Duggan, Bishop urge no vote on constitutional convention

Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop urged Michigan voters to reject Proposal 1, the constitutional convention question on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The two appeared at a Monday, Oct. 19, press conference at the Detroit Regional Chamber alongside a bipartisan coalition of organizations. They argued a convention could threaten economic growth and make it harder for local governments to plan and budget.

“A complete rewrite would risk turning it into a political playground for lobbyists, wealthy special interests and political insiders,” Bishop said.

Bishop, a former Michigan Senate majority leader, said voters can already make targeted constitutional changes through individual amendments.

Duggan argued that uncertainty surrounding a convention would complicate local budgeting, investment and delivery of services.

The press conference also featured representatives of Promote the Vote and the Detroit Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, including Bishop Edgar L. Vann II and the Rev. Horace Sheffield III.

What Proposal 1 asks

Proposal 1 asks whether Michigan should convene a constitutional convention in 2027 to draft a general revision of the state constitution. The question automatically appears on the ballot every 16 years.

If voters approve it, 148 delegates would be elected statewide: one from each state House and Senate district. Any proposed constitution would require approval in a separate statewide vote, according to the Senate Fiscal Agency’s analysis.

A no vote would leave the current constitution in place. The next regularly scheduled convention question would appear in 2042.

Michigan voters last approved a convention in 1961. They rejected the question in 1978, 1994 and 2010.

Supporters see a convention as an opportunity to streamline the constitution or reform state government, the Senate Fiscal Agency’s analysis notes. Opponents cite costs, uncertainty and potential changes to existing constitutional protections.