We believe Michigan Farm Bureau should encourage members to register to vote. We also believe MFB should continue efforts to provide education and information on elections and candidates.
Campaign reform is overdue and should be established at all levels of government and address all elements of campaigning.
We support:
- Results projections on Election Day not be released to the public until polls are closed in the continental United States.
- The Michigan Constitution be amended to increase the percentage of voter signatures required to initiate a recall election to 35 percent.
- Requiring a 2/3 vote of the people for passage of the recurring ballot question to hold a Constitutional Convention.
- Recall petitions containing proven misfeasance or malfeasance before the petition is approved.
- Requiring state legislators to wait at least one year before becoming a registered lobbyist.
- Elected officials not being allowed to pursue a different elected position, unless they are at the end of their current term or resign from their currently held elected position.
- The current primary election process for statewide offices and moving the primary election date to either the month of May or June.
- The consolidation of the May and August elections into a single election in May or June.
- Nominating Secretary of State and Attorney General candidates on the primary election ballot instead of state party conventions.
- Apol Standards for the purpose of redistricting.
- Changes to the Michigan Constitution that allow for gubernatorial appointment, with advice and consent from the Senate for the Michigan State University board of trustees, Wayne State University board of governors, and University of Michigan board of regents.
- Michigan continuing to honor the Electoral College as designated in the U.S. Constitution.
- A simplified process to opt out of robocalls.
- Farm Bureau members to become precinct delegates, and MFB to conduct educational training on becoming a precinct delegate.
We oppose:
- The concept of a part-time legislature.
- The Promote the Vote campaign of the Electoral College system.
- Election Day becoming a holiday.
- Any voting by mail except by absentee ballot.
- Electronic forms of voting without a paper trail.
- Proposals to make the popular vote the sole determinant of presidential elections.
- Ranked choice voting.
Ballot Reform
We encourage MFB members to be knowledgeable about ballot proposals. We support the following ballot process reforms:
- Clear and concise language be used on ballot issues.
- Amend the State Constitution to require petitions for initiatives or referendums be signed by a percentage of individuals who voted in the gubernatorial race in the last preceding general election representing a large geographic area of the state, for example, at least ¾ of the Michigan House districts.
- Making it unlawful to have paid circulators gathering signatures for ballot proposals or recalls.
- Limiting influences from outside our state borders on Michigan’s ballot process.
- Township governments being allowed to elect local offices on a nonpartisan ballot.
- Easier ballot access for third party candidates.
- Reviewing the ballot initiative process that special interest groups use to circumvent the legislative process and force their ideals on the public and agricultural production.
Term Limits
We support:
- Staggering county commissioner terms.
- Continuing to assess the effectiveness of the new term limit structure.
Special Elections
Special elections accrue high costs for local taxpayers. Therefore, we support:
- Requiring that once an operating millage or bond proposal is defeated by voters, it cannot be up for another vote for at least one full year.
- Millage and bond proposal elections taking place during the November general election.
- School board elections being held during midterm or general elections to avoid unnecessary costs.
Election Fraud
We support:
- Clerks maintaining an accurate voter registration list.
- A passport, enhanced Michigan ID, or enhanced driver’s license, REAL ID or REAL Michigan driver’s license that proves citizenship for voter registration and voting.
We oppose:
- Election and voter fraud.