HOUSE BILL NO. 6128

August 17, 2020, Introduced by Rep. Markkanen and referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics.

A bill to amend 1895 PA 3, entitled

"The general law village act,"

(MCL 61.1 to 74.25) by adding section 5b to chapter II.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

CHAPTER II-OFFICERS

Sec. 5b. (1) To initiate limiting the terms of office of elected village officers in a village, a petition signed by not less than 10% of the registered electors of the village requesting a vote on the question of whether the terms of office of elected village officers in that village should be limited as provided in this section must be filed with the township clerk.

(2) A petition described in subsection (1) must provide that an individual shall not be elected to the same village office more than 4 times for an office with a 2-year term of office or more than 2 times for an office with a 4-year term of office.

(3) An individual appointed or elected to fill a vacancy in the same village office for a period of greater than 1/2 of a term of the office is considered to have been elected to serve 1 time in that office for purposes of this section.

(4) Not more than 14 days after a petition is filed, the township clerk shall verify the signatures and determine the sufficiency of the petition. If the clerk determines that the petition is sufficient, the question of limiting the terms of office of elected village officers in that village must appear on the ballot at the next general or special election to be held in the village, subject to the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992. The township clerk shall prepare the ballot language in substantially the following form:

"Shall the terms of office of elected village officers in the village of _______________ be limited so that an individual shall not be elected to the same village office more than 4 times for an office with a 2-year term of office or more than 2 times for an office with a 4-year term of office?

( ) Yes

( ) No".

(5) The county election commission of the county in which the greatest number of electors of the village reside shall provide ballots for the election. The clerk and election officials of the township shall conduct the election.

(6) If the election on the proposed limiting of the terms of office of elected village officers in a village is to be held in conjunction with a general election or a state primary election immediately before a general election, the notices of the close of registration and election must be published as provided for by the state election laws. Otherwise, the county clerk of the county in which the greatest number of electors of the village reside shall publish the notices of the close of registration and election. The notice of the close of registration must include the ballot language of the proposal.

(7) The results of the election on the proposed limiting of the terms of office of elected village officers in a village must be canvassed by the board of county canvassers of the county in which the village is located.

(8) If a majority of the electors voting on the question vote in favor of limiting the terms of office of elected village officers in the village, the village shall limit the terms of office of elected village officers in that village as approved by the electors.