Case Name: RENNE v. OXFORD TOWNSHIP
Court: Michigan Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1968-02-09
Citations: 380 Mich. 39
Docket Number: Calendar No. 12, Docket No. 51,680
Parties: RENNE v. OXFORD TOWNSHIP.
Judges: Dethmbes, C. J., and Kelly, Black, O’Hara, and BRENNAN, JJ., concurred.
Reporter: Michigan Reports
Volume: 380
Pages: 39–48

Head Matter:
RENNE v. OXFORD TOWNSHIP.
Opinion op the Coubt.
1. Elections — Constitution.
The Constitution permits all electors in a district or territory to vote on all questions affecting their district or territory except for increasing the ad valorem tax rate limitation (Const 1963, art 2, § 6).
2. Constitutional Law — Distbict oe Teeeitoby Appected — Meaning.
The words “district or territory affected” coupled with “all electors” and “all other questions” as used in the constitutional provision on ad valorem tax rate held, not to conclusively mean political subdivision, but may in some circumstances render electors eligible to vote upon a question shown as affecting the district or territory in which they reside, even though they do not reside in the specific political subdivision which has initiated the election in question (Const 1963, art 2, § 6).
3. Townships — Zoning Obdinance — Electoes Entitled to Vote on Refeeendum.
Electors residing in incorporated village were not entitled to vote at referendum election on a township zoning ordinance which affected only the unincorporated portion of the township, where electors in the unincorporated portion initiated the petition for election and there is no showing that electors residing in the village were electors in the district or territory affected (Const 1963, art 2, § 6; CDS 1961, § 125-.282).
References for Points in Headnotes
[1,11] 28 Am Jur, Initiative, Referendum and Recall § 8 et seq.
[2, 3, 5, 8, 9,12] 25 Am Jur 2d, Elections § 12 et seq.
[4] 5 Am Jur 2d, Appeal and Error § 1009.
[6] 16 Am Jur 2d, Constitutional Law §494 et seq.; 50 Am Jur, Statutes § 49 et seq.
[7] 16 Am Jur 2d, Constitutional Law § 88.
[10] 25 Am Jur 2d, Elections § 58 et seq.
Í. Costs — Public Question — Construction op Constitution.
No eosts are allowed on appeal where Supreme Court interpreted words of the Constitution, a public question being involved.
Separate Opinion.
Brennan, J.
5. Elections — Words and Phrases — District or Territory Affected — Political Subdivision.
Interpretation of words “district or territory affected”, as used in provision of Constitution specifying which electors may vote at election on questions other than ad valorem tax rates and "bond issues, to mean “political subdivision” held, error, since the unincorporated portion of a township is not a political subdivision but a portion of a political subdivision (Const 1963, art 3, § 6).
6. Statutes — Classification.
The legislature’s determination that electors of a part of a political subdivision are the only ones who should vote on a certain issue, if a reasonable classification, should be upheld (Const 1963, art 3, §6).
Dissenting Opinion.
T. M. Kavanagh, Souris, and Adams, JJ.
7. Constitutional Law — Construction of Constitution — Convention Debates — Intent.
Courts may properly resort to the constitutional convention debates explaining changes made in a new Constitution for the . purpose of ascertaining the intent of provisions of the Constitution.
8. Elections — Electors—Qualifications—Referendums.
JSvery citizen of the United States who has attained the age of 31, who has resided in this State 6 months, and within ■ a city or township SO days, meets requirements of local residence provided by law, and is an elector qualified to vote on referendums concerning zoning ordinances (Const 1963, art 8, §§ 1, ej.
9. Townships' — Zoning—Elections.
The territory talcen into a village when the village is incorporated is not separated' from the township, bub remains part thereof and is subject to taxation therein, and its residents are electors thereof.
10. Elections — Electors—Qualification.
A qualified elector is any person who possesses the qualifications of an elector as prescribed in the Constitution and who has resided in the city or township 30 days, therefore the electors of a village by virtue of their qualifications as electors of the township, having resided in the township 30 days, are eligible to vote in all elections not excepted by the Constitution (Const 1963, art 2, § 6; CLS 1961, § 168.10, as amended by PA 1963 [2d Ex Sess], No 3).
