GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A higher minimum wage will be on the ballot for Michigan voters in November 2024, the group behind the initiative says.

The Michigan $15 Minimum Wage Initiative was recently certified for inclusion on the Nov. 5, 2024 ballot by the Michigan Bureau of Elections, according to One Fair Wage. The group said it received over 610,000 verified signatures in support of the initiative.

If passed, the measure would gradually increase the minimum wage — which is currently $10.10 per hour — to $15 per hour. The minimum wage would increase by $1 a year. One Fair Wage said the goal would be to hit $15 by 2027.

After 2027, One Fair Wage said the minimum wage would automatically adjust based on inflation, so future legislation wouldn’t be needed.

The group said the initiative would also phase out the subminimum wage system for tipped workers, youth workers and workers with disabilities. For tipped workers, who currently make $3.84 per hour, the measure would close the gap over a four-year period: By 2028, tipped workers would make $15 per hour.

“In a climate where cities like Chicago are abolishing the subminimum wage for tipped workers, Michigan’s proposition to standardize fair pay is not just crucial, it’s urgent,” Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage, said in a statement.

Almost 40% of Michigan households struggle to afford basic necessities like food, housing, child care and transportation, One Fair Wage said, citing a report from the Michigan Association of United Ways.