LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — A Michigan-based group is preparing to launch a petition drive aimed at putting Ranked-choice voting (RCV) on the statewide ballot in 2026.

What is Rank MI Vote?

Rank MI Vote expects to receive petition approval from the Board of State Canvassers by June, clearing the way to begin collecting the 446,198 valid signatures required for a constitutional amendment.

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“Increasingly, voters feel dissatisfied with the choices on their ballots and want more options,” Executive Director Pat Zabawa said, as reported by The Detroit News.

The group’s proposal would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and votes are redistributed until someone clears 50%.

Zabawa cited the 2022 Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar won with just 28% of the vote. “Because that spoiler problem is solved, additional candidates could come forward,” he said.

Some communities gave RCV a thumbs up.

Ranked choice voting has already been approved by voters in Royal Oak, East Lansing, and Kalamazoo, but the system has not taken effect due to a lack of state-level authorization. Zabawa said a constitutional amendment would allow local governments to move forward.

The proposal’s full language has not yet been released, but Zabawa said the goal is to apply the new system to “as many races as possible.”

The campaign plans to rely on volunteers to gather more than 600,000 signatures—well above the required threshold. “That’s why we feel comfortable that we can launch it in June,” Zabawa said.

RCV gets a thumbs down from others.

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Opposition, however, has already emerged. President Donald Trump told a Macomb County crowd on April 29, “You must never allow ranked choice voting to be here. Never.”

State Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) also criticized the plan. “Instead of voting for a winning candidate, rigged choice allows losers and leftists to win,” Maddock said.

The campaign’s largest donation to date is $100,000 from Doug Robbins of Hickory Corners, according to campaign finance records.

Political strategists remain skeptical of the group’s ability to gather enough signatures without paid circulators. 

“That’s a tough sell for a lot of people,” Adrian Hemond, CEO of Grassroots Midwest, said.