History of Michigan’s Constitutions
Michigan has adopted four Constitutions. The Constitution of 1835 was adopted
two years before Michigan became a state. The Constitutional Convention of 1835
met at the Territorial Capitol in Detroit on May 11, 1835, and adjourned on June 24,
1835. The Constitution of 1835 was adopted at an election held on October 5 and 6,
1835, by a vote of 6,752 to 1,374.
On June 3, 1850, a Constitutional Convention met at Lansing and completed its
revision on August 15. The Constitution of 1850 was presented at the election of
November 5, 1850, and adopted by a vote of 36,169 to 9,433.
Over fifty years passed before a new Constitution was adopted. On October 22,
1907, a Constitutional Convention convened at Lansing and completed its revision on
March 3, 1908. The Constitution of 1908 was adopted on November 3, 1908, by a
vote of 244,705 to 130,783.
Four attempts were made to call a Constitutional Convention for the purpose of
revising the Constitution of 1908 before the question was approved by the voters on
April 3, 1961. A primary election for the purpose of electing delegates was held on
July 25, 1961, and on September 12, 1961, one hundred forty-four delegates were
elected. The delegates met at Convention Hall in the Civic Center, Lansing, on
October 3, 1961, and adopted the proposed Constitution on August 1, 1962. The
Constitution was submitted at the election of April 1, 1963, and adopted. A recount
established the vote as 810,860 to 803,436. The effective date of the Constitution of
1963 is January 1, 1964.
The constitutional provisions in this publication are reprinted from the text of
the Michigan Compiled Laws, supplemented through November 7, 2006. Materials
in boldface type, particularly catchlines and annotations, are not part of the
Constitution.
The
Constitution
OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
OF 1963
(357 Rev. 11/06)
Prepared by the Michigan Legislature
This information is provided free to Michigan citizens
and is not for reproduction for resale or profit.
PREAMBLE
ARTICLE I
DECLAR