Election 2020

Proposal 2 in Michigan: What voter rights would change if it passed?

The second proposal Michiganders will see deals with voter rights and making it easier for citizens to vote in Michigan.

By: Max White

Posted

and last updated

DETROIT (WXYZ) — The second proposal Michiganders will see on November 8 deals with voter rights and making it easier for citizens to vote in Michigan. It's the second petition in four years that deals with voting, after Proposal 3 in 2018 passed with 2/3 of the vote and added several different voting policies.

Proposal 2 lists nine voting rights that would become part of Michigan’s constitution if passed.

One big change would impact members of our military.

“For the military right now they have to have it in by Election Day. With this law they would have to send it by election day,” said Debbie Binder, West Bloomfield Township Clerk (D).

For example, the proposal would make Michigan’s law on how you identify yourself to vote part of the constitution.

“They either have to have one of the acceptable forms of photo ID or they have to sign an affidavit saying they are not in possession of their ID,” said Debbie Binder, West Bloomfield Township Clerk (D).

One of the big changes in proposal 2 is you would have in-person voting for 9 days before the elections. Right now, people can vote absentee before the elections but it is not the same. You can see this at the West Bloomfield Township Clerk's office where they store the absentee ballots after they are checked against the qualified voter file and verified. They are kept there until Election Day when they are tabulated. If you had in-person voting like proposal 2 would allow you to put the ballot through the tabulator.

“You aren’t going to get the results ahead of time, but if you spoiled the ballot you are going to know it because it is going to spit it back out at you and you are going to be able to correct it,” Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk (D).

Those policies included adding no-excuse absentee voting, automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration and helped military members and overseas voters get an absentee ballot at least 45 days before the election.

The petition for Promote the Vote 2022 got nearly 670,000 signatures, but a battle among the State Board of Canvassers kept it off the ballot initially before the Michigan Supreme Court ruled to put it on the ballot.

What would change if Proposal 2 passes?

If Proposal 2 passes in Michigan, it would expand those rights for voters in Michigan. In all, the proposal lists nine things that would happen if the proposal passes.

Of those, several will play important roles in future elections. One would require nine days of early, in-person voting. That means that Michiganders would get two weeks and the week before election day to vote at designated sites, which would be open eight hours per day. Several states already offer early in-person voting, so it would add Michigan to the list.

Many of the items also deal with absentee ballots. Under the proposal, Michigan would have a single application for people to vote absentee in all elections, require the state to provide postage for absentee applications and ballots, and require state-funded absentee ballot drop boxes and more than one drop box for communities with more than 15,000 people.

Michigan currently allows people to vote if they do not have their ID on them, but it's encouraged that voters bring their ID to the polls. Otherwise, you'll have to sign a sworn affidavit that you are the person voting , and that would continue under proposal 2.

Other things that would happen under proposal 2 include donations to fund elections, require the Board of State Canvassers to certify elections based on official records of votes cast, require military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day, and recognize the right to vote without harassment.

Who's behind Prop 2?

The group Promote The Vote 2022 is behind the proposal.

Who has endorsed Prop 2?

The proposal has major endorsements from organizations like the ACLU of Michigan, League of Women Voters Michigan, the Michigan AFL-CIO, NAACP Michigan, United Way, Voters Not Politicians and more.

What do opponents say?

There are many opponents to the proposal, including Republican lawmakers and the group Secure MI Vote, which was launched in 2021 after the 2020 election to create a petition that would require photo ID at the polls, which would eliminate the affidavit option currently open to Michiganders.

Those against the proposal say that it would make it easier for billionaires to fund the election, but according to Bridge Magazine, the state has received grants to help with election workers in the past.

Other organizations have been sending text messages saying that proposal 2 would let "violent prisoners be allowed to vote," but Michigan already has a law on the books that allows prisoners to vote as long as they are not currently in jail or serving a sentence. They can vote if they are charged but now convicted, newly released from jail, on parole or probation, awaiting arraignment, in the process of appealing a conviction.

Another text message from the same organization said it would ban voter ID, but the proposal would not end the voter ID requirement for Michigan. It would just continue to allow voters who didn't have an ID on them to vote by signing an affidavit, a law that's been in effect since 2007.

Former Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, who is now a state senator, says she believes the affidavit is not enough.

“Having a photo I.D. is a gold standard,” said State Senator Ruth Johnson (R-District 14).

Voter Dan Poole says this is why he would vote against proposal 2.

“I want to see voter ID,” said Dan Poole, voter.

