SENATE BILL No. 1405

 

 

September 21, 2004, Introduced by Senators BRATER, CHERRY, SCHAUER, SCOTT, THOMAS, BASHAM, JACOBS, PRUSI, BERNERO, SWITALSKI, CLARK-COLEMAN, CLARKE, OLSHOVE, LELAND and BARCIA and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan election law,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending sections 758, 759, and 759b (MCL 168.758, 168.759,              

                                                                                

    and 168.759b), section 758 as amended by 1996 PA 207 and section            

                                                                                

    759 as amended by 1995 PA 261.                                              

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 758.   (1) For the purposes of  As used in this act,                   

                                                                                

2   "absent voter" means a qualified and registered elector who                 

                                                                                

3   meets 1 or more of the following requirements:                             

                                                                                

4       (a) On account of physical disability, cannot without                       

                                                                                

5   another's assistance attend  wishes to vote without attending the           

                                                                                

6   polls on the day of an election.                                            

                                                                                

7       (b) On account of the tenets of his or her religion, cannot                 

                                                                                

8   attend the polls on the day of election.                                    

                                                                                

9       (c) Cannot attend the polls on the day of an election in the                

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   precinct in which he or she resides because of being an election            

                                                                                

2   precinct inspector in another precinct.                                     

                                                                                

3       (d) Is 60 years of age or older.                                            

                                                                                

4       (e) Is absent or expects to be absent from the township or                  

                                                                                

5   city in which he or she resides during the entire period the                

                                                                                

6   polls are open for voting on the day of an election.                        

                                                                                

7       (f) Cannot attend the polls on election day because of being                

                                                                                

8   confined in jail awaiting arraignment or trial.                             

                                                                                

9       (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to  Absent voter does not                 

                                                                                

10  include a person who has moved outside of this state, regardless            

                                                                                

11  of length of his or her residence outside of this state, and who            

                                                                                

12  no longer maintains an actual residence in this state.  The                 

                                                                                

13  storage of personal effects or household goods, the ownership of            

                                                                                

14  property that is rented or leased to others, or occasional brief            

                                                                                

15  visits to a former domicile in this state while residing outside            

                                                                                

16  of this state for most of the year does not constitute a                    

                                                                                

17  residence for voting purposes in this state, except for each of             

                                                                                

18  the following:                                                              

                                                                                

19      (a) A person described in section 1 of article II of the                    

                                                                                

20  state constitution of 1963 and statutes enacted under that                  

                                                                                

21  section.                                                                    

                                                                                

22      (b) A person described in section 759a.                                     

                                                                                

23      Sec. 759.  (1) At any time during the 75 days before a                      

                                                                                

24  primary election or special primary election, but not later than            

                                                                                

25  2 p.m. of the Saturday immediately before the primary election or           

                                                                                

26  special primary election, an elector who qualifies to vote as an            

                                                                                

27  absent voter  , as defined in section 758,  may apply for an                


                                                                                

1   absent voter ballot.  The elector shall apply in person or by               

                                                                                

2   mail with the clerk of the township, city, or village in which              

                                                                                

3   the elector is registered.  An application received before a                

                                                                                

4   primary election or special primary election may be for either              

                                                                                

5   that primary election only, or for that primary election and the            

                                                                                

6   election that follows.                                                      

                                                                                

7       (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1), at any                  

                                                                                

8   time during the 75 days before an election, but not later than 2            

                                                                                

9   p.m. of the Saturday before the election, an elector who                    

                                                                                

10  qualifies to vote as an absent voter  , as defined in                       

                                                                                

11  section 758,  may apply for an absent voter ballot.  The elector            

                                                                                

12  shall apply in person or by mail with the clerk of the township,            

                                                                                

13  city, or village in which the voter is registered.                          

                                                                                

14      (3) An application for an absent voter ballot under this                    

                                                                                

15  section may be made in any of the following ways:                           

                                                                                

16      (a) By a written request signed by the  voter stating the                   

                                                                                

17  statutory grounds for making the application  elector.                      

                                                                                

18      (b) On an absent voter ballot application form provided for                 

                                                                                

19  that purpose by the clerk of the city, township, or village.                

                                                                                

20      (c) On a federal postcard application.                                      

                                                                                

21      (4) An applicant for an absent voter ballot shall sign the                  

                                                                                

22  application.  A clerk or assistant clerk shall not deliver an               

                                                                                

23  absent voter ballot to an applicant who does not sign the                   

                                                                                

24  application.   A person other  Other than the applicant; a member           

                                                                                

25  of the applicant's immediate family; a person residing in the               

                                                                                

26  applicant's household; a person whose job normally includes the             

                                                                                

27  handling of mail, but only during the course of his or her                  


                                                                                

1   employment; a registered elector requested by the applicant to              

                                                                                

2   return the application; or a clerk, assistant of the clerk, or              

                                                                                

3   other authorized election official, a person shall not be in                

                                                                                

4   possession of a signed absent voter ballot application.  A                  

                                                                                

5   registered elector who is requested by the applicant to return              

                                                                                

6   his or her absent voter ballot application shall sign the                   

                                                                                

7   certificate on the absent voter ballot application.                         

