Proposal No. 1

Article XVII

Sec. 2: Amendments may also be proposed to this constitution by petition of the qualified and registered voters electors of this state. Every such petition shall include the full text of the amendment so proposed, and be signed by qualified and registered electors of the state equal in number to not less than ten per cent 10 per centum of the legal voters of the State total vote cast for all candidates for governor at the last preceding general election, at which a governor was elected. Initiative petitions Petitions of qualified and registered electors proposing an amendment to this constitution shall be filed with the secretary of state or such other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive same at least four 4 months before the election at which such proposed amendment is to be voted upon. The legislature may prescribe penalties for causing or aiding and abetting in causing any fictitious or forged name to be affixed to any petition, or for knowingly causing petitions bearing fictitious or forged names to be circulated. Upon receipt of such said petition by the secretary of state he or other person or persons hereafter authorized by law shall canvass the same to ascertain if such petition has been signed by the requisite number of qualified and registered electors, and if the same has been so signed may, in determining the validity thereof, cause any doubtful signatures to be checked against the registration records by the clerk of any political subdivision in which said petitions were circulated, for properly determining the authenticity of such signatures. If the secretary of state or other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive and canvass same determines the petition is legal and in proper form and has been signed by the required number of qualified and registered electors, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the electors at the next regular election at which any state officer is to be elected. An official declaration of the sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition shall be made by the secretary of state or such other person or persons as shall hereafter be authorized at least 2 months prior to such election. Any constitutional amendment initiated by the people as herein provided, shall take effect and become a part of the constitution if the same shall be approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon the number of qualified electors required in section 1 hereof for the approval of amendments proposed by the legislature, and not otherwise. Every amendment shall take effect thirty 30 days after the election at which it is approved. The total number of votes cast for Governor at the regular election last preceding the filing of any petition proposing an amendment to the constitution, shall be the basis upon which the number of legal voters necessary to sign such a petition shall be computed. The secretary of state or such other person or persons as may be hereafter authorized by law shall submit all proposed amendments to the constitution initiated by the people for adoption or rejection in compliance herewith. The petition shall consist of sheets in such form and having printed or written at the top thereof such heading as shall be designated or prescribed by the secretary of state, or such other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive, canvass and check the same. Such petition shall be signed by qualified voters and registered electors in person only with the residence address of such persons, showing street names and also residence numbers in cities and villages having street numbers, and the date of signing the same. To each of such petitions, which may consist of one 1 or more sheets, shall be attached the affidavit of the qualified and registered elector circulating the same, who shall be required to identify himself by affixing his address below his signature, stating that each signature thereto was signed in the presence of such qualified and registered elector and is the genuine signature of the person signing the same, and that to the best knowledge and belief of the affiant each person signing the petition was at the time of signing a qualified and registered elector. Such petition so verified shall be prima facie evidence that the signatures thereon are genuine, and that the persons signing the same are qualified electors. The text of all amendments to be submitted shall be published as constitutional amendments are now required to be published.

Sec. 3: All proposed amendments to the constitution and other questions to be submitted to the electors shall be published in full, with any existing provisions of the constitution which would be altered or abrogated thereby, and a copy thereof shall be posted at each registration and election in each polling place. Proposed amendments shall also be printed together with any other special questions to be submitted at such election in full on a single ballot separate from the ballot containing the names of candidates or nominees for public office. The purpose of any such proposed amendment or question shall be designated on the ballots for submission to the electors in not more than 100 words, exclusive of caption. Such designation and caption shall be prepared by the secretary of state or by such other authority as shall be hereafter designated by law within 10 days after the filing of any proposal and shall consist of a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the amendment or question in such language as shall create no prejudice for or against such proposal.

Sources

• Joint Resolution No. 1 of 1941 (PDF)
• Michigan Official Directory and Legislative Manual, 1941-1942, p. 630 (HathiTrust)
• Public and Local Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Regular Session of 1941, pp. 781–782 (HathiTrust)
• Public and Local Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Regular Session of 1941, pp. 787–788 (HathiTrust)