Reading the Fine Print: Why Tuesday’s Ballot Dictates Michigan’s Next Decade of Growth 

• Early voting runs through Nov. 1 ahead of the 2026 General Election, and the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2026 Know Before You Vote guide provides tools to help employers and employees navigate the ballot. 
• The Detroit Regional Chamber Federal Political Action Committee has endorsed Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate.  
• The Detroit Regional Chamber urges a “no” vote on Proposal 1 to avoid a costly constitutional convention and a “no” vote on Proposal 2 to protect free speech and issue advocacy. 
• The Detroit Regional Chamber Political Action Committee has endorsed a bipartisan slate of federal, state, and local candidates committed to economic stability and talent growth.

With the 2026 General Election days away, the choices made at the ballot box will directly determine whether Michigan offers a predictable climate for economic growth or stalls out. Showing up to the polls is only half the job; casting an informed vote that protects economic stability is what keeps the Detroit Region competitive. 

To help cut through the noise, the Chamber’s 2026 Know Before You Vote guide breaks down the stakes of this election cycle. Stability depends on the rule of law, peaceful transitions of power, and policies that encourage growth rather than market volatility. 

Throughout the ticket, the Chamber’s priority is electing pragmatic leaders who work with employers and focus on common ground rather than partisan division. Based on voting scorecards and interviews, the Chamber PAC’s 2026 General Election endorsements back candidates dedicated to expanding the talent pipeline and clearing regulatory hurdles. This cycle, the Chamber PAC endorsed Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate, a bipartisan slate of U.S. House candidates, Republican Doug Lloyd for attorney general, Democrat Garlin Gilchrist for Secretary of State, and County Executives Warren Evans and Mark Hackel. In the Michigan Legislature, the Chamber PAC backed 21 Democrats and 45 Republicans for the House, alongside nine Democrats and 15 Republicans for the Senate. 

Protecting that predictability continues at the bottom of the ballot with two statewide proposals that carry serious risks in fine print. 

First, voters need to vote “no” on Proposal 1. This measure would trigger a constitutional convention, putting the state’s entire foundational document on the chopping block. Opening a convention invites years of uncertainty about tax policy, regulatory authority, and public finance, while leaving taxpayers with an estimated $80 million bill. Worse, because delegate elections lack standard campaign finance rules, out-of-state special interests could spend millions to hijack the process. Michigan already has a proven amendment process for targeted reforms without risking constitutional chaos. 

Second, voters should vote “no” on Proposal 2 to protect free speech. Packaged as campaign finance reform, this initiated law would ban political contributions from regulated utilities and organizations that hold more than $250,000 annually in state government contracts. That sweeps up nearly 1,000 entities and anyone with undefined “substantial” connections to them. It also places strict donor disclosure mandates on routine communications that merely mention a candidate or ballot question, severely restricting issue advocacy and virtually guaranteeing costly court challenges. 

Statewide early voting runs through Nov. 1, 2026, and polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2026. Review the Detroit Regional Chamber’s election resources, share them across the workplace, and vote to keep the state moving forward. 

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