Ballot Summary

Proposal 22-2

A proposal to amend the state constitution to add provisions regarding elections.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;
Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day;
Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;
Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections;
Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots;
Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits;
Require nine days of early in-person voting;
Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed;
Require canvass boards certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.

Should this proposal be adopted?

[ ] YES
[ ] NO

Full text of proposed law

The full text of the proposal amending Article 2, Sections 4 and 7 is as follows (additions capitalized, deletions stricken):

ARTICLE 2
ELECTIONS

Sec. 4. Place and manner of elections. (1) Every citizen of the United States who is an elector qualified to vote in Michigan shall have the following rights:

(a) The fundamental right to vote, including but not limited to the right, once registered, to vote a secret ballot in all elections. No person shall: (1) enact or use any law, rule, regulation, qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure; (2) engage in any harassing, threatening, or intimidating conduct; or (3) use any means whatsoever, any of which has the intent or effect of denying, abridging, interfering with, or unreasonably burdening the fundamental right to vote.

Any Michigan citizen or citizens shall have standing to bring an action for declaratory, injunctive, and/or monetary relief to enforce the rights created by this part (a) of subsection (4)(1) on behalf of themselves. Those actions shall be brought in the circuit court for the county in which a plaintiff resides. If a plaintiff prevails in whole or in part, the court shall award reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and disbursements.

For purposes of this part (a) of subsection (4)(1), “person” means an individual, association, corporation, joint stock company, labor organization, legal representative, mutual company, partnership, unincorporated organization, the state or a political subdivision of the state or an agency of the state, or any other legal entity, and includes an agent of a person.

(b) The right, if serving in the military or living overseas, to have an absent voter ballot sent to them at least forty-five (45) days before an election upon application and to have their absent voter ballot deemed timely received if postmarked on or before election day and received by the appropriate election official within six (6) days after such election. For purposes of this part {b) of subsection (4)(1), a postmark shall include any type of mark applied by the united states postal service or any delivery service to the return envelope,

Including but not limited to a bar code or any tracking marks, which indicates when a ballot was mailed.

(c) The right, once registered, to a “straight party” vote option on partisan general election ballots. In partisan elections, the ballot shall include a position at the top of the ballot by which the voter may, by a single selection, record a straight party ticket vote for all the candidates of one (1) party. The voter may vote a split or mixed ticket.

(d) The right to be automatically registered to vote as a result of conducting business with the secretary of state regarding a driver’s license or personal identification card, unless the person declines such registration.

(e) The right to register to vote for an election by mailing a completed voter registration application on or before the fifteenth (15th) day before that election to an election official authorized to receive voter registration applications.

(f) The right to register to vote for an election by (1) appearing in person and submitting a completed voter registration application on or before the fifteenth (15th) day before that election to an election official authorized to receive voter registration applications, or (2) beginning on the fourteenth (14th) day before that election and continuing through the day of that election, appearing in person, submitting a completed voter registration application and providing proof of residency to an election official responsible for maintaining custody of the registration file where the person resides, or their deputies. Persons registered in accordance with subsection (1)(f) shall be immediately eligible to receive a regular or absent voter ballot.

(g) The right, once registered, to prove their identity when voting in person or applying for an absent voter ballot in person by (1) presenting their photo identification, including photo identification issued by a federal, state, local, or tribal government or an educational institution, or (2) if they do not have photo identification or do not have it with them, executing an affidavit verifying their identity. A voter shall not be required to vote a provisional ballot solely because they executed an affidavit to prove their identity.

(h) The right, once registered, to vote an absent voter ballot without giving a reason, during the forty (40) days before an election, and the right to choose whether the absent voter ballot is applied for, received and submitted in person or by mail. During that time, election officials authorized to issue absent voter ballots shall be available in at least one (1) location to issue and receive absent voter ballots during the election officials’ regularly scheduled business hours and for at least eight (8) hours during the Saturday and/or Sunday immediately prior to the election. Those election officials shall have the authority to make absent voter ballots available for voting in person at additional times and places beyond what is required herein. Voters shall have the right to prove their identity when applying for or voting an absent voter ballot other than in person by providing their signature to the election official authorized to issue absent voter ballots. Those election officials shall: (1) verify the identity of a voter who applies for an absent voter ballot other than in person by comparing the voter’s signature on the absent voter ballot application to the voter’s signature in their registration record; and (2) verify the identity of a voter who votes an absent voter ballot other than in person by comparing the signature on the absent voter ballot envelope to the signature on the voter’s absent voter ballot application or the signature in the voter’s registration record. If those election officials determine from either of the comparisons in (1) or (2) of this part (h) of subsection (4)(1) that the signatures do not sufficiently agree, or if the voter’s signature on the absent voter ballot application or absent voter ballot envelope is missing, the voter has a right to be notified immediately and afforded due process, including an equitable opportunity to correct the issue with the signature.

