Article 1: What is a Constitutional Convention?
On November 3, 2026, Michigan voters will decide on Proposal 1, which asks whether to call a constitutional convention to revise the state constitution. Under Article XII, Section 3, this question appears on the statewide ballot automatically every 16 years.
If a majority approves, voters would elect delegates to a convention to consider changes to the Constitution. Unlike an amendment limited to one provision or issue, a convention may consider changes to any part of the document, including provisions on elections, education, taxation, individual rights, and state and local government. It may also propose provisions on subjects the constitution does not currently address. Any constitution or amendments the convention adopts would go to voters for approval before taking effect.
Here are a few facts about Michigan's constitutional convention process.
Michigan voters have downvoted the last three questions.
When Michigan voters were last asked whether to hold a constitutional convention, in 2010, approximately 33% voted yes. The results were similar in previous elections:
- 1978: 23% voted yes, 77% voted no
- 1994: 28% voted yes, 72% voted no
- 2010: 33% voted yes, 67% voted no
Michigan isn't alone. The last time voters in any state approved holding a constitutional convention was in Rhode Island in 1984. The Rhode Island convention was held in 1986. Since then, voters have declined proposals to call another state constitutional convention.
Michigan voters get this question every 16 years.
Michigan is one of 14 states whose constitutions require voters to be asked periodically whether they want a constitutional convention. This requirement dates back to Michigan's 1850 constitution. Under the current constitution, the question appears every 16 years, including in 2026. Michigan's last convention began in 1961 and concluded in 1962. Voters approved the resulting constitution in 1963.
How much did Michigan's last constitutional convention cost, and what costs can we expect?
Michigan spent approximately $2 million on its 1961-1962 constitutional convention, including delegate salaries, staffing, rent, and printing. Adjusting for inflation, that's approximately $22 million in 2026 dollars.
It is important to note that holding a convention today would involve additional costs, including elections to select delegates and a statewide vote on any proposed constitution. A 2026 report from the nonpartisan Citizens Research Council of Michigan estimates that a new convention could cost $50 million to $60 million. A newer preliminary estimate from the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency, reported in September, puts the figure at approximately $80 million.
The actual cost would depend on how long the convention meets, how it operates, and how the elections are scheduled.
Once voters approve a convention, delegates are elected and then meet at the state capitol on the first Tuesday in October following that election. The constitution says little about what happens next. Delegates choose their own officers, set their own rules, and hire staff. They also decide how to organize the work. Conventions commonly use committees to study individual subjects, though the Constitution doesn’t require it.
What happens inside a constitutional convention?
Delegates can propose changes to any part of the constitution. Consider a hypothetical: should the constitution set one statewide structure for county governing boards, or leave counties room to organize differently? Delegates would weigh uniformity against local flexibility, hear from affected groups, and test how a proposal would apply in very different communities.
A proposal can be adopted only with the approval of a majority of all delegates elected and serving. There is no set deadline for the convention’s work. When delegates finish, the proposed constitution or amendments go to voters at the time and in the manner the convention delegates decide, at least 90 days after final adjournment. Changes take effect only if a majority of voters approve them.
Now, in 2026, Michigan voters will once again decide whether to begin that process. If voters approve a convention, delegates would have the opportunity to consider changes across the Michigan Constitution, including provisions governing issues such as elections, education, taxation, individual rights, and state and local government. Delegates could also consider adding constitutional provisions addressing subjects not currently included in the document. In other words, unlike a constitutional amendment focused on a specific provision or issue, a convention can consider changes across the full scope of the state constitution.
