<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-3.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>k86649exv3w1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
<TEXT>
<PAGE>

                                   EXHIBIT 3.1

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY SERVICES - CORPORATION, SECURITIES
& LAND DEVELOPMENT BUREAU

Date Received ______________________ Effective Date _________________________

Corporate Identification Number

                            ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                           MERCANTILE BANK CORPORATION

      These Articles of Incorporation are signed by the incorporator for the
purpose of forming a profit corporation pursuant to the provisions of Act 284,
Public Acts of 1972, as amended, as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I.
                                      Name

      The name of the corporation is Mercantile Bank Corporation.

                                   ARTICLE II
                                Corporate Purpose

      The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is formed are to serve
as a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956,
being 12 U.S.C. Sections 1841 to 1850 (as amended from time to time, and
including any successor statutes) and to engage in any activity within the
purposes for which corporations may be formed under the Business Corporation Act
of Michigan.

<PAGE>

ARTICLE III
                                  Capital Stock

      The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the corporation
shall have authority to issue is 10,000,000 shares which shall be divided into
two classes as follows;

      (1) 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock (Preferred Stock); and

      (2) 9,000,000 shares of Common Stock (Common Stock).

The designations and the powers, preferences and relative, participating
optional or other special rights, and the qualifications limitations or
restrictions of the above classes of stock shall be as follows:

A. PREFERRED STOCK

      1. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series at such
time or times and for such consideration or considerations as the Board of
Directors may determine.

      2. The Board of Directors is expressly authorized at any time, and from
time to time, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one or
more series, with such voting powers, full or limited, but not to exceed one
vote per share, or without voting powers and with such designations, preferences
and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and
qualifications, limitations or restriction thereof, as shall be stated and
expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue thereof
adopted by the Board of Directors, and as are not stated and expressed in these
Articles of Incorporation, or any amendment thereto, including (but without
limiting the generality of the foregoing) the following:

            (a) The designation of such series and number of shares comprising
      such series, which number may (except where otherwise provided by the
      Board of Directors in creating such series) be increased or decreased (but
      not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by
      action of the Board of Directors.

            (b) The dividend rate or rates on the shares of such series and the
      preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends
      payable on any other class of capital stock or on any other series of
      Preferred Stock, the terms and conditions upon which and the periods in
      respect of which dividends shall be payable, whether and upon what
      condition such dividends shall be cumulative and, if cumulative, the date
      or dates from which dividends shall accumulate.

            (c) Whether the shares of such series shall be redeemable, and, if
      redeemable, whether redeemable for cash, property or rights, including
      securities of any other corporations, at the option of either the holder
      or the corporation or upon the happening of a specified event, the
      limitations and restrictions with respect to such redemption, the time or
      times when, the price or prices or rate or rates at which, the adjustments
      with which and the manner in which such

                                       2
<PAGE>

      shares shall be redeemable, including the manner of selecting shares of
      such series for redemption if less than all shares are to be redeemed.

            (d) The rights to which the holders of shares of such series shall
      be entitled, and the preferences, if any, over any other series (or of any
      other series over such series), upon the voluntary or involuntary
      liquidation, dissolution, distribution or winding up of the corporation,
      which rights may vary depending on whether such liquidation, dissolution,
      distribution or winding up is voluntary or involuntary, and, if voluntary,
      may vary at different dates.

            (e) Whether the shares of such series shall be subject to the
      operation of a purchase, retirement or sinking fund, and, if so, whether
      and upon what conditions such purchase, retirement or sinking fund shall
      be cumulative or noncumulative, the extent to which and the manner in
      which such fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the
      shares of such series for retirement or to other corporate purposes and
      the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof.

            (f) Whether the shares of such series shall be convertible into, or
      exchangeable for, at the option of either the holder or the corporation or
      upon the happening of a specified event, shares of any other class or of
      any other series of any class of capital stock of the corporation, and, if
      so convertible or exchangeable, the times, prices, rates, adjustments, and
      other terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange.

            (g) The voting powers, full and/or limited, if any, of the shares of
      such series, and whether and under what conditions the shares of such
      series (alone or together with the shares of one or more other series
      having similar provisions) shall be entitled to vote separately as a
      single class, for the election of one or more directors, or additional
      directors of the corporation in case of dividend arrearages or other
      specified events, or upon other matters.

