SENATE BILL No. 61

February 1, 2001, Introduced by Senator HAMMERSTROM and referred to the Committee

on Government Operations.

A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

"Michigan election law,"

(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 659.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1 SEC. 659. (1) IF A CITY, WARD, TOWNSHIP, OR VILLAGE IS

2 DIVIDED INTO 2 OR MORE ELECTION PRECINCTS, THE CITY, WARD, TOWN-

3 SHIP, OR VILLAGE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS MAY, BY RESOLUTION, CON-

4 SOLIDATE THE ELECTION PRECINCTS FOR A PARTICULAR ELECTION THAT IS

5 NOT A GENERAL NOVEMBER ELECTION, A PRIMARY ELECTION IMMEDIATELY

6 BEFORE A GENERAL NOVEMBER ELECTION, OR OTHER STATEWIDE OR FEDERAL

7 ELECTION. IN MAKING THE DETERMINATION TO CONSOLIDATE ELECTION

8 PRECINCTS FOR A PARTICULAR ELECTION, THE ELECTION COMMISSION

9 SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUMBER OF CHOICES THE VOTER

10 MUST MAKE, THE PERCENTAGE OF REGISTERED VOTERS WHO VOTED AT THE

11 LAST SIMILAR ELECTION IN THE JURISDICTION, AND THE INTENSITY OF

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1 THE INTEREST OF THE ELECTORS IN THE JURISDICTION CONCERNING THE

2 CANDIDATES AND PROPOSALS TO BE VOTED UPON.

3 (2) A CONSOLIDATION UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE NOT

4 LESS THAN 60 DAYS BEFORE A PRIMARY, GENERAL, OR SPECIAL

5 ELECTION.

6 (3) UNLESS THE POLLING PLACES FOR THE ELECTION PRECINCTS TO

7 BE CONSOLIDATED ARE LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING, WHEN A CITY,

8 WARD, TOWNSHIP, OR VILLAGE CONSOLIDATES ELECTION PRECINCTS FOR A

9 PARTICULAR ELECTION UNDER SUBSECTION (1), THE ELECTION COMMIS-

10 SIONERS OR OTHER DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIALS SHALL DO BOTH OF

11 THE FOLLOWING:

12 (A) PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE REGISTERED ELECTORS OF THE

13 AFFECTED ELECTION PRECINCTS OF THE CONSOLIDATION OF ELECTION PRE-

14 CINCTS FOR THE PARTICULAR ELECTION AND THE LOCATION OF THE POLL-

15 ING PLACE FOR THE ELECTION PRECINCT OR PRECINCTS FOR THAT

16 ELECTION. NOTICE MAY BE PROVIDED BY MAIL OR OTHER METHOD

17 DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ACTUAL NOTICE TO THE REGISTERED ELECTORS.

18 (B) POST A WRITTEN NOTICE AT EACH ELECTION PRECINCT POLLING

19 PLACE STATING THE LOCATION OF THE CONSOLIDATED ELECTION PRECINCT

20 POLLING PLACE.

21 (4) IF A CITY, WARD, TOWNSHIP, OR VILLAGE CONSOLIDATES ELEC-

22 TION PRECINCTS UNDER THIS SECTION, EACH AFFECTED ELECTION PRE-

23 CINCT SHALL BE TREATED AS A WHOLE UNIT AND SHALL NOT BE DIVIDED

24 DURING THE CONSOLIDATION.

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