DISTRICT ELECTION OF UNIVERSITY GOVERNING BOARDS
House Bill 6483 (Substitute H-3)
Sponsor: Rep. James Koetje
Committee: Commerce
Complete to 12-3-02
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6483 (SUBSTITUTE H-3) AS REPORTED FROM THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE 12-3-02
The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to provide for the election of members of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University, and the Board of Governors of Wayne State University on a district basis rather than statewide. The districts for the university boards would be the same as those used for the Michigan Court of Appeals, whose members are currently elected from four districts under the Revised Judicature Act. The district-based elections would begin with the general November election in 2004.
Under the bill, each district would be entitled to two members of each board, who would be elected to eight-year staggered terms. To accomplish the transition from at-large statewide elections to district based elections, the bill would specify which members would be elected through the 2012 general November election. To be eligible for election to a university board, a person would have to be a registered and qualified elector of the district on the date nominated by a political party for the office. (Candidates would continue to be nominated by the political parties.) The terms of office would begin at noon on January 1 after the November election and would continue until a successor was elected and qualified. Vacancies would continue to be filled by the governor, who would have to appoint a registered and qualified elector from the appropriate district. The bill would also repeal several conflicting provisions of law.
At the general election in November 2004, the electors of District Two and District Four would each elect a member to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. The electors of District One and District Three would each elect one member to the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University. The electors of District One and District Three would each elect one member to the Board of Governors of Wayne State University. The terms would be for eight years. The at-large positions that were to expire on January 1, 2005 would terminate and would not be filled by election in 2004.
At the general election in November 2006, the electors of District One and District Three would each elect one member to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. The electors of District Two and District Four would each elect one member to the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University. The electors of District Two and District Four would each elect a member to the Board of Governors of Wayne State University. The at-large positions expiring on January 1, 2007 would terminate and would not be filled by election in 2006.
At the general election in November 2008, the electors of District One and District Three would each elect one member to the University of Michigan board. The electors of District Two and Four would each elect one member to the Michigan State board. The electors of District One and Three would each elect one member to the Wayne State Board. The at-large positions expiring on January 1, 2009 would terminate and would not be filled by election in 2008.
At the 2010 election, the electors of District Two and District Four would each elect a member to the University of Michigan board. The electors of District One and District Three would each elect a member to the Michigan State board. The electors of District Two and District Four would each elect a member of the Wayne State Board. The at-large positions expiring on January 1, 2011 would terminate and would not be filled by election in 2010.
At the election in 2012 and at every subsequent even-year election, members would be elected to fill the position whose eight-year term was due to expire in January.
[As of March 2002, the Court of Appeals election districts are as follows. District One contains Calhoun, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Monroe, and Wayne counties. District Two contains Genesee, Macomb, Oakland, and Shiawassee counties. District Three contains Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Jackson, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ottawa, St. Joseph, Van Buren, and Washtenaw counties. District Four contains the remaining counties. The current Court of Appeals districts can be found on a map on the court's web site at http://courtofappeals.mi.jud.net/court/judges/district/map032202.]
MCL 168.281 et al.
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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.