Abolishment of at-large city council; election of members from single-member election districts; ballot question; approval; determination of city council president; adoption of apportionment plan by commission; qualifications of candidates; rules and procedures; amendment of charter.
MCL 117.3a
in effect117.3a. Abolishment of at-large city council; election of members from single-member election districts; ballot question; approval; determination of city council president; adoption of apportionment plan by commission; qualifications of candidates; rules and procedures; amendment of charter.
Sec. 3a.
(1) A city that has a population of not less than 750,000 as determined by the most recent federal decennial census and that has a city council composed of 9 at-large council members shall place a question in substantially the following form on the ballot at the general primary election held on Tuesday, August 6, 2002:
"Shall the existing 9-member at-large city council be abolished, shall the city be reapportioned into 9 single-member election districts, and shall district residency requirements be imposed on candidates for the city council?
Yes (_____)
No (_____).".
(2) The result of the vote shall be canvassed by the local board of canvassers under the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.
(3) If the question presented pursuant to subsection (1) is approved, the 9-member at-large city council is abolished on January 1, 2006 and shall be replaced by a city council of 9 members elected from single-member election districts at regular municipal elections beginning with the municipal primary election in 2005. Any charter provision to the contrary notwithstanding, the president of the city council shall be determined by a majority vote of the city council members elected and serving from single-member election districts.
(4) Within 30 days after the question presented pursuant to subsection (1) is approved, the city redistricting commission shall meet as the apportionment commission and adopt an apportionment plan. The city redistricting commission shall consist of 3 members, 2 of whom are appointed by the mayor and 1 of whom is appointed by the city council. The city redistricting commission shall thereafter meet within 30 days after the publication of the latest official figures of the federal decennial census to reapportion the city. To the extent consistent with this act, the procedural aspects of the apportionment process shall be governed by the same statutory procedures as those provided for a county charter commission apportionment pursuant to section 5(4), (5), (6), and (7) of 1966 PA 293, MCL 45.505. One of the 2 members appointed by the mayor under this subsection shall convene the city redistricting commission, sitting as the apportionment commission. As the apportionment commission, the city redistricting commission shall adopt its own rules of procedure. Two members shall constitute a quorum and all actions shall be by a majority vote.
(5) The city redistricting commission shall provide for equal representation for each single-member election district, and each single-member election district shall be as nearly equal in population and compact as is practicable based on the latest federal decennial census. In developing an apportionment plan, the city redistricting commission shall follow the lines used for planning sectors and subcommittees as provided by the city master plan and charter. In subsequent reapportionments, the city redistricting commission apportionment plan shall make only incremental changes to the single-member election district boundaries that are necessary to accommodate population change requirements. Each single-member election district shall be designated by number.
(6) Each candidate for city council shall be a resident of the single-member election district he or she seeks to represent. A city council member's office is vacated if the member moves his or her residence outside of the single-member election district that the member represents.
(7) To comply with and implement this section, the city clerk shall promulgate necessary election rules and procedures consistent with other provisions of the city charter. The city council may amend the charter to comply with the intent and findings of this section in the same manner provided by law and charter for the adoption of an ordinance. However, any charter amendment to comply with the intent and findings of this section shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the council. The city clerk shall file a copy of any charter amendment with the secretary of state and the county clerk of the county in which the city is located. Sections 21 to 25 do not apply to the charter amendment required under this section.
Add. 2002, Act 432, Imd. Eff. June 6, 2002
[Compiler] 2002 PA 432 (HB 6114), which added MCL 117.3a, does not validly direct placement of the proposition on the ballot--to change from the current at-large system of electing the city council to a single-member district plan--because it was not passed by a 2/3 vote in each house of the legislature, as required by Const 1963, art 4, sec 29. Michigan v Wayne Co Clerk, 466 Mich 640, 649 NW2d 73 (2002).
Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-117-3aFetched: 10/20/2026