With canvassers around the state looking to get enough signatures to place ranked choice voting on the 2026 midterm ballot in Michigan, the state's county clerks' association has made their position clear on the matter in a unanimous vote opposing the initiative.
"Michigan's County Clerks have collectively dedicated their lives to public service and the pursuit of delivering safe, secure, and efficient elections for our residents," said Linda Talsma, President of the Michigan Association of County Clerks, in a release. "As an organization, we rarely take positions on ballot questions, but we felt compelled in this case to urge voters to oppose this measure."
Specifically, the clerks are concerned that ranked choice voting will result in two page ballots and lengthy delays in receiving election results. They say these issues will create problems for election administrators in Michigan.
Midland County Clerk Ann Manary said the group behind the ballot proposal, Rank MI Vote, doesn't expect voter education to take place in a timely manner.
"One of the gentlemen that is the head of this particular proposal was really struggling to explain what ranked choice voting was and then went on to indicate that we don't anticipate it actually happening until 2030 so that we have time to educate people in the state of Michigan how to use it," Manary explained. "Well, I'm sorry, but if it's that difficult to understand, that is all the more reason not to go down a path where you have to do more voter education than what it would warrant."
Manary also spoke about how the association attempted to meet with Rank MI Vote before they went to the State Board of Canvassers.
"We had seen the information that they were putting out, what they were attempting to do, and obviously, as the chief election officials in the state, we had some concerns. So, we did try to reach out to them and have a conversation with them about our concerns. They did not meet with us prior to going to the State Board of Canvassers."
Ranked choice voting would change the Michigan ballots by allowing voters to rank the candidates by preference.
According to the Rank MI Vote's website, the rankings will eliminate the lowest ranked candidates until there is one with 50% or higher support. The changes would affect all elections in the state- including president, governor and local elections.
