Democracy advocates, progressive organizations warn of Con-Con threat to civil rights, voter access and urge NO vote in November
LANSING, Mich. – Some of Michigan’s most prominent progressive organizations gathered on Tuesday to warn of the dangers of calling a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) and urged Michiganders to vote NO on Proposal 1 in November.
Representatives of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, Voters Not Politicians and Progress Michigan participated in a virtual press conference with Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests (PMCFSI) to warn Michiganders about the risks of approving Proposal 1 on the Nov. 3 ballot, which would open the Michigan Constitution to a complete rewrite.
The groups warned that approval of the proposal, which appears on the ballot every 16 years, could hurt Michigan’s protections of our land, air and water as well as hard-fought voting access and reproductive freedoms.
“A Constitutional Convention would allow for a complete rewrite of our state’s governing document, which could lead to devastating consequences for our air, land and water that would last long into the future,” said Amani Johnson, Democracy for All director at the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Opening up the state’s constitution would roll out the welcome mat to Big Oil, big utilities and big polluters to undo and roll back clean energy laws and key environmental protections, eliminating safeguards that protect our Great Lakes.”
Groups that participated in Tuesday’s virtual press conference are among some of the state’s most prominent advocacy organizations working with PMCFSI to encourage a NO vote on Proposal 1 in November. The broad-based coalition is working to ensure the state constitution cannot be hijacked and rewritten in a way that takes away essential rights, freedoms and protections, and removes important limits on government over-reach.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting free speech, reproductive freedom as well as immigrant and transgender rights, warned that Michigan voters have spent years strengthening constitutional protections and fostering equal justice under the law.
“A Constitutional Convention would put our voting rights, reproductive rights, including abortion, and other hard-won rights at risk by opening the door to dangerous and unpredictable changes to our state constitution,” said Bonsitu Kitabe-Gaviglio, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. “Voting NO on holding a Constitutional Convention would keep these rights in place, including other protections such as free speech, privacy, equality protection and much, much more.”
A Con-Con would cost nearly $80 million, according to a preliminary analysis by the Senate Fiscal Agency. That hefty price tag would prevent needed funding from being used to help solve real problems in Michigan.
“A NO vote on Proposal 1 in November would help ensure the state’s constitutional framework remains stable, voter-focused and resistant to the influence of special interests,” said Justin Mendoza, executive director of Progress Michigan. “We already have a process in place to make smart, targeted amendments to the constitution that puts voters in charge. A Con-Con would open a Pandora’s Box that could make it difficult for voters to cast their ballots and participate in elections.”
The closed-door nature of a Con-Con would allow the Michigan Constitution to be secretly rewritten without any transparency or accountability to Michigan voters. Historically, voters have said no by huge margins every time a Con-Con proposal has come to a vote.
“A Con-Con is a dangerous Trojan Horse that would allow wealthy special interests and extremist organizations to rewrite the Michigan Constitution and promote their narrow agenda,” said Christy McGillivray, executive director of Voters Not Politicians. “Constitutional protections and freedoms Michiganders currently enjoy under our state constitution would be at risk by calling a Con-Con.”
Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests is continuing to grow its supporter network. To join the list of supporters and find ways to help, visit protectmiconstitution.com.
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