(i) The right to: (1) state-funded prepaid postage to return an absent voter ballot application provided to them by a michigan election official; (2) state-funded prepaid postage to return a voted absent voter ballot; and (3) a state-funded system to track submitted absent voter ballot applications and absent voter ballots. The system shall permit voters to elect to receive electronic notifications regarding the status of the voter’s submitted absent voter ballot application and absent voter ballot, inform voters of any deficiency with the voter’s submitted absent voter ballot application or absent voter ballot, and provide instructions for addressing any such deficiency.

(j) The right to at least one (1) state-funded secure drop-box for every municipality, and for municipalities with more than fifteen thousand (15,000) registered voters at least one (1) drop-box for every fifteen thousand (15,000) registered voters, for the return of completed absent voter ballot applications and voted absent voter ballots. Secure drop-boxes shall be distributed equitably throughout the municipality and shall be accessible twenty-four (24) hours per day during the forty (40) days prior to any election and until eight (8) pm on election day.

(k) The right, once registered, to have an absent voter ballot sent to the voter before each election by submitting a single signed absent voter ballot application covering all future elections. An election official responsible for issuing absent voter ballots shall issue an absent voter ballot for each election to every voter in the jurisdiction who has exercised the right in this part (k) of subsection (4) (1) and shall not require such voter to submit a separate application for an absent voter ballot for any election. A voter’s exercise of this right shall be rescinded only if: (1) the voter submits a signed request to rescind; (2) the voter is no longer qualified to vote; (3) the secretary of state or the election official responsible for issuing the voter an absent voter ballot receives reliable information that the voter has moved to another state, or has moved within this state without updating their voter registration address; or (4) the voter does not vote for six (6) consecutive years. The exercise of the right in this part (k) of subsection (4)(1) shall remain in effect without the need for a new absent voter ballot application when the voter changes their residence in this state and updates their voter registration address.

(l) The right to have the results of statewide elections audited, in such a manner as prescribed by law, to ensure the accuracy and integrity of elections. The secretary of state shall conduct election audits, and shall supervise and direct county election officials in the conduct of such audits. No officer or member of the governing body of a national, state, or local political party, and no political party precinct delegate, shall have any role in the direction, supervision, or conduct of an election audit. Public election officials shall maintain the security and custody of all ballots and election materials during an election audit. Election audits shall be conducted in public based on methods finalized and made public prior to the election to be audited. All funding of election audits shall be publicly disclosed.

(m) The right, once registered, to vote in each statewide and federal election in person at an early voting site prior to election day. Voters at early voting sites shall have the same rights and be subject to the same requirements as voters at polling places on election day. An early voting site is a polling place and shall be subject to the same requirements as an election day polling place, except that an early voting site may serve voters from more than six (6) precincts and may serve voters from more than one (1) municipality within a county. An early voting site shall also be subject to the same requirements as an election day precinct, except that any statutory limit on the number of voters assigned to a precinct shall not apply to an early voting site. Each early voting site shall be open for at least nine (9) consecutive days beginning on the second saturday before the election and ending on the sunday before the election, for at least eight (8) hours each day, and may be open for additional days and hours beyond what is required herein at the discretion of the election official authorized to issue ballots in the jurisdiction conducting the election. Jurisdictions conducting elections within a county may enter into agreements to share early voting sites. A jurisdiction conducting an election may enter into an agreement with the clerk of the county in which it is located authorizing the county clerk to conduct early voting for the jurisdiction. Jurisdictions conducting non-statewide elections may offer early voting for such elections in accordance with the provisions of this part (m) of subsection (4)(1). No early voting results shall be generated or reported until after eight (8) pm on election day.

All rights set forth in this subsection shall be self-executing. This subsection shall be liberally construed in favor of voters’ rights in order to effectuate its purposes. Nothing contained in this subsection shall prevent the legislature from expanding voters’ rights beyond what is provided herein. This subsection and any portion hereof shall be severable. If any portion of this subsection is held invalid or unenforceable as to any person or circumstance, that invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity, enforceability, or application of any other portion of this subsection.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this constitution or in the constitution or laws of the United States the legislature shall enact laws to regulate the time, place and manner of all nominations and elections, to preserve the purity of elections, to preserve the secrecy of the ballot, to guard against abuses of the elective franchise, and to provide for a system of voter registration and absentee voting. No law shall be enacted which permits a candidate in any partisan primary or partisan election to have a ballot designation except when required for identification of candidates for the same office who have the same or similar surnames.

