SENATE BILL No. 432

 

 

May 1, 2003, Introduced by Senator HAMMERSTROM and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan election law,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending sections 31, 73, 283, 393, 509t, 509y, 509aa, 561a,             

                                                                                

    624, 624a, 686, 727, 745, 761, 769, 797a, 798c, 799a, 803, 842,             

                                                                                

    and 931 (MCL 168.31, 168.73, 168.283, 168.393, 168.509t,                    

                                                                                

    168.509y, 168.509aa, 168.561a, 168.624, 168.624a, 168.686,                  

                                                                                

    168.727, 168.745, 168.761, 168.769, 168.797a, 168.798c, 168.799a,           

                                                                                

    168.803, 168.842, and 168.931), section 31 as amended by 1999 PA            

                                                                                

    220, sections 73, 283, 393, and 686 as amended by 1999 PA 216,              

                                                                                

    section 509t as amended by 1998 PA 21, sections 509y and 509aa as           

                                                                                

    added by 1994 PA 441, section 624 as amended by 1999 PA 218,                

                                                                                

    section 624a as amended by 1988 PA 116, sections 727 and 769 as             

                                                                                

    amended by 1995 PA 261, section 761 as amended by 1996 PA 207,              

                                                                                

    sections 797a and 931 as amended by 1996 PA 583, section 798c as            

                                                                                

    amended by 1990 PA 109, and sections 799a and 803 as amended by             

                                                                                


                                                                                

    1997 PA 137; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.                          

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 31.  (1) The secretary of state shall do all of the                    

                                                                                

2   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

3       (a) Subject to subsection (2), issue instructions and                       

                                                                                

4   promulgate rules  pursuant to  under the administrative                     

                                                                                

5   procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, for              

                                                                                

6   the conduct of elections and registrations in accordance with the           

                                                                                

7   laws of this state.                                                         

                                                                                

8       (b) Advise and direct local election officials as to the                    

                                                                                

9   proper methods of conducting elections.                                     

                                                                                

10      (c) Publish and furnish for the use in each election precinct               

                                                                                

11  before each state primary and election a manual of instructions             

                                                                                

12  that includes specific instructions on assisting voters in                  

                                                                                

13  casting their ballots, directions on the location of voting                 

                                                                                

14  stations in polling places, procedures and forms for processing             

                                                                                

15  challenges, and procedures on prohibiting campaigning in the                

                                                                                

16  polling places as prescribed in this act.                                   

                                                                                

17      (d) Publish indexed pamphlet copies of the registration,                    

                                                                                

18  primary, and election laws and furnish to the various county,               

                                                                                

19  city, township, and village clerks a sufficient number of copies            

                                                                                

20  for their own use and to enable them to include 1 copy with the             

                                                                                

21  election supplies furnished each precinct board of election                 

                                                                                

22  inspectors under their respective jurisdictions.  The secretary             

                                                                                

23  of state may furnish single copies of the publications to                   

                                                                                

24  organizations or individuals who request the same for purposes of           

                                                                                

25  instruction or public reference.                                            


                                                                                

1       (e) Prescribe and require uniform forms, notices, and                       

                                                                                

2   supplies the secretary of state considers advisable for use in              

                                                                                

3   the conduct of elections and registrations.                                 

                                                                                

4       (f) Prepare the form of ballot for  any  a proposed amendment               

                                                                                

5   to the constitution or proposal under the initiative or                     

                                                                                

6   referendum provision of the constitution to be submitted to the             

                                                                                

7   voters of this state.                                                       

                                                                                

8       (g) Require reports from the local election officials the                   

                                                                                

9   secretary of state considers necessary.                                     

                                                                                

10      (h) Investigate, or cause to be investigated by local                       

                                                                                

11  authorities, the administration of election laws, and report                

                                                                                

12  violations of the election laws and regulations to the attorney             

                                                                                

13  general or prosecuting attorney, or both, for prosecution.                  

                                                                                

14      (i) Publish in the legislative manual the vote for governor                 

                                                                                

15  and secretary of state by townships and wards and the vote for              

                                                                                

16  members of the state legislature cast at the preceding November             

                                                                                

17  election, which shall be returned to the secretary of state by              

                                                                                

18  the county clerks on or before the first day of December                    

                                                                                

19  following the election.  All clerks shall furnish to the                    

                                                                                

20  secretary of state, promptly and without compensation,  any                 

                                                                                

21  further information requested of them to be used in the                     

                                                                                

22  compilation of the legislative manual.                                      

                                                                                

23      (j) Establish a curriculum for comprehensive training and                   

                                                                                

24  accreditation of all county, city, township, village, and school            

                                                                                

25  elections officials.                                                        

                                                                                

26      (k) Establish and require attendance by  all new  each newly                

                                                                                

27  appointed or elected election  officials  official at an initial            


                                                                                

1   course of instruction within 6 months  before  after the date of            

                                                                                

2   the official's election or appointment.                                     

                                                                                

3                                                                                (l) Establish a comprehensive training curriculum for all                           

                                                                                

4   precinct inspectors.                                                        

                                                                                

5       (m) Create an election day dispute resolution team that has                 

                                                                                

6   regional representatives of the department of state, which team             

                                                                                

7   shall appear on site, if necessary.                                         

                                                                                

8       (n) Do all of the following in regard to the training of                    

                                                                                

9   election officials:                                                         

                                                                                

10                                                                               (i) Require each local jurisdiction to report a detailed plan                       

                                                                                

11  for the instruction of its precinct inspectors.  A report under             

                                                                                

12  this subparagraph shall include the dates and times of scheduled            

                                                                                

13  precinct inspector training sessions and shall be submitted                 

                                                                                

14  through the qualified voter file system as prescribed by the                

                                                                                

15  secretary of state.                                                         

                                                                                

16      (ii) Require each county, city, and township election                        

                                                                                

17  commission that conducts precinct inspector training sessions to            

                                                                                

18  submit a biennial report listing the individuals who attain                 

                                                                                

19  accreditation under section 33.                                             

                                                                                

20      (iii) Require each county, city, township, and village                       

                                                                                

21  election commission and each school board to submit a biennial              

                                                                                

22  report attesting that the county's, city's, township's, or                  

                                                                                

23  village's clerk or school board's secretary is accredited under             

                                                                                

24  subdivisions (j) and (k).  If that election official is not                 

                                                                                

25  accredited under subdivisions (j) and (k), the election                     

                                                                                

26  commission's or school board's report shall include an                      

                                                                                

27  explanation of why not and shall specify the date by which the              


                                                                                

1   election official will be accredited.                                       

                                                                                

2       (o) Request an appropriation of sufficient money to produce a               

                                                                                

3   comprehensive training video for distribution to each precinct              

                                                                                

4   chairperson and vice-chairperson.                                           

                                                                                

5       (2)  Pursuant to  Under the administrative procedures act of                

                                                                                

6   1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, the secretary of state             

                                                                                

7   may promulgate rules establishing uniform standards for state and           

                                                                                

8   local nominating, recall, and ballot question petition                      

                                                                                

9   signatures.  The standards for petition signatures may include,             

                                                                                

10  but need not be limited to, standards for all of the following:             

                                                                                

11      (a) Determining the validity of registration of a circulator                

                                                                                

12  or individual signing a petition.                                           

                                                                                

13      (b) Determining the genuineness of the signature of a                       

                                                                                

14  circulator or individual signing a petition.                                

                                                                                

15      (c) Proper designation of the place of registration of a                    

                                                                                

16  circulator or individual signing a petition.                                

                                                                                

17      Sec. 73.  Not more than 24 hours after the conclusion of the                

                                                                                

18  fall state convention, the state central committee of each                  

                                                                                

19  political party shall canvass the proceedings of the convention             

                                                                                

20  and determine the nominees of the convention for the offices of             

                                                                                

21  lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.              

                                                                                

22  Not more than 1 business day after the conclusion of the                    

                                                                                

23  convention, the chairperson and secretary of the state central              

                                                                                

24  committee shall forward to the secretary of state  and to the               

                                                                                

25  board of election commissioners of each county, in care of the              

                                                                                

26  county clerk at the county seat,  a typewritten or printed list             

                                                                                

27  of the names and residence, including the street address if                 


                                                                                

1   known, of candidates nominated at the state convention.  The                

                                                                                

2   secretary of state shall forward a copy of a list received under            

                                                                                

3   this section to the board of election commissioners of each                 

                                                                                

4   county, in care of the county clerk at the county seat.                     

