HOUSE BILL No. 4226


     February 4, 1997, Introduced by Reps. Schauer, Freeman, Wallace, Thomas, Kilpatrick, Anthony, Schermesser, Bogardus, Rison, Hale, Wojno, Dobronski, Frank, Cherry, DeHart, Kaza, LaForge, Mathieu, Hanley, Martinez, Olshove, Ciaramitaro, Gire, Baird, Brewer, Varga, Baade, Prusi, Wetters and Callahan and referred to the Committee on Local Government.


        A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

   "Michigan election law,"

   by amending section 523 (MCL 168.523), as amended by 1996 PA

   583.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 523.  (1) At each election, before being given a

 2    ballot, each registered elector offering to vote shall identify

 3    himself or herself by  presenting an official state identifica-

 4     tion card issued to that individual pursuant to Act No. 222 of

 5     the Public Acts of 1972, being sections 28.291 to 28.295 of the

 6     Michigan Compiled Laws, an operator's or chauffeur's license

 7     issued to that individual pursuant to the Michigan Vehicle Code,

 8     Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, being sections 257.1 to

 9     257.923 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or other generally

10     recognized picture identification card and by  executing an


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 1    application showing his or her signature or mark and address of

 2    residence in the presence of an election official.  If the voter

 3    registration cards are used in the precinct, the election offi-

 4    cial in charge of the precinct registration file shall compare

 5    the signature upon the application with the signature upon the

 6    registration card.  If voter registration lists are used in the

 7    precinct, the election inspector shall determine if the name on

 8    the application to vote appears on the voter registration list.

 9    If the name appears on the voter registration list, the elector

10    shall provide further identification by giving his or her date of

11    birth or other information stated upon the voter registration

12    list.  In precincts using voter registration lists, the date of

13    birth may be required to be placed on the application to vote.

14    If the signature or an item of information does not correspond,

15    the vote of the person shall be challenged, and the same proce-

16    dure shall be followed as provided in this act for the challeng-

17    ing of an elector.  If the person offering to vote has signed the

18    registration card or application by making a mark, the person

19    shall identify himself or herself by giving his or her date of

20    birth, which shall be compared with the date of birth stated upon

21    the registration card or voter registration list, or shall give

22    other identification as may be referred to upon the registration

23    card or voter registration list.  If the elector does not have

24     an official state identification card, operator's or chauffeur's

25     license as required in this subsection, or other generally recog-

26     nized picture identification card, the individual shall sign an

27     affidavit to that effect before an election inspector and be



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 1    allowed to vote as otherwise provided in this act.  However, an

 2     elector being allowed to vote without the identification required

 3     under this subsection is subject to challenge as provided in sec-

 4     tion 727. 

 5         (2) If, upon a comparison of the signature or other identi-

 6    fication, it is found that the applicant is entitled to vote, the

 7    election officer having charge of the registration list shall

 8    approve the application and write his or her initials on the

 9    application, after which the number on the ballot issued shall be

10    noted on the application.  The application shall serve as 1 of

11    the 2 poll lists required to be kept as a record of a person who

12    has voted.  The application shall be filed with the township,

13    city, or village clerk.  If voter registration cards are used in

14    the precinct, the date of the election shall be noted by 1 of the

15    election officials upon the precinct registration card of each

16    elector voting at an election.  If voter registration lists are

17    used in the precinct, the election official shall clearly indi-

18    cate upon the list each elector voting at that election.  The

19    clerk of a city, village, or township shall maintain a record of

20    voting participation for each registered elector.

















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