Five of six Michigan ballot proposals headed for defeat
Five of the six Michigan ballot proposals were defeated Tuesday, while Proposal 1 battled for approval at press time.
Proposals 2 through 6 were projected as heading for defeat soon after election results started coming in, but only Proposal 1 was closely contested.
Proposal 1, which would authorize the governor to appoint an emergency manager during a financial emergency, trailed 55 to 45 percent lead with 48 percent of precincts reporting. The emergency manager would be required to develop financial and operating plans.
Proposal 2 is headed for defeat with 61 to 39 percent of the vote, with 30 percent of precincts reporting. Proposal 2 would grant public and private employees the constitutional right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions. The proposal would invalidate existing or future state or local laws that limit the ability to join unions and bargain collectively, and to negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements.
Kelly Chesney, vice president of marketing and communications for Business Leaders for Michigan, a member of Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution,is pleased to see that voters understand the importance of the ballot proposals. The group opposed Proposals 2, 3 and 4.
“Clearly, the voters have spoken,” she said. “They don’t believe those things belong in our constitution.”
Chesney said if Proposal 2 were to have passed, Michigan would have been the only state to include that sort of language on collective bargaining in its constitution.
Proposal 3 is headed for defeat with 64 to 36 percent of the vote, with 30 percent of precincts reporting.
Proposal 3 would amend the state constitution to establish a standard for renewable energy. Electric utilities would be required to provide at least 25 percent of their annual retail sales of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. A limit would be established to not more than one percent per year electric utility rate increases charged to consumers to achieve compliance with the standard. Annual extensions of the deadline to meet the standard in order to prevent rate increases over the limit would be allowed
Proposal 4 is headed for defeat with 60 to 40 percent of the vote, with 30 percent of precincts reporting.
Proposal 4 would allow in-home care workers to bargain collectively with the Michigan Quality Home Car Council, and continue the exclusive representative of in-home care workers until modified in accordance with labor laws. MQHCC would be required to provide training, create a registry for workers who pass background checks and provide financial services to patients to manage costs of in-home care. Patients’ rights to hire in-home care workers who are not referred from the MQHCC registry who are bargaining unit members would be preserved.
Proposal 5 is headed for defeat with 69 to 31 percent of the vote, with 30 percent of precincts reporting. Proposal 5 would require a two-thirds majority vote of the state house and senate, or a statewide vote of the people at a November election, in order for Michigan to impose new or additional taxes or expand the tax base or increase the tax rate.
Proposal 6 is headed for defeat with 62 to 38 percent of the vote, with 30 percent of precincts reporting. Proposal 6 would require the approval of a majority of voters at a statewide election and in each municipality where new international bridges or tunnels for motorized vehicles are to be located before Michigan may expend state funds or resources for it.
