ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUIREMENTS
House Bill 4058
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Ward
Committee: Local Government and Urban Policy
Complete to 2-13-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4058 AS INTRODUCED 1-28-03
House Bill 4058 would amend the Michigan Election Law to revise the requirements for an absentee ballot applicant.
Currently under the law, "absent voter" means a qualified and registered elector who meets one or more of the following requirements:
a) on account of physical disability, cannot without another's assistance attend the polls on the day of the election;
b) on account of the tenets of his or her religion, cannot attend the polls on the day of the election;
c) cannot attend the polls on the day of the election in the precinct in which he or she resides because of being an election precinct inspector in another precinct;
d) is 60 years of age or older;
e) is absent or expects to be absent from the township or city in which he or she resides during the entire period that polls are open for voting on the day of an election; or,
f) cannot attend the polls on election day because of being confined in jail awaiting arraignment or trial.
House Bill 4058 would retain all of these provisions except e), above, which would be modified to read:
e) is not confident he or she will be available to attend the polls on election day.
In addition, the bill would alter the section of the law that describes the application for absent voter ballot, so that the statutory grounds for the application would align with the new definition of absent voter. The bill also would update that section of the law in order that the absent voter application form would make reference to years in the new century, beginning with the year 2000, and also would change the phrase "the day of an" election, to "election day" throughout the bill.
MCL 168.758 and 168.759
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.