(3) A county, city, or township conducting an election may accept and use publicly-disclosed charitable donations and in-kind contributions to conduct and administer elections. The county, city, or township shall retain discretion over whether to accept or use any such donations or contributions. Charitable donations and in-kind contributions of foreign funds or from foreign sources are prohibited.

Sec. 7. Boards of canvassers (1) The outcome of every election in this state shall be determined solely by the vote of electors casting ballots in the election.

(2) A board of state canvassers of four members shall be established by law. No candidate for an office to be canvassed nor any inspector of elections shall be eligible to serve as a member of a board of canvassers. A majority of any board of canvassers shall not be composed of members of the same political party. The legislature may by law establish boards of county canvassers.

(3) it shall be the ministerial, clerical, nondiscretionary duty of a board of canvassers, and of each individual member thereof, to certify election results based solely on: (1) certified statements of votes from counties; or (2) in the case of boards of county canvassers, statements of returns from the precincts and absent voter counting boards in the county and any corrected returns. The board of state canvassers is the only body or entity in this state authorized to certify the results of an election for statewide or federal office and to determine which person is elected in such election.

(4) if the certified results for any office certified by the board of state canvassers show a tie among two (2) or more persons, the tie shall be resolved and the winner certified by the drawing of lots under rules promulgated by the board of state canvassers. If the certified results for an office certified by a board of county canvassers show a tie among two (2) or more persons, the tie shall be resolved and the winner certified by such board of canvassers under procedures prescribed by law.

(5) the certification of any election results by the board of state canvassers shall be final subject only to (a) a post-certification recount of the votes cast in that election supervised by the board of state canvassers under procedures prescribed by law; or (b) a post-certification court order.

(6) a board of canvassers is authorized to conduct post-certification recounts of election results under procedures prescribed by law.

(7) for purposes of this section “to certify” means to make a signed, written statement.

Provisions of existing constitution altered or abrogated by the proposal if adopted:

Article 2, § 4 Place and manner of elections.

Sec. 4. (1) Every citizen of the United States who is an elector qualified to vote in Michigan shall have the following rights:

(a) The right, once registered, to vote a secret ballot in all elections.

(b) The right, if serving in the military or living overseas, to have an absent voter ballot sent to them at least forty-five (45} days before an election upon application.

(g) The right, once registered, to vote an absent voter ballot without giving a reason, during the forty (40) days before an election, and the right to choose whether the absent voter ballot is applied for, received and submitted in person or by mail. During that time, election officials authorized to issue absent voter ballots shall be available in at least one (1) location to issue and receive absent voter ballots during the election officials’ regularly scheduled business hours and for at least eight (8) hours during the Saturday and/or Sunday immediately prior to the election. Those election officials shall have the authority to make absent voter ballots available for voting in person at additional times and places beyond what is required herein.

(h) The right to have the results of statewide elections audited, in such a manner as prescribed by law, to ensure the accuracy and integrity of elections.

Article 2, § 6 Voters on tax limit increases or bond issues.

Sec. 6. Whenever any question is required to be submitted by a political subdivision to the electors for the increase of the ad valorem tax rate limitation imposed by Section 6 of Article IX for a period of more than five years, or for the issue of bonds, only electors in, and who have property assessed for any ad valorem taxes in, any part of the district or territory to be affected by the result of such election or electors who are the lawful husbands or wives of such persons shall be entitled to vote thereon. All electors in the district or territory affected may vote on all other questions.

Article 2, § 7 Boards of canvassers.

Sec. 7. A board of state canvassers of four members shall be established by law. No candidate for an office to be canvassed nor any inspector of elections shall be eligible to serve as a member of a board of canvassers. A majority of any board of canvassers shall not be composed of members of the same political party.

Article 4, § 1 Legislative power.

Sec. 1. Except to the extent limited or abrogated by article IV, section 6 or article V, section 2, the legislative power of the State of Michigan is vested in a senate and a house of representatives.

Article 4, § 16 Legislature; officers, rules of procedure, expulsion of members.

