Michigan Citizens’ Guide to Lawful, Peaceful Action Against Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Why now? An EPIC-MRA poll (Apr 28 – May 3 2025) of 600 likely voters shows Whitmer’s approval underwater at 41 % favorable / 54 % unfavorable. If you believe it’s time for new leadership, here is a plain-English, fully legal playbook—grounded in Michigan and U.S. law—for effecting change without violence or vandalism.
1 · Direct Action — No Courts Needed
| What You Can Do | Legal Authority | How It Works (Plainly) |
|---|---|---|
| Start a Recall Petition |
Mich. Const. 1963 Art II § 8 MCL 168.951 – 975 |
Collect signatures equal to 25 % of the 2022 gubernatorial vote (~1.05 M). File with the Board of State Canvassers; once petitions are approved, a statewide recall election is triggered. |
| Push for Legislative Impeachment | Mich. Const. Art XI § 7 |
Call, write, and visit your House members. Demand introduction of an impeachment resolution (e.g., 2020-HIR-324) and whip votes in the Michigan House (simple majority) and Senate (two-thirds to convict). |
| FOIA Everything | Michigan FOIA MCL 15.231 et seq. |
Request e-mails, travel invoices, and pandemic contracts. Publish what you find—sunshine fuels grassroots pressure. |
| Peaceful Mass Demonstrations / Ballot Proposals |
U.S. Const. 1st Amend.; Mich. Const. Art I § 3 (assembly & petition) |
Large, lawful rallies and statewide initiatives can force leaders to reverse policies or resign. |
2 · Going to Court (Power in Numbers)
- Injunctions & Mandamus — Stop or compel executive actions. Example: the Michigan Supreme Court’s 10-2-2020 ruling that voided Whitmer’s post-April 30 emergency orders.
- Taxpayer Standing Suits — Sue over misuse of public funds (e.g., disputed charter flights).
- Quo Warranto (MCR 3.306) — Ask the Court of Appeals to declare an officeholder has usurped power. Must be filed by (or with consent of) the Attorney General.
- Class-Action Damage Claims — Businesses can jointly recover losses from shutdown orders already ruled unconstitutional.
3 · Documented Controversies Since 2020
- Oct 2 2020 — Executive Orders Struck Down
Michigan Supreme Court: post-April 30 COVID orders violated separation-of-powers. - Mar 2021 — Private-Jet Trip to Florida
Bridge MI records show a nonprofit paid $27,251 for the flight; legality hotly debated. - May 2021 — Mask-Free Gathering at Landshark Bar, East Lansing
Whitmer posed with 12 unmasked friends, breaching her own six-per-table rule; Reuters report. - 2019-2025 — Overseas Trade Missions
Trips to Israel (2019) and Australia (2025); critics cite opaque funding. HB 4310 would mandate cost disclosure.
Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
Rumors of a “mask-free salon visit” or a taxpayer-funded vacation to Sydney remain unsubstantiated.
If you locate evidence, file a FOIA request and publish the documents.
4 · Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
✅ SIGN A RECALL PETITION — Art II § 8 · MCL 168.951
✅ DEMAND IMPEACHMENT — Art XI § 7
✅ FILE FOIA REQUESTS — MCL 15.231
✅ RALLY PEACEFULLY — 1st Amendment
✅ SUE FOR RELIEF — Injunctions, Taxpayer Actions
✅ DEMAND IMPEACHMENT — Art XI § 7
✅ FILE FOIA REQUESTS — MCL 15.231
✅ RALLY PEACEFULLY — 1st Amendment
✅ SUE FOR RELIEF — Injunctions, Taxpayer Actions
Share facts, stay civil, and use the laws written for the people.
Change happens when informed citizens show up together—online, on the streets, and at the ballot box.