Michigan Voters to Decide on Dark Money Proposal 2

Michigan voters will decide on November 3 whether to approve Proposal 2, a ballot initiative designed to reduce dark money in state politics. Promoted by the Mop Up Michigan coalition, the measure seeks to increase campaign-finance transparency by limiting contributions from monopoly utilities and government contractors.

Under the proposal, any individual or entity spending more than $5,000 annually on communications that reference a candidate within specific election windows would be required to file detailed spending reports with the secretary of state. The measure targets the influence of undisclosed funding in political campaigns to prevent corruption.

Opponents, including the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, argue the initiative uses a broad definition of electioneering communications that could inadvertently target news organizations. Critics warn that without clear exemptions for podcasts and independent media, journalists might be forced to disclose private subscriber information, which could chill political reporting to avoid regulatory burdens.