The CMF Board of Trustees has approved CMF to advocate for a ballot initiative that would change term limits in Michigan to help foster expertise and partnership connections with our policymakers.

In early May 2022, the Michigan Legislature voted to place the term limits ballot initiative on the November 2022 ballot.

In addition to increasing transparency around state elected officials disclosing personal financial information, new term limits would allow legislators to serve up to 12 years, six 2-year house terms, three 4-year Senate terms or a combination.

This ballot initiative is receiving support from organizations and stakeholders across the political spectrum.

Michigan’s term limits are the most rigid in the country and this initiative is an attempt to reduce some of the challenges caused by the state’s term limits.

According to research from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, term limits have led to increased political polarization and lobbyist influence and have not made the legislature more diverse.

In 1992, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment creating term limits with 58% of the vote.

The original constitutional amendment also limited U.S. representatives to three two-year terms within 12 years and U.S. senators to two six-year terms in 24 years, but the courts invalidated this part of the amendment in 1995.

The remaining state-level term limits have stayed in place ever since. State representatives are limited to three two-year terms, state senators to two four-year terms and the statewide offices of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general to two four-year terms.

In 2010, the CMF Board of Trustees approved a resolution supporting expanding or relaxing term limits.

Last week, the CMF Board of Trustees approved CMF for supporting the term limits ballot initiative to allow legislators to serve up to 12 years, six 2-year house terms, three 4-year Senate terms or a combination.

“These changes in term limits could increase legislative capacity and expertise that allow Michigan’s elected officials to more effectively address the issues facing Michigan families and communities,” Regina Bell, director of Government Relations and Public Policy at CMF said.

As CMF and our community of philanthropy continue advocacy efforts with our elected officials, the ability to build strong, lasting relationships with legislators over time would not only help with policy issues that are priorities for our CMF community but will help address issues that affect the health of the sector.

Want more?

Join CMF’s Government Relations Public Policy Committee on July 27 for a conversation on what we can expect on the November ballot, how it impacts philanthropy’s work in community and the role that philanthropy can play in ballot measure advocacy. Questions? Please connect with Regina Bell, CMF’s director of Government Relations and Public Policy.