            (h) Whether the issuance of any additional shares of such series, or
      of any shares of any other series, shall be subject to restrictions as to
      issuance, or as to the powers, preferences or rights of any such other
      series.

            (i) Any other preferences, privileges and powers and relative,
      participating, option or other special rights, and qualifications,
      limitations or restrictions of such series, as the Board of Directors may
      deem advisable and as shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of
      these Articles of Incorporation.

      3. Unless and except to the extent otherwise required by law or provided
in the resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors creating any series
of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section A, the holders of the Preferred
Stock shall have no voting power with respect to any matter whatsoever. In no
event shall the Preferred Stock be entitled to more than one vote in respect of
each share of stock.

      4. Shares of Preferred Stock redeemed, converted, exchanged, purchased,
retired or surrendered to the corporation, or which have been issued and
reacquired in any manner, may, upon

                                       3
<PAGE>

compliance with any applicable provisions of the Business Corporation Act of the
State of Michigan, be given the status of authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued by the Board of Directors as part of the
series of which they were originally a part or may be reclassified into and
reissued as part of a new series or as a part of any other series, all subject
to the protective conditions or restrictions of any outstanding series of
Preferred Stock.

B. COMMON STOCK

      1. Except as otherwise required by law or by any amendment to these
Articles of Incorporation, each holder of Common Stock shall have one vote for
each share of stock held by him of record on the books of the corporation on all
matters voted upon by the shareholders.

      2. Subject to the preferential dividend rights, if any, applicable to
shares of Preferred Stock and subject to applicable requirements, if any, with
respect to the setting aside of sums for purchase, retirement or sinking funds
for Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive,
to the extent permitted by law, such dividends as may be declared from time to
time by the Board of Directors.

      3. In the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
distribution of assets or winding up of the corporation, after distribution in
full of the preferential amounts, if any, to be distributed to the holders of
shares of Preferred Stock, holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive
all of the remaining assets of the corporation of whatever kind available for
distribution to shareholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares of
Common Stock held by them respectively. The Board of Directors may distribute in
kind to the holders of Common Stock such remaining assets of the corporation or
may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of such remaining
assets to any other corporation, trust or entity, or any combination thereof,
and may sell all or any part of the consideration so received and distribute any
balance thereof in kind to holders of Common Stock. The merger or consolidation
of the corporation into or with any other corporation, or the merger of any
other corporation into it, or any purchase or redemption of shares of stock of
the corporation of any class, shall not be deemed to be a dissolution,
liquidation of winding up of the corporation for the purposes of this paragraph.

      4. Such numbers of shares of Common Stock as may from time to time be
required for such purpose shall be reserved for issuance (i) upon conversion of
any shares of Preferred Stock or any obligation of the corporation convertible
into shares of Common Stock which is at the time outstanding or issuable upon
exercise of any options or warrants at the time outstanding and (ii) upon
exercise of any options, warrants or rights at the time outstanding to purchase
shares of Common Stock.

                                   ARTICLE IV
                               Board of Directors

      A. Number, Election and Term of Directors. The business and affairs of the
corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors.
The number of directors of the

                                       4
<PAGE>

corporation shall be fixed from time to time by resolution adopted by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the
corporation, except that the minimum number of directors shall be fixed at no
less than 6 and the maximum number of directors shall be fixed at no more than
15. The directors shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class
II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly equal in number as
possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire
Board of Directors. Initially, Class I directors shall be elected for a one-year
term, Class II directors for a two-years term and Class III directors for a
three-year term. At each succeeding annual meeting of shareholders, beginning in
1998, successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that annual
meeting shall be elected for a three-year term. If the number of directors is
changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as
to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible.

