CONSOLIDATE PRECINCTS IN UNCONTESTED ELECTION
House Bill 4203
Sponsor: Rep. Doug Spade
Committee: Local Government and Urban Policy
Complete to 2-14-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4203 AS INTRODUCED 2-12-03
The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to allow the consolidation of election precincts for a city, ward, township, or village election that was uncontested; that is, an election at which the number of candidates for elective office was equal to or less than the number of candidates to be elected.
In such a case, under the bill, the election commissioners of a city, ward, township, or village divided into two or more election precincts could by resolution consolidate the election precincts for that election only. The consolidation would have to be made not less than seven days after the deadline for candidate withdrawals for the elective offices to be nominated or elected at that election. If an individual filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate after a consolidation resolution had been passed, the election would still be considered to be an uncontested election for the purposes of the bill.
If precincts were consolidated, the election commissioners would be required to provide the registered voters with notice of the consolidation and notice of the location of the polling places for the election and would have to post a written notice at each election precinct polling place stating the location of the consolidated election precinct polling place for that election.
The bill also specifies that the legislative body of a city, village, or township could not establish, move, or abolish a polling place less than 60 days before an election, unless the polling place had been rendered unusable, or unless precincts had been consolidated in the manner described in the bill.
MCL 169.659 and 169.662
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.