Sec. 16. Each house, except as otherwise provided in this constitution, shall choose its own officers and determine the rules of its proceedings, but shall not adopt any rule that will prevent a majority of the members elected thereto and serving therein from discharging a committee from the further consideration of any measure. Each house shall be the sole judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of its members, and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected thereto and serving therein, expel a member. The reasons for such expulsion shall be entered in the journal, with the votes and names of the members voting upon the question. No member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause.

Article 5, § 1 Executive power.

Sec. 1. Except to the extent limited or abrogated by article V, section 2, or article IV, section 6, the executive power is vested in the governor.

Article 5, § 13 Elections to fill vacancies in legislature.

Sec. 13. The governor shall issue writs of election to fill vacancies in the senate or house of representatives. Any such election shall be held in a manner prescribed by law.

Article 6, § 1 Judicial power in court of justice; divisions.

Sec. 1. Except to the extent limited or abrogated by article IV, section 6, or article V, section 2, the judicial power of the state is vested exclusively in one court of justice which shall be divided into one supreme court, one court of appeals, one trial court of general jurisdiction known as the circuit court, one probate court, and courts of limited jurisdiction that the legislature may establish by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to and serving in each house.

Article 6, § 2 Justices of the supreme court; number, term, nomination, election.

Sec. 2. The supreme court shall consist of seven justices elected at non-partisan elections as provided by law. The term of office shall be eight years and not more than two terms of office shall expire at the same time. Nominations for justices of the supreme court shall be in the manner prescribed by law. Any incumbent justice whose term is to expire may become a candidate for re-election by filing an affidavit of candidacy, in the form and manner prescribed by law, not less than 180 days prior to the expiration of his term.

Article 6, § 8 Court of appeals; election of judges, divisions.

Sec. 8. The court of appeals shall consist initially of nine judges who shall be nominated and elected at non-partisan elections from districts drawn on county lines and as nearly as possible of equal population, as provided by law. The supreme court may prescribe by rule that the court of appeals sit in divisions and for the terms of court and the times and places thereof. Each such division shall consist of not fewer than three judges. The number of judges comprising the court of appeals may be increased, and the districts from which they are elected may be changed by law.

Article 6, § 23 Judicial vacancies, filling; appointee, term; successor; new offices.

Sec. 23. A vacancy shall occur in the office of judge of any court of record or in the district court by death, removal, resignation or vacating of the office, and such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor. The person appointed by the governor shall hold office until 12 noon of the first day of January next succeeding the first general election held after the vacancy occurs, at which election a successor shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term. Whenever a new office of judge in a court of record, or the district court, is created by law, it shall be filled by election as provided by law. The supreme court may authorize persons who have been elected and served as judges to perform judicial duties for limited periods or specific assignments.

Article 6, § 26 Circuit court commissioners and justices of the peace, abolition; courts of limited jurisdiction.

Sec. 26. The offices of circuit court commissioner and justice of the peace are abolished at the expiration of five years from the date this constitution becomes effective or may within this period be abolished by law. Their jurisdiction, compensation and powers within this period shall be as provided by law. Within this five-year period, the legislature shall establish a court or courts of limited jurisdiction with powers and jurisdiction defined by law. The location of such court or courts, and the qualifications, tenure, method of election and salary of the judges of such court or courts, and by what governmental units the judges shall be paid, shall be provided by law, subject to the limitations contained in this article.

Present statutory courts.

Statutory courts in existence at the time this constitution becomes effective shall retain their powers and jurisdiction, except as provided by law, until they are abolished by law.

Article 7, § 3 Reduction of size of county.

Sec. 3. No organized county shall be reduced by the organization of new counties to less than 16 townships as surveyed by the United States, unless approved in the manner prescribed by law by a majority of electors voting thereon in each county to be affected.

Article 7, § 10 Removal of county seat.

Sec. 10. A county seat once established shall not be removed until the place to which it is proposed to be moved shall be designated by two-thirds of the members of the board of supervisors and a majority of the electors voting thereon shall have approved the proposed location in the manner prescribed by law.

Article 7, § 18 Township officers; term, powers and duties.

Sec. 18. In each organized township there shall be elected for terms of not less than two nor more than four years as prescribed by law a supervisor, a clerk, a treasurer, and not to exceed four trustees, whose legislative and administrative powers and duties shall be provided by law.

Article 7, § 22 Charters, resolutions, ordinances; enumeration of powers.

Sec. 22. Under general laws the electors of each city and village shall have the power and authority to frame, adopt and amend its charter, and to amend an existing charter of the city or village heretofore granted or enacted by the legislature for the government of the city or village. Each such city and village shall have power to adopt resolutions and ordinances relating to its municipal concerns, property and government, subject to the constitution and law. No enumeration of powers granted to cities and villages in this constitution shall limit or restrict the general grant of authority conferred by this section.

