After our big 2024 electoral losses, MVP’s partners in Michigan came together to decide how to strengthen their collaborative organizing ahead of 2026. The answer? A statewide ballot measure focused on getting money out of politics. Why? Because ballot measures have galvanized Michigan voters more than candidates in the past, and voters are absolutely sick of political corruption. Enter Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, or MMOP — a statewide coalition ballot committee.
Formed by several MVP grantee partners, MMOP has not only put in the work to finally get the measure on November’s ballot (more on that below!), but also their organizing effort is having a major influence on Michigan’s elections this year.
Photo: Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP) rallying with boxes of ballot initiative signatures.
Mopping Up to Flip the Senate and Win a State Trifecta
This year, the stakes of Michigan’s elections are high. There’s a competitive U.S. Senate race where a win for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed would help us flip the whole chamber. And, we have the chance to regain a Democratic state trifecta by flipping the state House while holding the governor’s office and the state Senate.
Usually, ballot “coattails” go top to bottom (with compelling candidates at the top of the ticket helping those at the bottom), but in Michigan, this bottom-of-the-ticket ballot measure could have gravity-defying, upward effects. More than 80% of Michigan voters support the measure, thanks to MMOP’s relentless voter outreach efforts.
El-Sayed, for instance, is on board, congratulating MMOP on submitting more than 560,000 petition signatures in the spring. With how close this race is (Decision Desk HQ’s polling aggregate puts El-Sayed up by only 3.3 points), El-Sayed’s support for the ballot measure could help him get across the finish line in November.
Photo: Canvassers with Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP) knocking doors in Detroit to mobilize voters in support of Prop 2, a ballot measure to restrict corporate money in state politics.
A yearlong fight is finally a reality: MMOP’s measure is on the ballot!
In July, we told you that MMOP had gathered enough valid signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Now, as voters begin receiving their absentee ballots, it’s all happening! MVP Executive Director Billy Wimsatt got a text from a MMOP leader who had just seen Prop 2, the money-out-of-politics ballot measure, in print on the ballot for the first time.
What a milestone! Especially after big corporations in the state poured millions of dollars into opposing MMOP’s efforts and the hoop after hoop the campaign had to strategically jump through to get here.
Now, MMOP is turning all its attention to mobilizing voters to support Prop 2. Here’s a sampling of their in-the-streets and online efforts to mobilize voters to get money out of politics:
- Canvassers Julia and Olivia share why they support Prop 2.
- MMOP volunteers invite Michiganders to three “Support Prop 2” parties.
- MMOP Co-Chair Christy McGillivray hits the local media circuit to talk about the campaign and why voters should support Prop 2.
- Canvassers in Detroit show off their MMOP literature, which has everything voters need to know to vote “yes” on Prop 2.
If (when) we win the Senate race and secure a Democratic state trifecta, we’ll be giving a generous hat tip to MMOP. Bonus: We’ll also get money out of politics in Michigan. Double win!