      B. Shareholder Nomination of Director Candidates. Nominations for election
to the Board of Directors of the corporation at a meeting of shareholders may be
made by the Board of Directors, on behalf of the Board of Directors by any
nominating committee appointed by the Board of Directors, or by any shareholder
of the corporation entitled to vote for the election of directors at the
meeting. Nominations, other than those made by or on behalf of the Board of
Directors, shall be made by notice in writing delivered to or mailed, postage
prepaid, and received by the Secretary of the corporation at least 60 days but
no more than 90 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding
Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The notice shall set forth (i) the name and
address of the shareholder who intends to make the nomination; (ii) the name,
age, business address and, if known, residence address of each nominee; (iii)
the principal occupation or employment of each nominee; (iv) the number of
shares of stock of the corporation which are beneficially owned by each nominee
and by the nominating shareholder; (v) any other information concerning the
nominee that must be disclosed by nominees in a proxy solicitation pursuant to
Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (or any subsequent
provisions replacing such Regulation); and (vi) the executed consent of each
nominee to serve as a director of the corporation, if elected. The chairman of
the meeting of shareholders may, if the facts warrant, determine that a
nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, and if the
chairman should so determine, the chairman shall so declare to the meeting and
the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

      C. Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies. Newly created directorships
resulting from any increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on the
Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal
or other cause shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole
remaining director. Any director of any class chosen to fill a vacancy in such
class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term
of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors shorten
the term of any incumbent director. A director shall hold office until the next
annual meeting for the year in which his or her term expires and until such
director's successor shall have been elected and qualified.

      D. Removal. Any director may be removed from office only for cause and
only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting
power of all the shares of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors, voting together as a single class.

                                       5
<PAGE>

      E. Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraphs, whenever the
holders of any one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock issued by the
corporation shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect
directors at an annual or special meeting of shareholders, the election, term of
office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be
governed by the terms of the Articles of Incorporation applicable thereto. The
then authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be increased by the
number of additional directors to be elected, and such directors so elected
shall not be divided into classes pursuant to this Article unless expressly
provided by such terms.

      F. Amendment or Repeal. Notwithstanding anything contained in these
Articles of Incorporation or the By-laws of the corporation to the contrary, the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all
the shares of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend,
repeal or adopt any provision inconsistent with the purpose and intent of this
Article.

                                    ARTICLE V
                              Directors' Liability

      A director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the
corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's
duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders, (ii) for acts or
omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
violation of law, (iii) a violation of Section 551(1) of the Michigan Business
Corporation Act, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any
improper personal benefit. If the Michigan Business Corporation Act is amended
after the date of these Articles of Incorporation to authorize corporate action
further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the
liability of a director of the corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the
fullest extent permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act, as so
amended.

      Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the shareholders
of the corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a
director of the corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

                                   ARTICLE VI
                                 Indemnification

      Directors and officers of the corporation shall be indemnified as of right
to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law in connection with any
actual or threatened civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action,
suit or proceeding (whether brought by or in the name of the corporation, a
subsidiary, or otherwise) arising out of their service to the corporation or a
subsidiary, or to another organization at the request of the corporation or a
subsidiary. Persons who are not directors or officers of the corporation may be
similarly indemnified in respect of such service to the extent authorized at any
time by the Board of Directors of the corporation. The

                                       6
<PAGE>

corporation may purchase and maintain insurance to protect itself and any such
director, officer or other person against any liability asserted against him and
incurred by him in respect of such service whether or not the corporation would
have the power to indemnify him against such liability by law or under the
provisions of this paragraph. The provisions of this paragraph shall be
applicable to directors, officers and other persons who have ceased to render
such service, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and
administrators of the directors, officers and other persons referred to in this
paragraph.

                                   ARTICLE VII
                               Shareholder Action

      Except as otherwise required by law, any action required or permitted to
be taken on or after September 30, 1997 by any shareholders of the corporation
must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such shareholders
and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such shareholders. Except
as may be otherwise required by law, special meetings of shareholders of the
corporation may be called only by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the
Board. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Articles of Incorporation or
the By-laws of the corporation to the contrary, the affirmative vote of at least
66 2/3% of the voting power of all the shares of the corporation entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class,
shall be required to alter, amend or adopt any provision inconsistent with the
purpose and intent of this Article.

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                           Registered Office and Agent

      The address of the initial registered office of the corporation is: 500
Woodward Avenue, Suite 4000, Detroit, Michigan 48226. The name of the resident
agent is: Jerome M. Schwartz.

                                       7
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  Incorporator

      The name and address of the incorporator of the corporation is as follows:

                            Jerome M. Schwartz
                            Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman
                            500 Woodward Avenue, Suite 4000
                            Detroit, Michigan  48226

      I, the incorporator, sign my name this 15th day of July, 1997.