                                                                                

5       Sec. 283.  Not more than 24 hours after the conclusion of                   

                                                                                

6   the fall state convention, the state central committee of each              

                                                                                

7   political party shall canvass the proceedings of the convention             

                                                                                

8   and determine the nominees of the convention for membership on              

                                                                                

9   the state board of education, the board of regents of the                   

                                                                                

10  university of Michigan, the board of trustees of Michigan state             

                                                                                

11  university, and the board of governors of Wayne state                       

                                                                                

12  university.  Not more than 1 business day after the conclusion of           

                                                                                

13  the state convention, the chairperson and secretary of the state            

                                                                                

14  central committee shall forward by registered or certified mail             

                                                                                

15  to the secretary of state  and to the board of election                     

                                                                                

16  commissioners of each county, in care of the county clerk at the            

                                                                                

17  county seat,  a copy of the vignette adopted by the state central           

                                                                                

18  committee and a typewritten or printed list of the names and                

                                                                                

19  residence, including the street address if known, of the                    

                                                                                

20  candidates nominated at the convention for the offices specified            

                                                                                

21  in this section.  The secretary of state shall forward a copy of            

                                                                                

22  a list received under this section to the board of election                 

                                                                                

23  commissioners of each county, in care of the county clerk at the            

                                                                                

24  county seat.                                                                

                                                                                

25      Sec. 393.  Not more than 24 hours after the conclusion of                   

                                                                                

26  the fall state convention, the state central committee of each              

                                                                                

27  political party shall convene and canvass the proceedings of the            


                                                                                

1   convention and determine the nominee or nominees of the                     

                                                                                

2   convention for the office or offices of justice of the supreme              

                                                                                

3   court.  Not more than 1 business day after the conclusion of the            

                                                                                

4   state convention, the chairperson and secretary of the state                

                                                                                

5   central committee shall forward by registered or certified mail             

                                                                                

6   to the secretary of state  and to the board of election                     

                                                                                

7   commissioners of each county, in care of the county clerk at the            

                                                                                

8   county seat,  a typewritten or printed list of the names and                

                                                                                

9   residence, including the street address if known, of the                    

                                                                                

10  candidate or candidates nominated at the convention for the                 

                                                                                

11  office or offices of justice of the supreme court.  The secretary           

                                                                                

12  of state shall forward a copy of a list received under this                 

                                                                                

13  section to the board of election commissioners of each county, in           

                                                                                

14  care of the county clerk at the county seat. The  names of the              

                                                                                

15  persons so certified  name of each nominee on the list shall be             

                                                                                

16  printed upon a nonpartisan judicial ballot containing no party              

                                                                                

17  designation together with the names of  any  incumbent justices             

                                                                                

18  filing an affidavit  pursuant to  under section 392a.                       

                                                                                

19      Sec. 509t.  (1) Notwithstanding  any other  another                         

                                                                                

20  provision of law to the contrary, a person who is a qualified               

                                                                                

21  elector in this state and who registers to vote in a manner                 

                                                                                

22  consistent with the national voter registration act of 1993  ,              

                                                                                

23  is considered a registered voter under this act.                            

                                                                                

24      (2) A person who registers to vote in a jurisdiction in this                

                                                                                

25  state by mail shall vote in person if that person has not                   

                                                                                

26  previously voted in person in that jurisdiction.  This subsection           

                                                                                

27  does not apply to any of the following registered voters:                   


                                                                                

1       (a) A person entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the                  

                                                                                

2   uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act, Public Law             

                                                                                

3   99-410, 100 Stat. 924.                                                      

                                                                                

4       (b) A person  who has  with a disability as defined in                      

                                                                                

5   section 103 of the persons with disabilities civil rights act,              

                                                                                

6   1976 PA 220, MCL 37.1103.  , or                                             

                                                                                

7       (c) A person who is 60 years of age or older.                               

                                                                                

8       (d)  (c)  A person who is entitled to vote other than in                    

                                                                                

9   person under any other federal law.                                         

                                                                                

10      (3) This section does not preclude this state from                          

                                                                                

11  prosecuting a violation of this act that is also a violation of             

                                                                                

12  any  a federal election or voting rights law.                              

                                                                                

13      Sec. 509y.  (1) If a voter who has applied to register to                   

                                                                                

14  vote as provided in this chapter on or before the close of                  

                                                                                

15  registration appears at a polling place on election day and is              

                                                                                

16  not listed in the registration records,  or  precinct voting                

                                                                                

17  list, or qualified voter file, the inspectors of election shall             

                                                                                

18  allow the  person  individual to vote if 1 of the following                 

                                                                                

19  requirements is met:                                                        

                                                                                

20      (a) The voter presents a receipt issued by a department of                  

                                                                                

21  state office, a designated voter registration agency, or the                

                                                                                

22  office of the voter's county clerk verifying the acceptance of an           

                                                                                

23  application, the voter completes a new application, and the voter           

                                                                                

24  otherwise meets the qualifications to vote in that city or                  

                                                                                

25  township.                                                                   

                                                                                

26      (b) The voter is unable to present a receipt issued under                   

                                                                                

27  this chapter verifying the acceptance of an application, the                


                                                                                

1   voter otherwise meets the qualifications to vote in that city or            

                                                                                

2   township, and, at the polling place or at a place as designated             

                                                                                

3   by the clerk within that jurisdiction, the voter does all of the            

                                                                                

4   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

5                                                                                (i) Signs an affidavit affirming that the person submitted an                       

                                                                                

6   application to a department of state office, a designated voter             

                                                                                

7   registration agency, or the office of his or her county clerk, or           

                                                                                

8   mailed an application as provided in this act, on or before the             

                                                                                

9   close of registration.   A person  An individual who provides               

                                                                                

10  information in a signed affidavit under this subparagraph that is           

                                                                                

11  false is guilty of perjury.                                                 

                                                                                

12      (ii) Completes a new application.                                            

                                                                                

13      (iii) Provides  proof of  picture identification sufficient                  

                                                                                

14  to  satisfy the clerk as to the  verify the voter's identity and            

                                                                                

15  residence.  of the voter.                                                   

                                                                                

16      (2) If an individual complies with subsection (1) so that the               

                                                                                

17  inspectors of election are required to allow the individual to              

                                                                                

18  vote, the individual's ballot shall be considered a challenged              

                                                                                

19  ballot and shall be processed as required in section 745.                   

                                                                                

20      Sec. 509aa.  (1) A clerk may use change of address                          

                                                                                

21  information supplied by the United States postal service or other           

                                                                                

22  reliable information received by the clerk that identifies                  

                                                                                

23  registered voters whose addresses may have changed as provided in           

                                                                                

24  this section.                                                               

                                                                                

25      (2)  A clerk shall update the registration of a voter upon                  

                                                                                

26  the receipt of reliable information that the voter has changed              

                                                                                

27  his or her residence within the city or township.  The clerk                


                                                                                

1   shall send by forwardable mail to the voter a notice of the                 

                                                                                

2   transfer informing the voter that he or she is registered at the            

                                                                                

3   new address.  The clerk shall include with the notice a postage             

                                                                                

4   prepaid and preaddressed return card on which the voter may                 

                                                                                

5   verify or correct the address information.  Upon receipt of                 

                                                                                

6   reliable information that a registered voter has moved his or her           

                                                                                

7   residence within the city or township, the clerk shall send by              

                                                                                

8   forwardable mail all of the following to the voter:                         

                                                                                

9       (a) A notice that the clerk has received information                        

                                                                                

10  indicating that the voter has moved his or her residence within             

                                                                                

11  the city or township.                                                       

                                                                                

12      (b) A postage prepaid and preaddressed return card on which                 

                                                                                

13  the voter may verify or correct the address information.                    

                                                                                

14      (c) A notice explaining that, if the address information is                 

                                                                                

15  correct and the voter has moved his or her residence within the             

                                                                                

16  city or township, the voter should complete and return the card             

                                                                                

17  to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date             

                                                                                

18  of the next election.  If the voter has moved his or her                    

                                                                                

19  residence within the city or township and does not complete and             

                                                                                

20  return the card to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or more             

                                                                                

21  before the date of the next election, the voter will be required            

                                                                                

22  to vote in his or her former precinct of residence in the city or           

                                                                                

23  township.  The voter will also be required to submit an address             

                                                                                

24  correction before being permitted to vote.                                  

