SENATE BILL No. 1464

September 26, 2002, Introduced by Senator BYRUM and referred to the Committee on Government

Operations.

A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

"Michigan election law,"

by amending section 31 (MCL 168.31), as amended by 1999 PA 220.

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 proce-

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

6 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

11 precinct before each state primary and election a manual of

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1 instructions that includes specific instructions on assisting

2 voters in casting their ballots, directions on the location of

3 voting stations in polling places, procedures and forms for pro-

4 cessing challenges, and procedures on prohibiting campaigning in

5 the polling places as prescribed in this act.

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

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

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

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

10 election supplies furnished each precinct board of election

11 inspectors under their respective jurisdictions. The secretary

12 of state may furnish single copies of the publications to organi-

13 zations or individuals who request the same THEM for purposes

14 of instruction or public reference.

15 (e) Prescribe and require uniform forms, notices, and sup-

16 plies the secretary of state considers advisable for use in the

17 conduct of elections and registrations.

18 (f) Prepare the form of ballot for any A proposed amend-

19 ment to the constitution or proposal under the initiative or ref-

20 erendum provision of the constitution to be submitted to the

21 voters of this state.

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

23 secretary of state considers necessary.

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

25 authorities, the administration of election laws, and report vio-

26 lations of the election laws and regulations to the attorney

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

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

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

3 members of the state legislature cast at the preceding November

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

5 the county clerks on or before the first day of December follow-

6 ing the election. All clerks shall furnish to the secretary of

7 state, promptly and without compensation, any further information

8 requested of them to be used in the compilation of the legisla-

9 tive manual.

10 (j) Establish a curriculum for comprehensive training and

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

12 elections officials.

13 (k) Establish and require attendance by all new EACH NEWLY

14 appointed or elected election officials OFFICIAL at an initial

15 course of instruction within 6 months before the date of the

16 OFFICIAL'S election OR APPOINTMENT.

17 (l) Establish a comprehensive training curriculum for all

18 precinct inspectors.

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

20 regional representatives of the department of state, which team

21 shall appear on site, if necessary.

22 (N) PUBLISH TRAINING MATERIALS FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH

23 CURRICULA ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS SECTION. THE MATERIALS SHALL

24 INCLUDE UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, AND

25 EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES OF THOSE PROCEDURES. THE PROCEDURES

26 SHALL INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS VOTER

27 INTIMIDATION, THE PROPER USES OF AFFIDAVITS, ASSISTING FIRST-TIME

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1 VOTERS, THE PROPER ROLES OF POLL CHALLENGERS AND POLL WATCHERS,

2 AND MEETING THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF ELDERLY AND DISABLED VOTERS.

3 (2) Pursuant to UNDER the administrative procedures act of

4 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, the secretary of state

5 may promulgate rules establishing uniform standards for state and

6 local nominating, recall, and ballot question petition

7 signatures. The standards for petition signatures may include,

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

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

10 or individual signing a petition.

11 (b) Determining the genuineness of the signature of a circu-

12 lator or individual signing a petition.

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

14 circulator or individual signing a petition.

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