MEA is recommending members vote in support of a pair of good-government proposals on the Nov. 8 ballot. 

Proposal 1 would require elected officials serving in state government to file annual reports disclosing their personal finances, including their assets, liabilities, gifts from lobbyists, promises of future employment and more. This will help let citizens know if public officials are supporting their constituents’ interests or their own.

In addition, Proposal 1 would reform term limits by reducing the maximum time someone may serve in the Legislature from 14 to 12 years, while also allowing officials to serve their entire time in either the Senate or House. As it stands, legislators are allowed a maximum of three two-year terms in the House and two four-year terms in the Senate, leading many politicians overly focused on jockeying for position on the next rung on the political ladder, instead of serving the public. Proposal 1 will allow legislators to focus on the job they are elected to do, instead of playing a perpetual game of musical chairs.

For more information on Proposal 1, visit votersfortransparencyandtermlimits.com.

Proposal 2 will secure voting rights in the Michigan Constitution and serve as a bulwark against the far-right’s continued voter suppression efforts. The proposal would enhance the integrity of Michigan elections and protect the right for every eligible voter to make their voice heard at the ballot box without intimidation.

Among other voter protections, Proposal 2 would:

• Recognize the fundamental right to vote without harassment.
• Require military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by Election Day.
• Require nine days of early in-person voting.
• Provide a voter’s right to a single application to vote absentee in all elections.
• Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits.

To learn more about Proposal 2, go to promotethevote2022.com.

Remember to complete your full ballot, including these proposals and other critical non-partisan races – like the Michigan Supreme Court and local school boards – that appear at the end of your ballot.