Article 7, § 28 Governmental functions and powers; joint administration, costs and credits, transfers.

Sec. 28. The legislature by general law shall authorize two or more counties, townships, cities, villages or districts, or any combination thereof among other things to: enter into contractual undertakings or agreements with one another or with the state or with any combination thereof for the joint administration of any of the functions or powers which each would have the power to perform separately; share the costs and responsibilities of functions and services with one another or with the state or with any combination thereof which each would have the power to perform separately; transfer functions or responsibilities to one another or any combination thereof upon the consent of each unit involved; cooperate with one
another and with state government; lend their credit to one another or any combination thereof as provided by law in connection with any authorized publicly owned undertaking.

Officers, eligibility.

Any other provision of this constitution notwithstanding, an officer or employee of the state or any such unit of government or subdivision or agency thereof, except members of the legislature, may serve on or with any governmental body established for the purposes set forth in this section and shall not be required to relinquish his office or employment by reason of such service.

Article 8, § 3 State board of education; duties.

Sec. 3. Leadership and general supervision over all public education, including adult education and instructional programs in state institutions, except as to institutions of higher education granting baccalaureate degrees, is vested in a state board of education. It shall serve as the general planning and coordinating body for all public education, including higher education, and shall advise the legislature as to the financial requirements in connection therewith.

Superintendent of public instruction; appointment, powers, duties.

The state board of education shall appoint a superintendent of public instruction whose term of office shall be determined by the board. He shall be the chairman of the board without the right to vote, and shall be responsible for the execution of its policies. He shall be the principal executive officer of a state department of education which shall have powers and duties provided by law.

State board of education; members, nomination, election, term.

The state board of education shall consist of eight members who shall be nominated by party conventions and elected at large for terms of eight years as prescribed by law. The governor shall fill any vacancy by appointment for the unexpired term. The governor shall be ex-officio a member of the state board of education without the right to vote.

Boards of institutions of higher education, limitation.

The power of the boards of institutions of higher education provided in this constitution to supervise their respective institutions and control and direct the expenditure of the institutions’ funds shall not be limited by this section.

Article 8, § 5 University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University; controlling boards.

Sec. 5. The regents of the University of Michigan and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Regents of the University of Michigan; the trustees of Michigan State University and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University; the governors of Wayne State University and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Board of Governors of Wayne State University. Each board shall have general supervision of its institution and the control and direction of all expenditures
from the institution’s funds. Each board shall, as often as necessary, elect a president of the institution under its supervision. He shall be the principal executive officer of the institution, be ex-officio a member of the board without the right to vote and preside at meetings of the board. The board of each institution shall consist of eight members who shall hold office for terms of eight years and who shall be elected as provided by law. The governor shall fill board vacancies by appointment. Each appointee shall hold office until a successor has been nominated and elected as provided by law.

Article 9, § 6 Real and tangible personal property; limitation on general ad valorem taxes; adoption and alteration of separate tax limitations; exceptions to limitations; property tax on school district extending into 2 or more counties.

Section 6. Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, the total amount of general ad valorem taxes imposed upon real and tangible personal property for all purposes in any one year shall not exceed 15 mills on each dollar of the assessed valuation of property as finally equalized. Under procedures provided by law, which shall guarantee the right of initiative, separate tax limitations for any county and for the townships and for school districts therein, the aggregate of which shall not exceed 18 mills on each dollar of such valuation, may be adopted and thereafter altered by the vote of a majority of the qualified electors of such county voting thereon, in lieu of the limitation hereinbefore established. These limitations may be increased to an aggregate of not to exceed 50 mills on each dollar of valuation, for a period of not to exceed 20 years at any one time, if approved by a majority of the electors, qualified under Section 6 of Article II of this constitution, voting on the question.

The foregoing limitations shall not apply to taxes imposed for the payment of principal and interest on bonds approved by the electors or other evidences of indebtedness approved by the electors or for the payment of assessments or contract obligations in anticipation of which bonds are issued approved by the electors, which taxes may be imposed without limitation as to rate or amount; or, subject to the provisions of Section 25 through 34 of this article, to taxes imposed for any other purpose by any city, village, charter county, charter township, charter authority or other authority, the tax limitations of which are provided by charter or by general law.

In any school district which extends into two or more counties, property taxes at the highest rate available in the county which contains the greatest part of the area of the district may be imposed and collected for school purposes throughout the district.