Call to Convention

Grand Traverse Democratic Party Spring Convention

Saturday March 28, 10AM

Traverse Area District Library 

610 Woodmere Ave

The Grand Traverse County 2025 Spring Convention will convene on Saturday, March 28 at 10:00 am at the Traverse Area District Library (610 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City, MI).

Registration will begin at 9:30am and continue until 9:55am.

The Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) is holding its 2026 Endorsement Convention on April 19, 2026, at the Detroit Huntington Place. The Grand Traverse County Convention is to be held in advance of the statewide meeting.

The purpose of our County Convention shall be:

a) to elect one male member to the Resolutions Committee (see appendix 1),

b) to  elect one female alternate member to the Rules Committee (see appendix 2),

c) consider resolutions and platform suggestions to be forwarded to the State Party,

d) one resolution to be considered concerns Rank Choice Voting and is attached as appendix 3 and

e) to elect a new secretary for the Grand Traverse Democratic party (our secretary is resigning due to a job opportunity).

In order to be considered at the county convention please forward proposed resolutions or platform suggestions to chair@gtdems.org by 5:00 p.m. On March 24. We request that you use the form available by clicking here.

Any Democrat may attend the County Convention but voting delegates must meet the following requirements: To vote in our County Convention one must be either the a Precinct Delegate elected at the Primary Election held on August 6, 2024, a Democratic nominee for County and Legislative offices as set forth in section 3.2.2 of the MDP bylaws, or a member of both Grand Traverse Democrats and the Michigan Democratic Party who reside in the county and whose membership was renewed prior to the County Convention.

Convention Agenda:

1. Call to Order

2. Credential Report: This is a report out of all credentialed delegates for the convention.

3. Rules Report: This is the time to review and accept voting procedures for the

convention.

4. Approval of the Agenda

5. Election of Permanent Convention Chair: This person will chair the convention.

6. Appointment of Convention Secretary: This person will be the official record

keeper of the Convention and will help send minutes, committee member

information and resolutions to MDP.

7. Election of Convention Committee Members & Alternates.  These are allocated to us by MDP and they are:

- One male member to the Credentials Committee and

- One female alternate member of the Rules Committee.

8. Election of a Grand Traverse Democrats Secretary

9. Consideration of Resolutions - Appendix 2 & 3 and any others submitted.

10. Good and Welfare

11.Adjournment

Questions?

For more information on the 2026 State Convention on April 19, 2026 read the full Call to Convention, which includes a timeline of important dates leading up to the Convention. Questions about our county convention can be directed to Courtney Wiggins, GTDP Director of Party Operations at courtney@gtdems.org.

Appendix 1

Resolutions Committee

Members of the Convention’s Resolutions Committee shall meet to consider resolutions approved at County and District Conventions and submitted for statewide consideration. The Committee’s chair shall be designated by the Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. The Resolutions Committee will discuss, edit, and vote on a number of resolutions with the ultimate goal of creating a packet of resolutions that will go before the entire membership at the State Convention for a vote. Members of the Resolutions Committee are not required to attend the State Convention.

Appendix 2

Resolution to support allowing Ranked Choice Voting for use in local elections



WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party and Michigan’s homegrown, grassroots, and nonpartisan movement for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) share a deep commitment to the same American values of fairness, inclusion, equal opportunity, and democracy;



WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party embraces free and fair elections with majority winners, and RCV is a simple, fair, and easy change to the way we vote that gives more voice and more choice to all voters, and elects winners with broad support;

WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party believes that the voices of all voters should be heard, and with RCV voters are free to vote for their favorite candidates without feeling like their votes are “wasted” or worrying that they will help to elect their least favorite candidates;

WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party believes that candidates with the best ideas, and not just the most money, should be able to win elections, and RCV levels the playing field;

WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party is committed to diversity and representation of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, and RCV has been shown to elect more women, people of color, and LGBTQ people to public office;

WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party is committed to addressing voter apathy and disillusionment with democracy, and RCV has been shown to increase voter participation and satisfaction in elections, including higher youth voter turnout;

WHEREAS, the Michigan Democratic Party takes seriously its responsibility to help lower the temperature in our politics, and RCV has been proven to promote greater civility, collaboration, and consensus with more positive and issue-focused campaigns;

WHEREAS, several caucuses, county parties, and affiliates of the Michigan Democratic Party have already endorsed RCV, and thousands of Democratic leaders and activists across the state are enthusiastically participating in its movement;

WHEREAS, President Donald J. Trump, the Republican National Committee, and the Heritage Foundation strongly oppose RCV;

WHEREAS, Congressional Republicans have introduced the Make Elections Great Again Act to nationalize elections and suppress voting by banning RCV, imposing burdensome ID requirements, and forcing voter purges;

WHEREAS, last year the Michigan House GOP voted unanimously to ban RCV, and House Democrats voted unanimously to defend voters’ right to decide how to elect their leaders;

WHEREAS, voters in 5 Michigan cities have already adopted RCV for local elections, but conflicts within state statutes have prevented local RCV implementation;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we urge the Michigan Legislature to enact the statutory changes needed to allow the implementation of RCV in local elections in accordance with the will of voters in those communities.

Appendix 3

TITLE OF RESOLUTION: Endorsement of Universal Single Payer Healthcare for Michiganders_____

Drafted by: Barbara Conley MD 505 N. Mill St., Northport, Ml 49670; tel 231-632-0453

Adopted by: Leelanau County Democratic Party; PO Box 215, Empire, Ml 49630 (231) 228-6763

WHEREAS, All people are entitled to the best Health they can achieve and to access treatment when they are ill and more than 1000 Michiganders die each year because they lack health insurance

WHEREAS, Medical insurance has increased in cost such that insurance is increasingly expensive for employers, resulting in the acceptance of inferior plans that do not benefit employees and/or in passing on these costs in the form of increasing prices of goods and services to consumers;

WHEREAS, the current Presidential administration and Republican Party are cutting money intended to lower the cost of Affordable Care Act plans and narrowing eligibility for Medicaid, which will result in more people becoming uninsured and at risk of severe consequences of illness, including death

WHEREAS, those who do get insurance from their employers are paying more, AND are often placed in low cost, high deductible plans that could cost more than 10% of a worker's gross income, before insurance „kicks in", and can increasingly result in medical debt and bankruptcy

And WHEREAS the MICARE act (HB 4407) would provide all Michigan residents comprehensive health coverage, preserve provider choice, allow Michigan businesses to avoid the high cost of insurance, rein in medical prices and actually save money. It would be paid for with graduated taxation on payroll (paid for by employers at 80% - probably less than they are spending now) and redirection of existing spending (Federal Medicaid and ACA dollars

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT the Michigan Democratic Party place universal health care as a priority on their 2026 platform and officially endorse HB4407, the MICARE act.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT this resolution shall be forwarded to the State Democratic Party with a recommendation for its acceptance and placement In the appropriate document or with appropriate committee for action.