Citizen-led ballot initiatives seek to limit electricity firms’ political donations in Michigan

One motion considers reining in political spending while another proposes to municipalize the grid in sign of anger with datacenters and high bills

Two citizen-led ballot initiatives seek to rein in Michigan’s powerful electric utilities as residents say politicians have failed to address pressing issues around controversial datacenters, high energy rates and poor electric reliability.

On Tuesday, voters statewide will consider a nation-leading ban on political donations by the state’s deeply unpopular regulated utilities. At the same time, organizers in Ann Arbor, one the state’s largest cities, are proposing to banish utility giant DTE Energy by municipalizing the grid. It would establish a public power company to deliver energy.