                                                                                

25      (3) Upon the receipt of reliable information that a                         

                                                                                

26  registered voter has moved his or her residence to another city             

                                                                                

27  or township, the clerk shall send by forwardable mail all of the            


                                                                                

1   following to the voter:                                                     

                                                                                

2       (a) A notice that the clerk has received information                        

                                                                                

3   indicating that the voter has moved his or her residence to                 

                                                                                

4   another city or township.                                                   

                                                                                

5       (b) A postage prepaid and preaddressed return card on which                 

                                                                                

6   the voter may verify or correct the address information.                    

                                                                                

7       (c) A notice containing all of the following information:                   

                                                                                

8                                                                                (i) If the address information is incorrect and the voter has                       

                                                                                

9   not moved his or her residence to another city or township and              

                                                                                

10  wishes to remain registered to vote, the voter should complete              

                                                                                

11  and return the card to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or              

                                                                                

12  more before the date of the next election.  If the card is not              

                                                                                

13  completed and returned with a postmark of 30 days or more before            

                                                                                

14  the date of the next election, the voter may be required to                 

                                                                                

15  affirm his or her current address before being permitted to                 

                                                                                

16  vote.  Further, if the voter does not vote in an election within            

                                                                                

17  the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the            

                                                                                

18  first business day immediately following the second November                

                                                                                

19  general election that is held after the date on the notice, the             

                                                                                

20  registration of the voter will be canceled and his or her name              

                                                                                

21  will be removed from the registration record of that city or                

                                                                                

22  township.                                                                   

                                                                                

23      (ii) If the voter has moved his or her residence to another                  

                                                                                

24  city or township, information on how the voter can become                   

                                                                                

25  registered to vote at the next election in his or her new city or           

                                                                                

26  township.                                                                   

                                                                                

27      (4) If a notice sent under this section is returned to the                  


                                                                                

1   clerk by the post office as undeliverable, the clerk shall                  

                                                                                

2   identify the registration record of a voter as challenged as                

                                                                                

3   provided in this act.  The clerk shall instruct the board of                

                                                                                

4   election inspectors to challenge that voter at the first election           

                                                                                

5   at which the voter appears to vote.  If in response to the                  

                                                                                

6   challenge the voter indicates that he or she resides at the                 

                                                                                

7   registration address or has changed addresses within the city or            

                                                                                

8   township, the voter shall be permitted to vote a regular ballot             

                                                                                

9   rather than a challenged ballot.  The voter shall complete a                

                                                                                

10  change of address form at the polling place, if applicable.  If             

                                                                                

11  the person does not appear to vote in an election within the                

                                                                                

12  period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the                

                                                                                

13  first business day immediately following the second November                

                                                                                

14  general election that is held after the date of the notice, the             

                                                                                

15  clerk shall cancel the registration of the voter and remove his             

                                                                                

16  or her name from the registration record of the city or                     

                                                                                

17  township.                                                                   

                                                                                

18      Sec. 561a.  (1) In  any  a primary election,  whenever any                  

                                                                                

19  if a candidate for  public  elective office has the same given              

                                                                                

20  name and surname as the  name  names of the person last elected             

                                                                                

21  to  such office, when  that office and if the person last elected           

                                                                                

22  is not seeking renomination, below the name of  said  the                   

                                                                                

23  candidate on the ballot shall appear the words "not the present             

                                                                                

24  .................".  and in said space shall be printed the  The            

                                                                                

25  title of the office sought shall appear in the space.  The size             

                                                                                

26  of type used  in any other designation on the ballot shall not be           

                                                                                

27  reduced in size from  for a designation under this section shall            


                                                                                

1   not be smaller than the size of type normally used for any other            

                                                                                

2   ballot designation.                                                         

                                                                                

3       (2) For the purpose of this section, a candidate's and an                   

                                                                                

4   officeholder's surnames shall not be considered different solely            

                                                                                

5   because 1 or both of the surnames include a generational                    

                                                                                

6   designation.                                                                

                                                                                

7       Sec. 624.  (1) A person holding a public office in this                     

                                                                                

8   state or a municipal subdivision of this state may become a                 

                                                                                

9   candidate for delegate to the county or district conventions.               

                                                                                

10      (2) A candidate for delegate to the county or district                      

                                                                                

11  conventions of a political party shall be a qualified and                   

                                                                                

12  registered elector residing within, as well as having his or her            

                                                                                

13  actual bona fide residence within, the election precinct for                

                                                                                

14  which he or she desires to become a candidate on the filing                 

                                                                                

15  deadline.  A candidate shall file an affidavit of identity as               

                                                                                

16  prescribed in section  558(1)  558 with the county clerk of the             

                                                                                

17  county or the clerk of the city or township in which the                    

                                                                                

18  candidate resides.  A clerk shall receive affidavits of identity            

                                                                                

19  under this section up to 4 p.m. on the twelfth Tuesday preceding            

                                                                                

20  the time designated for holding a primary election in the                   

                                                                                

21  county.  Within 4 days after the last day for filing affidavits             

                                                                                

22  of identity under this section, the city or township clerk shall            

                                                                                

23  forward to the county clerk the affidavit of identity of each               

                                                                                

24  candidate who has qualified for a position on the primary                   

                                                                                

25  ballot.  All duly elected and certified delegates shall be seated           

                                                                                

26  at the county or district county conventions.  A person violating           

                                                                                

27  this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.                                    


                                                                                

1       (3) If a written complaint is made to the county clerk with                 

                                                                                

2   respect to the registration or bona fide residence, or both, of a           

                                                                                

3   candidate, the county clerk shall check with the township or city           

                                                                                

4   clerk of the township or city in which the candidate is                     

                                                                                

5   registered or residing, or both.  The township or city clerk                

                                                                                

6   shall report back to the county clerk within 48 hours as to the             

                                                                                

7   registration or bona fide residence, or both, of the candidate.             

                                                                                

8   If                                                                         

                                                                                

9       (4) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if the                 

                                                                                

10  township or city clerk's report shows that the candidate is not a           

                                                                                

11  registered elector or a bona fide resident of the election                  

                                                                                

12  precinct of the township or city for which the petition shows the           

                                                                                

13  candidate is a resident, the county clerk shall remove the name             

                                                                                

14  of the candidate from the ballot.   A complaint  The county clerk           

                                                                                

15  shall not remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the sole             

                                                                                

16  reason that the candidate no longer resides in the precinct is as           

                                                                                

17  a result of a division, consolidation, or rearrangement of the              

                                                                                

18  precinct under section 656, 658, or 661.  A county clerk shall              

                                                                                

19  not act upon a complaint under subsection (3) that is received by           

                                                                                

20  the county clerk after the ballots have been released for                   

                                                                                

21  printing and before the primary election.  shall not be acted               

                                                                                

22  upon.                                                                       

                                                                                

23      (5) If a county clerk does not remove a candidate's name                    

                                                                                

24  under subsection (4) because the change in the candidate's                  

                                                                                

25  precinct is a result of a change in the precinct's boundaries               

                                                                                

26  under section 656, 658, or 661, the county clerk shall notify the           

                                                                                

27  candidate about the change in his or her precinct boundaries,               


                                                                                

1   that the candidate remains a qualified candidate, and that the              

                                                                                

2   candidate's name will appear on the ballot for the precinct in              

                                                                                

3   which the candidate currently resides.                                      

                                                                                

4       Sec. 624a.  (1) A precinct delegate may resign his or her                   

                                                                                

5   office upon written notice to the chairperson of the county                 

                                                                                

6   committee and the county clerk of the county or district in which           

                                                                                

7   the delegate resides.                                                       

                                                                                

8       (2) A person who has filed petitions for precinct delegate                  

                                                                                

9   may withdraw his or her name from the ballot by filing a                    

                                                                                

10  statement of withdrawal with the county clerk within 72 hours               

                                                                                

11  after 4 p.m. of the last day to file for the office of precinct             

                                                                                

12  delegate.                                                                   

                                                                                

13      (3) A person elected to fill a delegate vacancy or elected as               

                                                                                

14  a precinct delegate is not qualified to participate in a                    

                                                                                

15  convention if, at the time of the convention, that person does              

                                                                                

16  not reside in the precinct from which he or she was elected.  A             

                                                                                

17  delegate is not disqualified if the delegate no longer resides in           

                                                                                

18  the precinct as a result of a division, consolidation, or                   

                                                                                

19  rearrangement of the precinct under section 656,  660  658, or              

                                                                                

20  661.                                                                        

                                                                                

21      (4) If a written complaint is made to the county clerk                      

                                                                                

22  regarding a delegate's qualification to hold the office, the                

                                                                                

23  county clerk shall check with the township or city clerk of the             

                                                                                

24  township or city in which the delegate indicated on the                     

                                                                                

25  nominating petition as his or her place of residence.  The                  

                                                                                

26  township or city clerk shall report back to the county clerk                

                                                                                

27  within 48 hours as to the complaint made under this subsection.             


