Whitmer, reproductive rights advocates urge no vote on ‘devastating’ constitutional convention

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined reproductive rights advocates in a virtual press conference opposing a Michigan ballot measure that would trigger a constitutional convention, warning it could strip out abortion protections voters enshrined in 2022. ACLU of Michigan's Loren Khogali argued an open-ended convention risks broader civil liberties, while Planned Parenthood's Paula Thornton Greear called it 'gambling with our reproductive freedom' given the convention's lack of public oversight compared to the 2022 ballot process.

Opponents, including Right to Life of Michigan, warn wealthy donors and interest groups could hijack the process to rewrite the constitution on their own terms. A recent poll found 47% of voters support holding a convention, a plurality but not a majority, with 31% opposed and 22% undecided; organizers note most voters have never seen one, since Michigan's last convention was in the 1960s.

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