                                         /s/ Jerome M. Schwartz
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Incorporator, Jerome M. Schwartz

Fees remitted by and document to be returned to:
Jerome M. Schwartz
Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen and Freeman
500 Woodward Avenue, Suite 4000
Detroit, Michigan  48226


                                       8
<PAGE>

                 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & ECONOMIC GROWTH
                          BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Date Received              (FOR BUREAU USE ONLY)
JUL 07 2004

                  This document is effective on the date filed, unless a FILED
                  subsequent effective date within 90 days after received date
                  is stated in the document.

                                               FILED

                                            JUL 07 2004

                                   BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL SERVICES

                                          EFFECTIVE DATE:

Name
Jerome M. Schwartz

Address
Dickinson Wright PLLC, 500 Woodward Avenue, Suite 4000

City               State          Zip Code

Detroit           Michigan         48226



       Document will be returned to the name and address you enter above.
         If left blank document will be mailed to the registered office.

            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

      Pursuant to the provisions of Act 284, Public Acts of 1972, (profit
      corporations), the undersigned corporation executes the following
      Certificate:

1.    The present name of the corporation is: Mercantile Bank Corporation

2.    The identification number assigned by the Bureau is: 478801

3.    Article III of the Articles of Incorporation is hereby amended to read as
      follows:

      Please see Exhibit A attached hereto which sets forth Article III of the
      Articles of Incorporation, as amended.

4.    The foregoing amendment to the Articles of Incorporation was duly adopted
      on the 22nd day of April, 2004 by the shareholders at a meeting where the
      necessary votes were cast in favor of the amendment.

Signed this 12th day of May, 2004

MERCANTILE BANK CORPORATION

By: /s/ Gerald R. Johnson, Jr.
    ---------------------------
Name: Gerald R. Johnson, Jr.

Title:    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Name of organization remitting fees:

Mercantile Bank Corporation


Preparer's name and business telephone number:

Jerome M. Schwartz
Dickinson Wright PLLC
(313) 223-3500

<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT A

                                   ARTICLE III
                                  Capital Stock

      The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the corporation
shall have authority to issue is 21,000,000 shares which shall be divided into
two classes as follows:

      (1) 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock (Preferred Stock); and

      (2) 20,000,000 shares of Common Stock (Common Stock).

The designations and the powers, preferences and relative, participating
optional or other special rights, and the qualifications limitations or
restrictions of the above classes of stock shall be as follows:

A. PREFERRED STOCK

      1. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series at such
time or times and for such consideration or considerations as the Board of
Directors may determine.

      2. The Board of Directors is expressly authorized at any time, and from
time to time, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one or
more series, with such voting powers, full or limited, but not to exceed one
vote per share, or without voting powers and with such designations, preferences
and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and
qualifications, limitations or restriction thereof, as shall be stated and
expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue thereof
adopted by the Board of Directors, and as are not stated and expressed in these
Articles of Incorporation, or any amendment thereto, including (but without
limiting the generality of the foregoing) the following:

            (a) The designation of such series and number of shares comprising
      such series, which number may (except where otherwise provided by the
      Board of Directors in creating such series) be increased or decreased (but
      not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by
      action of the Board of Directors.

            (b) The dividend rate or rates on the shares of such series and the
      preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends
      payable on any other class of capital stock or on any other series of
      Preferred Stock, the terms and conditions upon which and the periods in
      respect of which dividends shall be payable, whether and upon what
      condition such dividends shall be cumulative and, if cumulative, the date
      or dates from which dividends shall accumulate.

            (c) Whether the shares of such series shall be redeemable, and, if
      redeemable, whether redeemable for cash, property or rights, including
      securities of any other corporations, at the option of either the holder
      or the corporation or upon the happening of a specified event, the

                                       2
<PAGE>

      limitations and restrictions with respect to such redemption, the time or
      times when, the price or prices or rate or rates at which, the adjustments
      with which and the manner in which such shares shall be redeemable,
      including the manner of selecting shares of such series for redemption if
      less than all shares are to be redeemed.