                                                                                

1   If the township or city clerk's report shows that the delegate is           

                                                                                

2   not qualified to hold the office, the county clerk shall certify            

                                                                                

3   to the chairperson of the county committee of the political party           

                                                                                

4   the name of the delegate of that political party who is no longer           

                                                                                

5   qualified to hold the office of delegate under this subsection.             

                                                                                

6       Sec. 686.  Within 24 hours after the conclusion of the state                

                                                                                

7   convention  prior to any  before a general election, the state              

                                                                                

8   central committee of each political party shall canvass the                 

                                                                                

9   proceedings of the convention and determine the nominees of the             

                                                                                

10  convention.  Not more than 1 business day after the state                   

                                                                                

11  convention, the chairperson and secretary of the state central              

                                                                                

12  committee shall forward  to the board of election commissioners             

                                                                                

13  of each county, in care of the county clerk at the county seat,             

                                                                                

14  and  to the secretary of state  ,  a typewritten or printed list            

                                                                                

15  of the names and residence, including the street address if                 

                                                                                

16  known, of all candidates nominated at the state convention.  In             

                                                                                

17  each presidential election year, the state central committee of             

                                                                                

18  each political party shall, at the same time, forward  to the               

                                                                                

19  board of election commissioners of each county and  to the                  

                                                                                

20  secretary of state the typewritten or printed names of the                  

                                                                                

21  candidates of  such  that party  at the forthcoming election  for           

                                                                                

22  the offices of president of the United States and vice-president            

                                                                                

23  of the United States certified to by the chairman and secretary             

                                                                                

24  of the committees.  A party is not required to certify                      

                                                                                

25  nominations made at an official primary election.  The secretary            

                                                                                

26  of state shall forward a copy of a list received under this                 

                                                                                

27  section to the board of election commissioners of each county, in           


                                                                                

1   care of the county clerk at the county seat.                                

                                                                                

2       Sec. 727.  (1) An election inspector shall challenge  a                     

                                                                                

3   person  an individual applying for ballots if the election                  

                                                                                

4   inspector knows or has good reason to suspect that the applicant            

                                                                                

5   is not a qualified and registered elector of the precinct, if the           

                                                                                

6   applicant's name does not appear in at least 1 of the                       

                                                                                

7   registration book, precinct voting list, or qualified voter file,           

                                                                                

8   or if a challenge appears in connection with the applicant's name           

                                                                                

9   in the registration book.  A registered elector of the precinct             

                                                                                

10  present in the polling place may challenge the right of anyone              

                                                                                

11  attempting to vote if the elector knows or has good reason to               

                                                                                

12  suspect that  person  the individual is not a registered elector            

                                                                                

13  in that precinct.  An election inspector or other qualified                 

                                                                                

14  challenger may challenge the right of  a person  an individual              

                                                                                

15  attempting to vote who has previously applied for an absent voter           

                                                                                

16  ballot and who on election day is claiming to have never received           

                                                                                

17  the absent voter ballot or to have lost or destroyed the absent             

                                                                                

18  voter ballot.                                                               

                                                                                

19      (2) Upon a challenge being made under subsection (1), an                    

                                                                                

20  election inspector shall immediately do all of the following:               

                                                                                

21      (a)  Identify pursuant to section  Process as provided in                   

                                                                                

22  sections 745 and 746  any  a ballot voted by the challenged                 

                                                                                

23  individual, if any.                                                         

                                                                                

24      (b) Make a written report including all of the following                    

                                                                                

25  information:                                                                

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) All election disparities or infractions complained of or                        

                                                                                

27  believed to have occurred.                                                  


                                                                                

1       (ii) The name of the  person  individual making the                          

                                                                                

2   challenge.                                                                  

                                                                                

3       (iii) The time of the challenge.                                             

                                                                                

4       (iv) The name, telephone number, and address of the                          

                                                                                

5   challenged individual.                                                      

                                                                                

6       (v)  Any other  Other information considered appropriate by                 

                                                                                

7   the election inspector.                                                     

                                                                                

8       (c) Retain the written report created under subdivision (b)                 

                                                                                

9   and make it a part of the election record.                                  

                                                                                

10      (3) A challenger shall not make a challenge indiscriminately                

                                                                                

11  and without good cause.  A challenger shall not handle the poll             

                                                                                

12  books while observing election procedures or the ballots during             

                                                                                

13  the counting of the ballots.  A challenger shall not interfere              

                                                                                

14  with or unduly delay the work of the election inspectors.  A                

                                                                                

15  person who challenges a qualified and registered elector of a               

                                                                                

16  voting precinct for the purpose of annoying or delaying voters is           

                                                                                

17  guilty of a misdemeanor.                                                    

                                                                                

18      Sec. 745.  (1)  Whenever at any election the ballot of any                  

                                                                                

19  person who has been challenged as an unqualified voter and who              

                                                                                

20  has taken the oath provided by law in such case to be taken shall           

                                                                                

21  be received by the inspectors of election, said inspectors shall            

                                                                                

22  cause to be plainly endorsed on said ballot, with pencil, before            

                                                                                

23  depositing the same in the ballot box, the number corresponding             

                                                                                

24  to the number placed after such voter's name on the poll lists              

                                                                                

25  without opening the same:  Provided, That in case a ballot shall            

                                                                                

26  be  If an individual who is challenged at an election as an                 

                                                                                

27  unqualified voter takes the oath provided by law for that                   


                                                                                

1   circumstance, is given a ballot, and votes, an election inspector           

                                                                                

2   shall plainly endorse in pencil on that individual's ballot the             

                                                                                

3   number corresponding to the number placed after the individual's            

                                                                                

4   name on the poll lists.  The election inspector shall execute the           

                                                                                

5   endorsement before depositing the ballot in the ballot box and              

                                                                                

6   without opening the ballot.                                                 

                                                                                

7       (2) If an individual ballot is considered a challenged ballot               

                                                                                

8   under section 509y or 769, an election inspector shall process              

                                                                                

9   that individual's ballot in the same manner as a challenged                 

                                                                                

10  elector's ballot under subsection (1) and section 746.                      

                                                                                

11      (3) If a ballot requiring an endorsement under subsection (1)               

                                                                                

12  or (2) is so folded, defaced, printed, or prepared that  such               

                                                                                

13  the number cannot be legibly and permanently written on the  back           

                                                                                

14  thereof, said  ballot, the election inspectors shall refuse to              

                                                                                

15  accept  such  the ballot.                                                   

                                                                                

16      (4) A ballot that is considered a challenged ballot under                   

                                                                                

17  section 509y or 769 shall be processed in the same manner as a              

                                                                                

18  challenged ballot under this act.                                           

                                                                                

19      Sec. 761.  (1) If the clerk of a city, township, or village                 

                                                                                

20  receives an application for an absent voter ballot from a person            

                                                                                

21  registered to vote in that city, township, or village and if the            

                                                                                

22  signature on the application agrees with the signature on the               

                                                                                

23  registration card, the clerk immediately upon receipt of the                

                                                                                

24  application or, if the application is received before the                   

                                                                                

25  printing of the absent voter ballots, as soon as the ballots are            

                                                                                

26  received by the clerk, shall forward by mail  , postage prepaid,            

                                                                                

27  or shall deliver personally  1 of the ballots or set of ballots             


                                                                                

1   if there is more than 1 kind of ballot to be voted  an absent               

                                                                                

