthorized farmworkers.
Health Care: The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to start negotiating the prices of some prescription drugs
This justice serves on the State’s highest court and make final determination and interpretation of State’s laws.
Who is a Supreme Court Justice?
MI Supreme Court Recently ruled to allow abortion and voting rights ballot initiatives to go on ballot.
This elected partisan official serves on the board which approve annual budgets, appoint the president, oversee the endowment and regulate campus activities for state Universities.
Who is a regent?
Endowment: The Regents decide which investments to make using the University’s endowment. For example, regents decide whether or not to invest the endowment in fossil fuels.
What should you do if you have questions about the voting process?
Contact local officials with any questions or visit govote.umich.edu
This proposal, if adopted, would enshrine the right to an abortion in the Michigan Constitution, overriding a 1931 law banning abortions.
What is Proposal 3?
This state official oversees elections in Michigan. They lso oversees vehicle registration and records maintenance.
Who is Secretary of State?
Voting Access: SOS oversees election security and policy. Vets voting technology, and facilitates voting rights laws.
This non-partisan judge serves on the court which hears appellate cases from the state's trial courts.
Who is a Justice of the Court of Appeals?
In 2022, MI overturned a life sentence for a man convicted of murder at age 18.
This member serves on a board which maintains and operates public library funds and property. They are also able to appoint/remove the Library Director, as well as propose and levy taxes to residents related to the library.
Who is a District Library Board member?
Board members can influence the accessibility and quality of library services, including which books are purchased and how the library serves the community.
This voting procedure, allowed in Michigan, allows voters to select one party to automatically vote for the party's candidate in every partisan election.
What is straight ticket voting?
Remember! When straight ticket voting you still need to fill in each office in the non-partisan and ballot proposal sections. Additionally, if you choose a party to vote straight ticket which is not running a candidate for a particular partisan position, you will not automatically vote in that section.
This proposal would authorize a tax up to 1 mills to fund community climate action for 2023 through 2043, which will raise in the first year of levy the estimated revenue of $6,800,000? Authorized uses include: year-round composting; expanded residential/multifamily recycling; community and rooftop solar programs; rental and low-income household energy programs; bicycle, pedestrian and transit infrastructure; neighborhood resource centers; electric vehicle infrastructure; and tree plantings.
What is Ann Arbor City Proposal 1?
This partisan elected official is the top lawyer for Michiganders and can file suits to protect the rights of the people of Michigan.
Who is Attorney General?
Environment: In 2019 the MI AG filed a lawsuit against Enbridge, an oil company which owns a pipeline going through the Straits of Mackinac.
This non-partisan judge serves on the trial court which deals with civil cases, felony criminal cases, and family cases.
Who is a circuit court judge?
This elected official serves on the board which establishes the policies under which the Community College District will operate.
Who is a Community College Board of Trustees member?
Education: Board members can impact tuition costs, scholarship availability, campus investments, and college activities.
Are voter registration deadlines the same in every state?
What is NO?
Were there court challenges to getting any of the ballot proposals on the ballot?
Yes! Proposals 2 and 3 went before the MI Supreme Court
These partisan elected officials serve two or four year terms and vote on bills related to state spending, public policy, taxes, and other state laws.
Who is a State Senator/Representative?
Environment: The MI State Senate Bill 565 provided $3.3 billion to improve Michigan’s decaying water infrastructure.
LGBTQ+: MI State Representatives recently introduced bills that would prevent transgender youth from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
This judge serves on the courts which have administration, civil, collections, traffic/criminal, and probation divisions.
Who is a District Court judge?
This is actually a STATE office! This elected official serves on the board which supervises all K-12 public education in the State of Michigan, but not postsecondary colleges and universities.
Who is a member of the State Board of Education?
LGBTQ+ Youth: In 2016, the Board issued guidelines recommending that schools allow students to choose school bathrooms aligning with their gender identity.
What is the photo ID that all Michigan students that can be used as a voter ID?
What is an MCard?