            (d) The rights to which the holders of shares of such series shall
      be entitled, and the preferences, if any, over any other series (or of any
      other series over such series), upon the voluntary or involuntary
      liquidation, dissolution, distribution or winding up of the corporation,
      which rights may vary depending on whether such liquidation, dissolution,
      distribution or winding up is voluntary or involuntary, and, if voluntary,
      may vary at different dates.

            (e) Whether the shares of such series shall be subject to the
      operation of a purchase, retirement or sinking fund, and, if so, whether
      and upon what conditions such purchase, retirement or sinking fund shall
      be cumulative or noncumulative, the extent to which and the manner in
      which such fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the
      shares of such series for retirement or to other corporate purposes and
      the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof.

            (f) Whether the shares of such series shall be convertible into, or
      exchangeable for, at the option of either the holder or the corporation or
      upon the happening of a specified event, shares of any other class or of
      any other series of any class of capital stock of the corporation, and, if
      so convertible or exchangeable, the times, prices, rates, adjustments, and
      other terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange.

            (g) The voting powers, full and/or limited, if any, of the shares of
      such series, and whether and under what conditions the shares of such
      series (alone or together with the shares of one or more other series
      having similar provisions) shall be entitled to vote separately as a
      single class, for the election of one or more directors, or additional
      directors of the corporation in case of dividend arrearages or other
      specified events, or upon other matters.

            (h) Whether the issuance of any additional shares of such series, or
      of any shares of any other series, shall be subject to restrictions as to
      issuance, or as to the powers, preferences or rights of any such other
      series.

            (i) Any other preferences, privileges and powers and relative,
      participating, option or other special rights, and qualifications,
      limitations or restrictions of such series, as the Board of Directors may
      deem advisable and as shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of
      these Articles of Incorporation.

      3. Unless and except to the extent otherwise required by law or provided
in the resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors creating any series
of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section A, the holders of the Preferred
Stock shall have no voting power with respect to any matter whatsoever. In no
event shall the Preferred Stock be entitled to more than one vote in respect of
each share of stock.

                                       3
<PAGE>

      4. Shares of Preferred Stock redeemed, converted, exchanged, purchased,
retired or surrendered to the corporation, or which have been issued and
reacquired in any manner, may, upon compliance with any applicable provisions of
the Business Corporation Act of the State of Michigan, be given the status of
authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued by the
Board of Directors as part of the series of which they were originally a part or
may be reclassified into and reissued as part of a new series or as a part of
any other series, all subject to the protective conditions or restrictions of
any outstanding series of Preferred Stock.

B.  COMMON STOCK

    1. Except as otherwise required by law or by any amendment to these Articles
of Incorporation, each holder of Common Stock shall have one vote for each share
of stock held by him of record on the books of the corporation on all matters
voted upon by the shareholders.

    2. Subject to the preferential dividend rights, if any, applicable to shares
of Preferred Stock and subject to applicable requirements, if any, with respect
to the setting aside of sums for purchase, retirement or sinking funds for
Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, to
the extent permitted by law, such dividends as may be declared from time to time
by the Board of Directors.

    3. In the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
distribution of assets or winding up of the corporation, after distribution in
full of the preferential amounts, if any, to be distributed to the holders of
shares of Preferred Stock, holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive
all of the remaining assets of the corporation of whatever kind available for
distribution to shareholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares of
Common Stock held by them respectively. The Board of Directors may distribute in
kind to the holders of Common Stock such remaining assets of the corporation or
may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of such remaining
assets to any other corporation, trust or entity, or any combination thereof,
and may sell all or any part of the consideration so received and distribute any
balance thereof in kind to holders of Common Stock. The merger or consolidation
of the corporation into or with any other corporation, or the merger of any
other corporation into it, or any purchase or redemption of shares of stock of
the corporation of any class, shall not be deemed to be a dissolution,
liquidation of winding up of the corporation for the purposes of this paragraph.

    4. Such numbers of shares of Common Stock as may from time to time be
required for such purpose shall be reserved for issuance (i) upon conversion of
any shares of Preferred Stock or any obligation of the corporation convertible
into shares of Common Stock which is at the time outstanding or issuable upon
exercise of any options or warrants at the time outstanding and (ii) upon
exercise of any options, warrants or rights at the time outstanding to purchase
shares of Common Stock.

                                       4

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