2   voter ballot to the applicant.   Absent voter ballots  An absent            

                                                                                

3   voter ballot may be delivered to an applicant in person at the              

                                                                                

4   office of the clerk.                                                        

                                                                                

5       (2) Notwithstanding section 759, providing that  no  the                    

                                                                                

6   clerk shall not accept absent voter applications  shall be                  

                                                                                

7   received by the clerk  after 2 p.m. on the Saturday before the              

                                                                                

8   election, a person qualified to vote as an absent voter may apply           

                                                                                

9   in person at the clerk's office before 4 p.m. on a day preceding            

                                                                                

10  the election except Sunday or a legal holiday to vote as an                 

                                                                                

11  absent voter.  The applicant shall receive his or her absent                

                                                                                

12  voter ballot and vote the ballot in the clerk's office.  All                

                                                                                

13  other absent voter ballots, except ballots delivered  pursuant              

                                                                                

14  to  in response to an emergency absent voter ballot application             

                                                                                

15  under section 759b, shall be mailed or delivered to the                     

                                                                                

16  registration address of the applicant unless the application                

                                                                                

17  requests delivery to an address outside the city, village, or               

                                                                                

18  township or to a hospital or similar institution.  , in which               

                                                                                

19  case  If the application requests delivery outside the city,                

                                                                                

20  village, or township or to a hospital or similar institution, the           

                                                                                

21  absent voter  ballots  ballot shall be mailed or delivered to the           

                                                                                

22  address given in the application.   However, a  A clerk may mail            

                                                                                

23  or deliver an absent voter ballot, upon request of the absent               

                                                                                

24  voter, to a post office box if the post office box is where the             

                                                                                

25  absent voter normally receives personal mail and the absent voter           

                                                                                

26  does not receive mail at his or her registration address.                   

                                                                                

27      (3)  Absent voter ballots shall be issued  The clerk shall                  


                                                                                

1   endeavor to issue absent voter ballots in the same order in which           

                                                                                

2   applications are received by the clerk of a city, township, or              

                                                                                

3   village.  , as nearly as may be, and  If possible, each ballot              

                                                                                

4   issued shall bear the lowest number  of each kind available for             

                                                                                

5   this purpose  available.  However, this provision does not                  

                                                                                

6   prohibit a clerk from immediately issuing an absent voter ballot            

                                                                                

7   to an absent voter who applies in person in the clerk's office              

                                                                                

8   for an absent voter  ballots  ballot.  The clerk shall enclose              

                                                                                

9   with  the ballot or ballots  each absent voter ballot a return              

                                                                                

10  envelope properly addressed to the clerk and bearing upon the               

                                                                                

11  back of the envelope a printed statement in substantially the               

                                                                                

12  following form:                                                             

                                                                                

13                           TO BE COMPLETED                                    

14                             BY THE CLERK                                     

                                                                                

15  ______________________________  _________________________________           

16           Name of Voter                Street Address or R.R.                

                                                                                

17  ______________________________  _________________________________           

18     City, Township or Village                  County                        

                                                                                

19  Ward _______  Precinct _______  Date of Election_________________           

                                                                                

20  =================================================================           

21                 TO BE COMPLETED BY THE ABSENT VOTER                          

                                                                                

22                                                                               I assert that I am a qualified and registered elector of the                      

                                                                                

23  city, township, or village named above.  I am voting as an absent           

                                                                                

24  voter in conformity with state election law.  Unless otherwise              

                                                                                

25  indicated below, I personally marked the ballot enclosed in this            

                                                                                

26  envelope without exhibiting it to any other person.                         

                                                                                

27                                                                               I further assert that this absent voter ballot is being                           

                                                                                

28  returned to the clerk or an assistant of the clerk by me                    

                                                                                

29  personally; by public postal service, express mail service,                 


                                                                                

1   parcel post service, or other common carrier; by a member of my             

                                                                                

2   immediate family; or by a person residing in my household.                  

                                                                                

3     DATE:_____         SIGN HERE:  X______________________________            

4                                     Signature of Absent Voter                 

                                                                                

5   The above form must be signed or your vote will not be counted.             

6   AN ABSENT VOTER WHO KNOWINGLY MAKES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY             

7   OF A MISDEMEANOR.                                                           

                                                                                

8   =================================================================           

                                                                                

9          TO BE COMPLETED ONLY IF VOTER IS ASSISTED IN VOTING                  

10                          BY ANOTHER PERSON                                   

11                                                                               I assisted the above named absent voter who is disabled or                        

                                                                                

12  otherwise unable to mark the ballot in marking his or her absent            

                                                                                

13  voter ballot pursuant to his or her directions.  The absent voter           

                                                                                

14  ballot was inserted in the return envelope without being                    

                                                                                

15  exhibited to any other person.                                              

                                                                                

16  ____________________ ______________________ ______________________          

17  Signature of Person Street Address or R.R. City, Twp., or Village          

18     Assisting Voter                                                          

                                                                                

19  A PERSON WHO ASSISTS AN ABSENT VOTER AND WHO KNOWINGLY MAKES A              

20  FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF A FELONY.                                      

                                                                                

21  =================================================================           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

22                              WARNING                                        

23      PERSONS WHO CAN LEGALLY BE IN POSSESSION OF AN ABSENT VOTER                 

                                                                                

24  BALLOT ISSUED TO AN ABSENT VOTER ARE LIMITED TO THE ABSENT VOTER;           

                                                                                

25  A PERSON WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE ABSENT VOTER'S IMMEDIATE FAMILY             

                                                                                

26  OR RESIDES IN THE ABSENT VOTER'S HOUSEHOLD AND WHO HAS BEEN ASKED           

                                                                                

27  BY THE ABSENT VOTER TO RETURN THE BALLOT; A PERSON WHOSE JOB IT             

                                                                                

28  IS TO HANDLE MAIL BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER BEING TRANSPORTED BY A           

                                                                                

29  PUBLIC POSTAL SERVICE, EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE, PARCEL POST SERVICE,           

                                                                                

30  OR COMMON CARRIER, BUT ONLY DURING THE NORMAL COURSE OF HIS OR              

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   HER EMPLOYMENT; AND THE CLERK, ASSISTANTS OF THE CLERK, AND OTHER           

                                                                                

2   AUTHORIZED ELECTION OFFICIALS OF THE CITY, TOWNSHIP, VILLAGE, OR            

                                                                                

3   SCHOOL DISTRICT.  ANY OTHER PERSON IN POSSESSION OF AN ABSENT               

                                                                                

4   VOTER BALLOT IS GUILTY OF A FELONY.                                         

                                                                                

5       (4) A clerk may use absent voter ballot envelop stock                       

                                                                                

6   purchased before March 28, 1996 for the remainder of the 1996               

                                                                                

7   calendar year if both of the following requirements are                     

                                                                                

8   satisfied:                                                                  

                                                                                

9       (a) The warning in subsection (3) that describes persons who                

                                                                                

10  can legally be in possession of an absent voter ballot is affixed           

                                                                                

11  to the outside of the envelope.                                             

                                                                                

12      (b) All other instructions required under subsection (3)                    

                                                                                

13  regarding persons assisting the absent voter are inserted into              

                                                                                

14  the absent voter ballot envelope.                                           

                                                                                

15      (4)  (5)  An absent voter who knowingly makes a false                       

                                                                                

16  statement on the absent voter ballot return envelope is guilty of           

                                                                                

17  a misdemeanor.  A person who assists an absent voter and who                

                                                                                

18  knowingly makes a false statement on the absent voter ballot                

                                                                                

19  return envelope is guilty of a felony.                                      

                                                                                

20      Sec. 769.  (1) An  absent voter  elector may vote in person                 

                                                                                

21  within his or her precinct at an election, notwithstanding that             

                                                                                

22  he or she applies for an absent voter ballot and the ballot is              

                                                                                

23  mailed or otherwise delivered to the absent voter by the clerk.             

