Michigan voters decide utility donation ban in November

Michigan voters will decide in November whether to ban political contributions from regulated utilities and companies holding government contracts over $250,000. The measure, known as Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, also requires groups running ads about candidates or ballot issues to disclose their funders, closing a loophole that currently allows undisclosed spending if the ad does not explicitly tell voters how to vote.

The proposal reached the ballot after the Michigan House approved it 77-26 in August 2026, but the Senate did not take it up. Organizers certified the measure by submitting over 500,000 signatures, exceeding the required 356,958. The Board of State Canvassers approved the ballot language in August, largely rejecting opponents' attempts to reword the summary to deemphasize its effect on utilities.

The measure gains urgency as DTE Energy and Consumers Energy seek rate increases that would add over $900 million to customer bills. Both utilities maintain political action committees that are among the state's largest donors. Opponents, led by the Protect MI Free Speech committee, have raised approximately $579,000 from donors including Comcast and CMS Energy to challenge the measure, which does not prohibit contributions to independent-expenditure super PACs.

Read the full story at civicmedia.us.