RECOUNT REFUNDS - H.B. 4915 (H-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 4915 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative LaMar Lemmons III
House Committee: Redistricting and Elections
Senate Committee: Government Operations
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to provide that if an election precinct referred to in a recount petition could not be recounted for any reason, the money deposited for the recount by the petitioner would have to be refunded as provided in the Election Law.
The Michigan Election Law requires a person who files a recount petition to deposit $10 for each precinct in which a recount is demanded. If a recount results in a change in the election results due to fraud or a mistake, the deposit must be refunded. If the money is not refunded, the Secretary of State must pay each county its proportionate share based on the number of precincts in the county in which votes were recounted.
MCL 168.867 & 168.881 - Legislative Analyst: George Towne
FISCAL IMPACT
This bill would have no fiscal impact on the State.
The $10 fee paid by the petitioner is credited to the county, city, township, or village conducting the recount. The refunding of the fee would result in a reduction of funding for the counties and municipalities. For example, in the recount of Congressional District #8 in the 2000 election, 21 of 226 precincts were not eligible for recount. Under the changes proposed in this bill, $210 in fees would have been refunded to the political party and not credited to the affected counties. The Bureau of Elections reports that the number of precincts deemed ineligible for recount in any given election is generally between zero and 25%.
Date Completed: 6-5-02 - Fiscal Analyst: Jessica RunnelsFloor\hb4915 - Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.state.mi.us/sfa
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.