                                                                                

24  This subsection only applies if the  absent voter  elector does             

                                                                                

25  not vote the absent voter ballot mailed or otherwise delivered by           

                                                                                

26  the clerk.                                                                  

                                                                                

27      (2) Before voting in person, except as otherwise provided in                


                                                                                

1   this section, the  absent voter  elector shall return the absent            

                                                                                

2   voter ballot to the board of election inspectors in his or her              

                                                                                

3   precinct.  If an absent voter ballot is returned under this                 

                                                                                

4   subsection, the board of election inspectors shall mark it                  

                                                                                

5   "CANCELED" and place it in the regular box with other canceled              

                                                                                

6   ballots.                                                                    

                                                                                

7       (3) An  absent voter  elector who did not receive an absent                 

                                                                                

8   voter ballot that he or she applied for or lost or destroyed an             

                                                                                

9   absent voter ballot he or she received, and who desires to vote             

                                                                                

10  in person in his or her precinct on election day, shall sign an             

                                                                                

11  affidavit to that effect before an election inspector.  and be              

                                                                                

12  allowed to vote as otherwise provided in this act.  However, a              

                                                                                

13  voter being allowed to vote under this subsection is subject to             

                                                                                

14  challenge as provided in section 727.  If the elector signs the             

                                                                                

15  affidavit, the elector shall be allowed to vote a ballot that               

                                                                                

16  shall be considered a challenged ballot and shall be processed as           

                                                                                

17  required in section 745.                                                    

                                                                                

18      (4) A person who votes at an election both in person and by                 

                                                                                

19  means of an absent voter ballot or a person who attempts to vote            

                                                                                

20  both in person and by means of an absent voter ballot is guilty             

                                                                                

21  of a felony.                                                                

                                                                                

22      (5) An election official who becomes aware of a person who                  

                                                                                

23  votes or attempts to vote both in person and by means of an                 

                                                                                

24  absent voter ballot shall report that information to the                    

                                                                                

25  prosecuting attorney for that county and to the secretary of                

                                                                                

26  state.                                                                      

                                                                                

27      Sec. 797a.  (1) Before entering the voting station, each                    


                                                                                

1   elector shall be offered instruction in the proper method of                

                                                                                

2   voting on the electronic voting system.  If the elector needs               

                                                                                

3   additional instruction after entering the voting station, 2                 

                                                                                

4   election inspectors from different political parties may, if                

                                                                                

5   necessary, enter the voting station and provide the additional              

                                                                                

6   instructions.                                                               

                                                                                

7       (2) If the electronic voting system provides for the use of a               

                                                                                

8   ballot that is processed through electronic tabulating equipment            

                                                                                

9   after the elector votes, the elector shall transport the ballot             

                                                                                

10  to the ballot box, or other approved ballot container, without              

                                                                                

11  exposing any votes.  An election inspector shall ascertain, by              

                                                                                

12  comparing the number appearing on the ballot stub with the number           

                                                                                

13  recorded on the poll list, that the ballot delivered by the voter           

                                                                                

14  is the same ballot that was issued to the elector.  If the                  

                                                                                

15  numbers do not agree, the ballot shall be marked as "rejected",             

                                                                                

16  and the elector shall not be allowed to vote.  If the numbers               

                                                                                

17  agree, an election inspector shall remove and discard the stub.             

                                                                                

18  Except as otherwise provided in  this  subsection (3), the                  

                                                                                

19  election inspector shall deposit the ballot in the ballot box or            

                                                                                

20  other approved ballot container.                                            

                                                                                

21      (3) If electronic tabulating equipment that deposits the                    

                                                                                

22  voted ballot into the ballot box or other approved ballot                   

                                                                                

23  container is used at the precinct, the election inspector shall             

                                                                                

24  return the ballot to the elector, and the elector shall then                

                                                                                

25  deposit the ballot into the electronic tabulating equipment.  If            

                                                                                

26  this electronic tabulating equipment rejects a ballot due to                

                                                                                

27  programming required under section 795, the elector shall be                


                                                                                

1   offered an opportunity to correct the error by voting a                     

                                                                                

2   replacement ballot.  If the voter refuses to accept the                     

                                                                                

3   opportunity to vote a replacement ballot, the rejected ballot               

                                                                                

4   shall be accepted and tabulated as voted. The electronic                    

                                                                                

5   tabulating equipment shall be arranged so that the secrecy of the           

                                                                                

6   ballot is not violated.  If required for the proper operation of            

                                                                                

7   the electronic tabulating equipment, 2 election inspectors from             

                                                                                

8   different political parties may periodically open the equipment             

                                                                                

9   to rearrange voted ballots and may transfer voted ballots to                

                                                                                

10  another approved ballot container.                                          

                                                                                

11      (4)  (3)  A ballot from which the stub is detached shall not                

                                                                                

12  be accepted by the election inspector in charge of the ballot box           

                                                                                

13  or other approved ballot container.  An elector who spoils his or           

                                                                                

14  her ballot may return it and secure another ballot.  The word               

                                                                                

15  "spoiled" shall be written across the face of the ballot, and the           

                                                                                

16  ballot shall be marked and secured for later return.                        

                                                                                

17      (5)  (4)  A ballot of a challenged voter that has the names                 

                                                                                

18  of candidates and questions printed directly on the voted ballot            

                                                                                

19  shall be processed in the manner prescribed for challenging a               

                                                                                

20  vote cast by paper ballot.  A challenge to a voter voting on an             

                                                                                

21  electronic voting system that does not use an individual hard               

                                                                                

22  copy ballot shall be processed in the manner prescribed for                 

                                                                                

23  challenging a vote cast on a voting machine.                                

                                                                                

24      (6)  (5)  Except as otherwise provided in this act, an                      

                                                                                

25  election inspector shall not allow any portion of a ballot,                 

                                                                                

26  including a ballot stub, to be removed by  any  a person other              

                                                                                

27  than an election inspector from the polling place.                          


                                                                                

1       Sec. 798c.  (1) Absentee votes may be cast on paper ballots                 

                                                                                

2   or ballot cards or both.  Absent voter ballots may be counted in            

                                                                                

3   the various voting precincts or may be counted by absent voter              

                                                                                

4   counting boards.  Absentee votes cast on paper ballots may be               

                                                                                

5   recorded by election  inspections  inspectors on ballot cards for           

                                                                                

6   counting by tabulating equipment.                                           

                                                                                

7       (2) In an election held under this act, absent voters'                      

                                                                                

8   ballots may be voted and processed in the manner provided by this           

                                                                                

9   chapter.                                                                    

                                                                                

10      (3) If electronic tabulating equipment rejects an absent                    

                                                                                

11  voter ballot due to programming required under section 795, the             

                                                                                

12  rejected ballot shall be inspected to confirm the presence of the           

                                                                                

13  error before the ballot is processed.  A vote for each elective             

                                                                                

14  office or ballot question in which an error is confirmed shall              

                                                                                

15  not be counted.                                                             

                                                                                

16      Sec. 799a.  (1) This section governs the recounting of a                    

                                                                                

17  ballot on which a voter has made a selection by means of a punch,           

                                                                                

18  mark, or stamp.                                                             

                                                                                

19      (2) If the electronic voting system requires that the elector               

                                                                                

20  cast a vote by punching out a hole in a ballot, the vote shall              

                                                                                

21  not be considered valid unless the portion of the ballot                    

                                                                                

22  designated as a voting position is completely removed or is                 

                                                                                

23  hanging by 1 or 2 corners or the equivalent.                                

                                                                                

24      (3) If the electronic voting system requires that the elector               

                                                                                

25  cast a vote by marking or stamping  place a mark in a predefined           

                                                                                

26  area on the ballot in order to cast a vote, the vote shall not be           

                                                                                

27  considered valid unless there is a mark  or stamp  within the               


                                                                                

1   predefined area.  and it is clearly evident that the intent of              

                                                                                

2   the voter was to cast a vote.  In determining intent of the                 

                                                                                

3   voter  A stray mark made within a predefined area is not a valid            

                                                                                

4   vote.  In determining whether a mark within a predefined area is            

                                                                                

5   a stray mark, the board of canvassers or election official shall            

                                                                                

6   compare the mark  or stamp  subject to recount with other marks             

                                                                                

7   or stamps  appearing on the ballot.  The secretary of state                

                                                                                

8   shall issue instructions relevant to stray marks to ensure the              

                                                                                

9   fairness and uniformity of determinations made under this                   

                                                                                

10  subsection.  A secretary of state's instruction relevant to stray           

                                                                                

11  marks shall not be applied to a ballot unless the secretary of              

                                                                                

12  state issued the instruction not less than 63 days before the               

                                                                                

13  date of the election.                                                       

                                                                                

14      (4) Unless a petition for recount has been filed and the                    

                                                                                

15  recount has not been completed, ballots, ballot labels, programs,           

                                                                                

16  test results, and other sealed materials may be released from               

                                                                                

17  their original seal after 7 days following the final                        

                                                                                

18  determination of the board of canvassers with respect to the                

                                                                                

19  election at which the ballots were voted.  However, the released            

                                                                                

20  materials shall be secured and preserved for the time period                

                                                                                

21  required by this act and the rules promulgated by the secretary             

                                                                                

22  of state.                                                                   

                                                                                

23      Sec. 803.  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the                

                                                                                

24  following rules  shall  govern the counting and recounting of               

                                                                                

25  votes:                                                                      

                                                                                

26      (a) If it is clearly evident from an examination of  any  a                 

                                                                                

27  ballot that the ballot has been mutilated for the purpose of                


                                                                                

1   distinguishing it or that there has been placed on the ballot               

                                                                                

2   some mark, printing, or writing for the purpose of distinguishing           

                                                                                

3   it, then that ballot is void and shall not be counted.                      

