LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Less than two months after it was approved for circulation, a ballot initiative to bring ranked choice voting to Michigan elections is facing a new challenge from state lawmakers.
House Republicans advanced a bill this week that would prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in any Michigan election. The proposal passed the House along party lines, 57 to 44.
The measure comes as organizers with the Rank MI Vote campaign are working to collect signatures for a constitutional amendment that could appear on the 2026 ballot. If successful, the amendment would allow voters to rank their top three candidates for a given office instead of selecting just one. Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville), who sponsored the bill, argued the legislation is a safeguard.
“This bill is about protecting the foundation of our democracy,” Smit said. “One person, one vote.”
She added that even if the ballot measure succeeds, her bill would be overridden, but passing it is a way for the legislature to take a clear stance.
Advocates for ranked choice voting say the ban is an attempt to undermine voters and prevent them from deciding on election reforms for themselves. Several Michigan cities, including Ferndale, East Lansing, and Kalamazoo, have already approved ranked choice voting systems for local elections. However, state election law has prevented those communities from putting the system into practice, effectively serving as a ban already in place.
The House bill now heads to the Senate, where the Democratic majority makes it unlikely to advance to a final vote.
