The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Board of Directors has voted to oppose Proposal 1, the constitutional convention question that will appear on Michigan’s November 3, 2026, general election ballot.
Michigan voters are asked every 16 years whether to convene a constitutional convention. A “yes” vote on Proposal 1 would begin a process through which delegates would be elected to consider a general revision of the Michigan Constitution. The proposed convention would not be limited to a particular issue or section of the Constitution. Instead, the entire document could be opened for consideration, raising concerns about the scope and potential outcomes of the process.
Why MSMS Is Opposed
MSMS believes Michigan’s Constitution provides an established framework for state government and public policy and that opening the entire document to a constitutional convention creates unnecessary risk and uncertainty.
The current Constitution already provides a process for making targeted constitutional amendments. Michigan voters have used this process several times since the current Constitution was adopted in 1963, addressing topics ranging from tax limitations to reproductive rights.
For Michigan physicians and their patients, stability matters. Health care delivery depends on a predictable legal and regulatory environment, including constitutional provisions that affect government, public services, education, individual rights, and the operation of state institutions. A convention could place many of those provisions under consideration simultaneously, creating uncertainty about issues extending well beyond the particular concerns that may prompt calls for a convention.
Under the process outlined for Proposal 1, 148 delegates, one from each of Michigan’s 110 House districts and 38 Senate districts, would be elected to participate in the convention. MSMS is concerned that well-funded special interest groups could spend millions of dollars attempting to influence delegate elections, raising questions about transparency and accountability. The delegates would ultimately develop a proposed revised constitution that would then be submitted to Michigan voters for approval or rejection.
The process also could carry a significant financial cost. A preliminary Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency analysis estimates that a constitutional convention could cost nearly 80 million dollars. Michigan’s previous constitutional convention, which produced the current Constitution, lasted nearly 10 months, from October 1961 through August 1962.
A Broad Coalition Is Urging a “No” Vote
MSMS has joined a growing bipartisan coalition opposing Proposal 1. The Protect MI Constitution coalition argues that Michigan voters already have meaningful control over constitutional changes through the amendment process and that a convention could give special interests and political groups an opportunity to pursue broad changes to the state’s governing document.
MSMS encourages members to learn more about Proposal 1 and consider the potential implications of opening Michigan’s entire Constitution to revision. The Board’s position reflects the Society’s commitment to promoting a stable environment in which physicians can practice medicine and patients can receive high-quality care.
MSMS recommends a “no” vote on Proposal 1.
Members can find additional information about the opposition to Proposal 1 through the Protect MI Constitution coalition.
For further information, please contact Kate Dorsey, MSMS Director of Government Affairs, at 517-336-5737 or kdorsey@msms.org.