                                                                                

4       (b) A cross, the intersection of which is within or on the                  

                                                                                

5   line of the proper circle or square, or a check mark, the angle             

                                                                                

6   of which is within a circle or square, is valid.  Crosses or                

                                                                                

7   check marks otherwise located on the ballot are void.                       

                                                                                

8       (c) Marks other than crosses or check marks used to designate               

                                                                                

9   the intention of the voter shall not be counted.                            

                                                                                

10      (d) A cross is valid even though 1 or both lines of the cross               

                                                                                

11  are duplicated, if the lines intersect within or on the line of             

                                                                                

12  the square or circle.                                                       

                                                                                

13      (e) Two lines meeting within or on the line of the square or                

                                                                                

14  circle, although not crossing each other, are valid if it is                

                                                                                

15  apparent that the voter intended to make a cross.                           

                                                                                

16      (f) A failure to properly mark a ballot as to 1 or more                     

                                                                                

17  candidates does not alone invalidate the entire ballot if the               

                                                                                

18  ballot has been properly marked as to other candidates, unless              

                                                                                

19  the improper marking is determined to be a distinguishing mark as           

                                                                                

20  described in this subsection.                                               

                                                                                

21      (g) Erasures and corrections on a ballot made by the elector                

                                                                                

22  in a manner frequently used for this purpose shall not be                   

                                                                                

23  considered distinguishing marks or mutilations.                             

                                                                                

24      (h) Any ballot or part of a ballot from which it is                         

                                                                                

25  impossible to determine the elector's choice of candidate is void           

                                                                                

26  as to the candidate or candidates affected by that                          

                                                                                

27  determination.                                                              


                                                                                

1       (i) Any votes cast for a deceased candidate are void and                    

                                                                                

2   shall not be counted, except that votes cast for a candidate for            

                                                                                

3   governor who has died, and for whom a replacement has not been              

                                                                                

4   made, shall be counted for the candidate for lieutenant governor            

                                                                                

5   of that party.                                                              

                                                                                

6       (j) All ballots cast that are not counted shall be marked by                

                                                                                

7   the inspector "not counted", kept separate from the others by               

                                                                                

8   being tied or held in 1 package, and placed in the ballot box               

                                                                                

9   with the counted ballots.                                                   

                                                                                

10      (k) A vote shall not be counted for any candidate unless a                  

                                                                                

11  cross or a check mark has been placed by the voter in the circle            

                                                                                

12  at the head of the party ticket, if any, on which the name of the           

                                                                                

13  candidate has been printed, written, or placed or unless a cross            

                                                                                

14  or a check mark has been placed by the voter in the square before           

                                                                                

15  the space in which the name of the candidate has been printed,              

                                                                                

16  written, or placed.                                                         

                                                                                

17      (2) If an electronic voting system requires that the elector                

                                                                                

18  place a mark in a predefined area on the ballot in order to cast            

                                                                                

19  a vote, the vote shall not be considered valid unless there is a            

                                                                                

20  mark within the predefined area.  and it is clearly evident that            

                                                                                

21  the intent of the voter was to cast a vote.  In determining                 

                                                                                

22  intent of the voter  A stray mark made within a predefined area             

                                                                                

23  is not a valid vote.  In determining whether a mark within a                

                                                                                

24  predefined area is a stray mark, the board of canvassers or                 

                                                                                

25  election official shall compare the mark with other marks                   

                                                                                

26  appearing on the ballot.  The secretary of state shall issue                

                                                                                

27  instructions relevant to stray marks to ensure the fairness and             


                                                                                

1   uniformity of determinations made under this subsection.  A                 

                                                                                

2   secretary of state's instruction relevant to stray marks shall              

                                                                                

3   not be applied to a ballot unless the secretary of state issued             

                                                                                

4   the instruction not less than 63 days before the date of the                

                                                                                

5   election.                                                                   

                                                                                

6       Sec. 842.  (1) The board of state canvassers, for the                       

                                                                                

7   purpose of canvassing the returns and ascertaining and                      

                                                                                

8   determining the result of  any such  an election, shall meet at             

                                                                                

9   the office of the secretary of state on or before the twentieth             

                                                                                

10  day after  such  the election.  The secretary of state shall                

                                                                                

11  appoint the day of  such  the meeting and shall notify the other            

                                                                                

12  members of the board.  thereof.  The board  shall have  has power           

                                                                                

13  to adjourn from time to time to await the receipt or correction             

                                                                                

14  of returns, or for other necessary purposes, but shall complete             

                                                                                

15  the canvass and announce their determination  thereof  not later            

                                                                                

16  than the fortieth day after  such  the election.  :  Provided,              

                                                                                

17  That the  The board may at the time of its meeting, or an                   

                                                                                

18  adjournment  thereof  of its meeting, canvass the returns for any           

                                                                                

19  office  where  for which the complete returns  for that office              

                                                                                

20  have been received.                                                         

                                                                                

21      (2) When the unofficial election returns show that the                      

                                                                                

22  election of electors of president and vice president is                     

                                                                                

23  determined by a vote differential between the first place and               

                                                                                

24  second place candidates for president and vice president of the             

                                                                                

25  United States of less than 25,000 votes, the secretary of state             

                                                                                

26  shall direct the boards of county canvassers to canvass returns             

                                                                                

27  for electors of president and vice president on an expedited                


                                                                                

1   schedule.  The secretary of state shall direct the boards of                

                                                                                

2   county canvassers to complete the statements for electors of                

                                                                                

3   president and vice president required by section 824 and certify            

                                                                                

4   the statements as required by section 828 to the secretary of               

                                                                                

5   state by the seventh day after the election or by a date before             

                                                                                

6   the fourteenth day after the election.                                      

                                                                                

7       (3) The secretary of state shall appoint the day for the                    

                                                                                

8   board of state canvassers to conduct the expedited canvass of the           

                                                                                

9   returns for electors of president and vice president and                    

                                                                                

10  determine the results of that election.  The day appointed for              

                                                                                

11  the expedited canvass shall be as soon as practicable after                 

                                                                                

12  receipt of the returns from the boards of county canvassers, but            

                                                                                

13  no later than the twentieth day after the election.                         

                                                                                

14      Sec. 931.  (1) A person who violates 1 or more of the                       

                                                                                

15  following subdivisions is guilty of a misdemeanor:                          

                                                                                

16      (a) A person shall not, either directly or indirectly, give,                

                                                                                

17  lend, or promise valuable consideration, to or for  any  a                  

                                                                                

18  person, as an inducement to influence the manner of voting by a             

                                                                                

19  person relative to a candidate or ballot question, or as a reward           

                                                                                

20  for refraining from voting.                                                 

                                                                                

21      (b) A person shall not, either before, on, or after an                      

                                                                                

22  election, for the person's own benefit or on behalf of  any                 

                                                                                

23  other  another person, receive, agree, or contract for valuable             

                                                                                

24  consideration for 1 or more of the following:                               

                                                                                

25                                                                               (i) Voting or agreeing to vote, or inducing or attempting to                        

                                                                                

26  induce another to vote, at an election.                                     

                                                                                

27      (ii) Refraining or agreeing to refrain, or inducing or                       


                                                                                

1   attempting to induce another to refrain, from voting at an                  

                                                                                

2   election.                                                                   

                                                                                

3       (iii) Doing anything prohibited by this act.                                 

