Michigan's Constitutional Convention Question and the Future of MPSERS Retirement
Much of the information in this article is drawn from research published by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. The Research Council does not take a position on whether Michigan should hold a constitutional convention. Its research provides factual information about the convention process, Michigan’s constitutional history and the issues that could be considered if a convention is held. For additional information and the full research series, visit the Citizens Research Council of Michigan.
On Nov. 3, Michigan voters will elect a new governor, choose their state legislators, and decide a highly contested U.S. Senate race. They’ll also vote on whether Michigan should hold what’s known as a “constitutional convention” to revise the state constitution. It’s a question Michigan puts to voters every 16 years, and one they’ve turned down each time in recent memory.
What Is a Constitutional Convention?
A constitutional convention is a gathering of elected delegates to review a state’s constitution and consider broader revisions to it.
Why Does the Constitutional Convention Question Keep Coming Back?
Michigan’s 1850 Constitution introduced the requirement that voters periodically be asked whether to call a convention for general constitutional revision. The 1963 constitution retained the requirement, specifying that the question appear every 16 years. Since then, Michigan voters rejected the convention question in 1978, 1994 and 2010.
Meanwhile, voters and lawmakers have continued to amend the 1963 Constitution.
At a glance
- Michigan voters decide Nov. 3 whether to call a constitutional convention to revise the state constitution. The question comes up every 16 years; voters rejected it in 1978, 1994 and 2010.
- A “yes” vote starts a process: delegates would be elected in 2027 to decide what to propose, and voters would then decide separately whether to approve it. A “no” vote keeps the constitution as is; the question would return in 2042.
- A convention could consider provisions throughout the Constitution, including retirement protections. Article IX, Section 24 protects accrued pension benefits, including MPSERS, as a contractual obligation the state cannot diminish or impair.
- MARSP will be watching the constitutional convention question closely. We encourage members to become familiar with this and other down-ballot questions before heading to the polls on November 3. More election tips from MARSP.
What Happens If Voters Say Yes?
- A “no” vote leaves the current constitution in place. The question would return in 2042.
- A “yes” vote does not change the constitution. It starts a process: voters decide first whether to hold a convention, and later whether to approve what the convention proposes.
Constitutional Convention Process
- November 2026: Voters decide whether to call a convention.
- 2027: If approved, Michigan holds elections for 148 convention delegates, with a primary followed by a general election.
- October 2027: The delegates convene in Lansing.
- Convention: Delegates establish their rules and consider what changes, if any, to propose.
- Voters have the final say: Any proposed revised Constitution must be submitted to Michigan voters for ratification.
What Could a Constitutional Convention Consider?
That means a convention could consider provisions throughout the Constitution, including but not limited to:
- the structure and powers of state government
- courts
- taxation and state finances
- education
- local government
- individual rights
- public employee retirement systems
The U.S. Constitution remains the supreme law of the land, so a Michigan Constitution cannot override it.
“A state constitutional convention elected by the people is free to fashion any kind of document it pleases, subject only to restraints imposed by the United States Constitution and subject, of course, to having its final product ratified by the state’s voters. While Michigan‘s history with constitutional revision has tended to incrementally build on existing constitutions, nothing would bind a 2027 constitutional convention to such an approach.”
MARSP’s Concern: Pension Protections
Michigan’s Constitution protects retirees’ pensions directly. Article IX, Section 24 makes the “accrued financial benefits” of public pension plans, including MPSERS, a contractual obligation the state cannot diminish or impair. That protection has held since 1963, and it’s part of why MPSERS retirees can count on their pension regardless of the state’s budget picture in any given year.
A constitutional convention could put that protection back on the table. Delegates determine the scope of their work, with nothing preventing them from examining Article IX, Section 24.
MARSP will continue watching the constitutional convention question closely. We encourage members to become familiar with this and other down-ballot questions before heading to the polls on November 3.