11. Same — Constitutional Restriction — Referendum.
Constitutional provision restricting right to vote on increasing ■ ad valorem tax rate limitation and issue of bonds to electors having pertain qualifications, and providing that all electors in district or territory affected may vote on all other questions refers in both parts only to increases in ad valorem tax rate limitations and bond issues, and does not apply to a zoning ease (Const 1963, art 2, § 6).
12. Same — Electors—Conflict Between Statute and Constitution.' !
Statutory provision limiting voting on zoning ordinance amendments to persons residing in and owning property assessed for taxes located in the unincorporated portion of the township held, unconstitutional, since it conflicts with the constitutional provision that the legislature shall define residents for voting requirements and the legislative definition (Const 1963, art 2, §1; CLS 1961, §125.282; §168.10, as amended, by PA 1963 [2d Ex Sess], No 3).
Appeal by leave granted from Court of Appeals, Division 2; Quinn, P. J., and N. J. Kaufman, and McG-regor, JJ., affirming Oakland, Moore (Arthur E.), J. Submitted October 4, 1967. (Calendar No. 12, Docket No. 51,680.) Decided February 9, 1968. Rerearing denied May 6, 1968.
5 Mich App 415, affirmed.
Complaint by Anthony Renne against Oxford Township and Lee Valentine, Nina Chamberlain, Loella Francis, William Offer, and Harold Albert-son, members of the township board, to restrain holding of a referendum election on a township zoning ordinance. Judgment for defendants. Plaintiff appealed to Court of Appeals. Affirmed. Plaintiff appeals by leave granted.
Court of Appeals affirmed.
Anthony Renne, in propria persona.
Paul M. Mandel, for defendants.
Amicus Curiae: Bell Development Company, by Gordon E. Gable (Clan Crawford, Jr., of counsel).

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Leave to review the decision below (5 Mich App 415) was granted to consider the possibly too broad conclusion of Division 2 that (p 420) "Read as a whole, the apparent meaning of 'district or territory affected' is clearly 'political subdivision'." The quoted words appear in section 6 of article 2 of the Constitution of 1963:
"Sec. 6. Whenever any question is required to be submitted by a political subdivision to the electors for the increase of the ad valorem tax rate limitation imposed by section 6 of article 9 for a period of more than five years, or for the issue of bonds, only electors in, and who have property assessed for any ad valorem taxes in, any part of the district or territory to be affected by the result of such election or electors who are the lawful husbands or wives of such persons shall be entitled to vote thereon. All electors in the district or territory affected may vote on all other questions."
The phrase, "district or territory affected," coupled as it is in the last sentence with "all electors" and "all other questions," may in conceivable circumstances render electors eligible to vote upon a question shown as affecting the district or territory in which they reside, even though they do not reside in tlie specific political subdivision which, as here, has initiated the election in question. It turns out, however, that this plaintiff made no such sup-positious case. An examination of the complete transcript of proceedings in circuit discloses that plaintiff, along with the defendants and intervening parties, definitely assured the trial judge that no facts were in dispute. The hearing accordingly proceeded upon the pleadings and disclosed legal issues, and resulted in a judgment denying the injunctive relief sought by plaintiff.
We hold that plaintiff has made no showing that any elector or electors residing in the village of Oxford, distinguished from the electors of the unincorporated part of the township, were "electors in the district or territory affected." Such failure of proof both warranted and required holding that plaintiff was not by section 6 entitled to restrain the election which the "electors residing in the unincorporated portion of the township" had initiated pursuant to section 12 of the township rural zoning act (CLS 1961, § 125.282 [Stat Ann 1965 Cum Supp § 5.2963(12)]). They, the electors so residing, were on the face of the pleadings and submissions of the parties the only eligible voters at such election. The panel below was right in so holding.
None of the other questions considered in the opinion of the panel has been submitted here, all parties in this Court having confined themselves to the issue of applicability of said section 6.
Affirmed. No costs.
Dethmbes, C. J., and Kelly, Black, O'Hara, and BRENNAN, JJ., concurred.
PA 1943, No 184. — Reporter.