                                                                                

4       (iv) Both distributing absent voter ballot applications to                   

                                                                                

5   voters and receiving signed applications from voters for delivery           

                                                                                

6   to the appropriate clerk or assistant of the clerk.  This                   

                                                                                

7   subparagraph does not apply to an authorized election official.             

                                                                                

8       (c) A person shall not solicit  any  valuable consideration                 

                                                                                

9   from a candidate for nomination for, or election to, an office              

                                                                                

10  described in this act.  This subdivision does not apply to                  

                                                                                

11  requests for contributions of money by or to an authorized                  

                                                                                

12  representative of the political party committee of the                      

                                                                                

13  organization to which the candidate belongs.  This subdivision              

                                                                                

14  does not apply to a regular business transaction between a                  

                                                                                

15  candidate and  any other  another person that is not intended               

                                                                                

16  for, or connected with, the securing of votes or the influencing            

                                                                                

17  of voters in connection with the nomination or election.                    

                                                                                

18      (d) A person shall not, either directly or indirectly,                      

                                                                                

19  discharge or threaten to discharge an employee of the person for            

                                                                                

20  the purpose of influencing the employee's vote at an election.              

                                                                                

21      (e) A priest, pastor, curate, or other officer of a religious               

                                                                                

22  society shall not for the purpose of influencing a voter at an              

                                                                                

23  election, impose or threaten to impose upon the voter a penalty             

                                                                                

24  of excommunication, dismissal, or expulsion, or command or advise           

                                                                                

25  the voter, under pain of religious disapproval.                             

                                                                                

26      (f) A person shall not hire a motor vehicle or other                        

                                                                                

27  conveyance or cause the same to be done, for conveying voters,              


                                                                                

1   other than voters physically unable to walk, to an election.                

                                                                                

2       (g) In a city, township, village, or school district that has               

                                                                                

3   a board of election commissioners authorized to appoint                     

                                                                                

4   inspectors of election, an inspector of election, a clerk, or               

                                                                                

5   other election official who accepts an appointment as an                    

                                                                                

6   inspector of election shall not fail to report at the polling               

                                                                                

7   place designated on election morning at the time specified by the           

                                                                                

8   board of election commissioners, unless excused as provided in              

                                                                                

9   this subdivision.  A person who violates this subdivision is                

                                                                                

10  guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than              

                                                                                

11  $10.00 or imprisonment for not more than 10 days, or both.  An              

                                                                                

12  inspector of election, clerk, or other election official who                

                                                                                

13  accepts an appointment as an inspector of election is excused for           

                                                                                

14  failing to report at the polling place on election day and is not           

                                                                                

15  subject to a fine or imprisonment under this subdivision if 1 or            

                                                                                

16  more of the following requirements are met:                                 

                                                                                

17                                                                               (i) The inspector of election, clerk, or other election                             

                                                                                

18  official notifies the board of election commissioners or other              

                                                                                

19  officers in charge of elections of his or her inability to serve            

                                                                                

20  at the time and place specified, 3 days or more before the                  

                                                                                

21  election.                                                                   

                                                                                

22      (ii) The inspector of election, clerk, or other election                     

                                                                                

23  official is excused from duty by the board of election                      

                                                                                

24  commissioners or other officers in charge of elections for cause            

                                                                                

25  shown.                                                                      

                                                                                

26      (h) A person shall not willfully fail to perform a duty                     

                                                                                

27  imposed upon that person by this act, or disobey a lawful                   


                                                                                

1   instruction or order of the secretary of state as chief state               

                                                                                

2   election officer or of a board of county election commissioners,            

                                                                                

3   board of city election commissioners, or board of inspectors of             

                                                                                

4   election.                                                                   

                                                                                

5       (i) A delegate or member of a convention shall not solicit a                

                                                                                

6   candidate for nomination before the convention for money, reward,           

                                                                                

7   position, place, preferment, or other valuable consideration in             

                                                                                

8   return for support by the delegate or member in the convention.             

                                                                                

9   A candidate or other person shall not promise or give to a                  

                                                                                

10  delegate money, reward, position, place, preferment, or other               

                                                                                

11  valuable consideration in return for support by or vote of the              

                                                                                

12  delegate in the convention.                                                 

                                                                                

13      (j) A person elected to the office of delegate to a                         

                                                                                

14  convention shall not accept or receive  any  money or other                 

                                                                                

15  valuable consideration for his or her vote as a delegate.                   

                                                                                

16      (k) A person shall not, while the polls are open on an                      

                                                                                

17  election day, solicit votes in a polling place or within 100 feet           

                                                                                

18  from an entrance to the building in which a polling place is                

                                                                                

19  located.                                                                    

                                                                                

20                                                                               (l) A person shall not keep a room or building for the                              

                                                                                

21  purpose, in whole or in part, of recording or registering bets or           

                                                                                

22  wagers, or of selling pools, upon the result of a political                 

                                                                                

23  nomination, appointment, or election.  A person shall not wager             

                                                                                

24  property, money, or thing of value, or be the custodian of money,           

                                                                                

25  property, or thing of value, staked, wagered, or pledged upon the           

                                                                                

26  result of a political nomination, appointment, or election.                 

                                                                                

27      (m) A person shall not participate in a meeting or a portion                


                                                                                

1   of a meeting of more than 2 persons, other than the person's                

                                                                                

2   immediate family, at which an absent voter ballot is voted.                 

                                                                                

3       (n) A person, other than an authorized election official,                   

                                                                                

4   shall not, either directly or indirectly, give, lend, or promise            

                                                                                

5   any  valuable consideration to or for a person to induce that              

                                                                                

6   person to both distribute absent voter ballot applications to               

                                                                                

7   voters and receive signed absent voter ballot applications from             

                                                                                

8   voters for delivery to the appropriate clerk.                               

                                                                                

9       (o) An individual who receives compensation from a county,                  

                                                                                

10  city, township, village, or school district for performing                  

                                                                                

11  election related duties shall not accept, either directly or                

                                                                                

12  indirectly, valuable consideration for performing work to support           

                                                                                

13  or oppose the nomination or election of a candidate or the                  

                                                                                

14  passage or defeat of a ballot proposal.                                     

                                                                                

15      (p) A person shall not offer, either directly or indirectly,                

                                                                                

16  valuable consideration to an individual for performing work to              

                                                                                

17  support or oppose the nomination or election of a candidate or              

                                                                                

18  the passage or defeat of a ballot proposal if that individual               

                                                                                

19  receives compensation from a county, city, township, village, or            

                                                                                

20  school district for performing election related duties.                     

                                                                                

21      (q) A person shall not promise or give valuable consideration               

                                                                                

22  in exchange for stealing a campaign yard sign or for a stolen               

                                                                                

23  campaign yard sign.                                                         

                                                                                

24      (r) A person shall not steal, or receive valuable                           

                                                                                

25  consideration for stealing, a campaign yard sign.                           

                                                                                

26      (2) A person who violates a provision of this act for which a               

                                                                                

27  penalty is not otherwise specifically provided in this act, is              


                                                                                

1   guilty of a misdemeanor.                                                    

                                                                                

2       (3) A person or a person's agent who knowingly makes,                       

                                                                                

3   publishes, disseminates, circulates, or places before the public,           

                                                                                

4   or knowingly causes directly or indirectly to be made, published,           

                                                                                

5   disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public, in this              

                                                                                

6   state, either orally or in writing, an assertion, representation,           

                                                                                

7   or statement of fact concerning a candidate for public office at            

                                                                                

8   an election in this state, that is false, deceptive, scurrilous,            

                                                                                

9   or malicious, without the true name of the author being                     

                                                                                

10  subscribed to the assertion, representation, or statement if                

                                                                                

11  written, or announced if unwritten, is guilty of a misdemeanor.             

                                                                                

12      (4) As used in this section, "valuable consideration"                       

                                                                                

13  includes, but is not limited to, money, property, a gift, a prize           

                                                                                

14  or chance for a prize, a fee, a loan, an office, a position, an             

                                                                                

15  appointment, or employment.                                                 

                                                                                

16      Enacting section 1.  Section 509 of the Michigan election                   

                                                                                

17  law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.509, is repealed.