Michigan Voters Reject Proposal 1, Rewriting State Constitution: AP

Michiganders on Tuesday rejected Proposal 1, which had forced lawmakers to rewrite the state's constitution.

The AP called the race around 9:40 p.m. when 606,336 no votes to 196,056 yes votes, with 16 percent of total votes counted.

Subscribe

Michiganders automatically get the opportunity every 16 years.

Here are the unofficial results so far:

Yes - 205,067

No - 632,061

Precincts reporting - 17 percent

If the measure had passed, the complicated process would have started with voters electing 148 delegates to the convention. The delegates would come from different areas of the state. They would then rewrite the constitution and send it back to voters for potential approval in the next statewide election.

Under current legislation, anything in the constitution could be changed. That includes voter-approved amendments to the current Constitution, such as abortion rights.

It is unclear, however, how often the delegates would actually meet to discuss any changes.

The last constitutional convention ran for about 10 months from 1961 to 1962. Lawmakers gathered for almost 500 hours in general and committee sessions before ratifying Michigan's fourth and current constitution in 1963.

Election results are unofficial until certified by election authorities.