City of Ann Arbor Proposal D — Amendment to Modify the Terms of Office for Elected Officials (Washtenaw County)

What it does

Shall Section 12.4 of the City Charter be amended to move the beginning of an elected officer's term to noon on the first Monday of the month following the regular City election at which the officer is elected? Currently, an elected officer's term begins on the first Monday after the regular City election at which the officer is elected.

A YES vote means

Ann Arbor elected officers' terms would begin at noon on the first Monday of the month after the regular City election.

A NO vote means

Terms would still begin on the first Monday after the regular City election.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Example

Under the amended text, a member elected at a November regular City election after 2026 would take office at noon on the first Monday of December, instead of the Monday right after the election. (source)

Who would notice

Ann Arbor's mayor and City Council members elected after December 31, 2026, and Ann Arbor voters. It does not change any tax.

How it got here

The Ann Arbor City Council placed it on the ballot by resolution R-26-223 (file 26-1041), sponsored by the Council Administration Committee and approved June 15, 2026. The resolution required 7 votes and a roll call.

The resolution directed the City Clerk to send the proposed amendment to the Michigan Attorney General and Governor, as state law requires for charter amendments. It appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Proposal D.

Written by SpectrumVote from 2 linked sources (1, 2). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

This amendment was sponsored by City Council's Council Administration Committee and prepared by the City Attorney's office, according to the resolution.

Currently, terms begin on the first Monday after the regular City election; for officials elected after December 31, 2026, terms would instead begin at noon on the first Monday of the month following the election, with outgoing terms ending at 11:59 a.m. that day.

City Council adopted the resolution ordering the election (R-26-223) on June 15, 2026 by a 10–0 roll-call vote, with Councilmember Watson absent.

Put on the ballot by Ann Arbor City Council, 10–0 (1 absent), June 15, 2026 (Resolution R-26-223).

From official source 1, official source 2.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Washtenaw County ballots

• City of Ann Arbor Proposal A — Charter Amendment Tax for Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement
• City of Ann Arbor Proposal B — Charter Amendment Tax for the Construction of New Sidewalks
• City of Ann Arbor Proposal C — Amendment to Modify the Method for Counting Signatures of Nomination Petitions
• City of Ann Arbor Proposal E — Creation and Governance of a Municipal Electric Utility
• City of Dexter — A Proposal to Amend the Dexter City Charter Section 13.05 to Insert Language to Designate Specified Property as Public Park
• City of Ypsilanti — Non-Partisan Elections
• City of Ypsilanti — Police Budget
• Augusta Charter Township — Fire Protection and Prevention Millage Increase
• Manchester Township — Fire Protection Services Millage Renewal
• Northfield Township — Fire Service and Medical Rescue Millage Proposal
• Scio Township Road, Bridge, and Culvert Improvement Millage Proposal

All Washtenaw County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Ann Arbor Proposal D mean?

Ann Arbor elected officers' terms would begin at noon on the first Monday of the month after the regular City election.

What does a NO vote on City of Ann Arbor Proposal D mean?

Terms would still begin on the first Monday after the regular City election.

Does this change how long terms last?

No. The amended text keeps four-year terms and staggered elections, with one council member from each ward up every two years. It changes only when terms start and end.

Does it affect officials elected before 2027?

The new start time applies to members elected after December 31, 2026.

When would it take effect?

The resolution says that if the amendment is adopted, it takes effect immediately.

How many votes does City of Ann Arbor Proposal D need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City of Ann Arbor Proposal D?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.