                                                                                

8       (5) The clerk of the city, township, or village shall have                  

                                                                                

9   absent voter ballot application forms available in the office of            

                                                                                

10  the clerk at all times and shall furnish an absent voter ballot             

                                                                                

11  application form to anyone upon a verbal or written request.  The           

                                                                                

12  absent voter ballot application shall be in substantially the               

                                                                                

13  following form:                                                             

                                                                                

14      "Application for absent voter ballot for:                                   

                                                                                

15                                                                               [] The primary election or special primary election to be                          

                                                                                

16  held on  ..... , 19...  _______________ [date].                             

                                                                                

17                                                                               [] The election to be held on  ..... , 19...  _______________                      

                                                                                

18  [date].                                                                     

                                                                                

19               (Check applicable election or elections)                       

                                                                                

20                                                                               I, .......... , a qualified and registered elector of                              

                                                                                

21  the ..... precinct of the township of .......... or village                 

                                                                                

22  of .......... or of the .......... ward of the city                         

                                                                                

23  of .......... , in the county of .......... and state of                    

                                                                                

24  Michigan, apply for an official ballot, or ballots, to be voted             

                                                                                

25  by me at the election or elections as requested in this                     

                                                                                

26  application.                                                                

                                                                                

27      The statutory grounds on which I base my request are:                       


                                                                                

1                                                                                [] I expect to be absent from the community in which I am                          

                                                                                

2   registered for the entire time the polls are open on election               

                                                                                

3   day.                                                                        

                                                                                

4                                                                                [] I am physically unable to attend the polls without the                          

                                                                                

5   assistance of another.                                                      

                                                                                

6                                                                                [] I cannot attend the polls because of the tenets of my                           

                                                                                

7   religion.                                                                   

                                                                                

8                                                                                [] I have been appointed an election precinct inspector in a                       

                                                                                

9   precinct other than the precinct where I reside.                            

                                                                                

10                                                                               [] I am 60 years of age or older.                                                  

                                                                                

11                                                                               [] I cannot attend the polls because I am confined to jail                         

                                                                                

12  awaiting arraignment or trial.                                              

                                                                                

13      (Check applicable reason)                                                   

                                                                                

14    Send absent voter ballot to me at:                                        

                                                                                

15    .......................................                                   

16             (Street No. or R.R.)                                             

                                                                                

17    ..................................................                        

18        (Post Office)           (State)     Zip Code                          

                                                                                

19    My registered address..........................................           

20                              (Street No. or R.R.)                            

                                                                                

21                  .................................................           

22                       (Post Office)       (State)    Zip Code                

                                                                                

23    Date...........................................................           

                                                                                

24    I  declare  certify that the statements in this absent voter              

                                                                                

25    ballot application are true.                                              

                                                                                

26                  .................................................           

27                                   (Signature)                                

                                                                                

28                               WARNING                                        

29                                                                               A person making a false statement in this absent voter ballot                     

                                                                                

30  application is guilty of a misdemeanor.  It is a violation of               


                                                                                

1   Michigan election law for a person other than those listed in the           

                                                                                

2   instructions to return, offer to return, agree to return, or                

                                                                                

3   solicit to return your absent voter ballot application to the               

                                                                                

4   clerk.  An assistant authorized by the clerk who receives absent            

                                                                                

5   voter ballot applications at a location other than the office of            

                                                                                

6   the clerk must have credentials signed by the clerk.  Ask to see            

                                                                                

7   his or her credentials before entrusting your application with a            

                                                                                

8   person claiming to have the clerk's authorization to return your            

                                                                                

9   application.                                                                

                                                                                

10                 Certificate of Authorized Registered                         

                                                                                

11                    Elector Returning Absent Voter                            

                                                                                

12                          Ballot Application                                  

                                                                                

13                                                                               I certify that my name is ...................., my address is                     

                                                                                

14  ...................., and my date of birth is ............; that            

                                                                                

15  I am delivering the absent voter ballot application of                      

                                                                                

16  ....................  at his or her request; that I did not                 

                                                                                

17  solicit or request to return the application; that I have not               

                                                                                

18  made any markings on the application; that I have not altered the           

                                                                                

19  application in any way; that I have not influenced the applicant;           

                                                                                

20  and that I am aware that a false statement in this certificate is           

                                                                                

21  a violation of Michigan election law.                                       

                                                                                

22    __________            ______________________________                      

23        (Date)                     (Signature)"                               

24      (6) The following instructions for an applicant for an absent               

                                                                                

25  voter ballot shall be included with each application furnished an           

                                                                                

26  applicant:                                                                  

                                                                                

27         INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICANTS FOR ABSENT VOTER BALLOTS                 

                                                                                

28      Step 1.  After completely filling out the application, sign                 


                                                                                

1   and date the application in the place designated.  Your signature           

                                                                                

2   must appear on the application or you will not receive an absent            

                                                                                

3   voter ballot.                                                               

                                                                                

4       Step 2.  Deliver the application by 1 of the following                      

                                                                                

5   methods:                                                                    

                                                                                

6       (a) Place the application in an envelope addressed to the                   

                                                                                

7   appropriate clerk and place the necessary postage upon the return           

                                                                                

8   envelope and deposit it in the United States mail or with another           

                                                                                

9   public postal service, express mail service, parcel post service,           

                                                                                

10  or common carrier.                                                          

                                                                                

11      (b) Deliver the application personally to the office of the                 

                                                                                

12  clerk, to the clerk, or to an authorized assistant of the clerk.            

                                                                                

13      (c) In either (a) or (b), a member of the immediate family of               

                                                                                

14  the voter including a father-in-law, mother-in-law,                         

                                                                                

15  brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law,                 

                                                                                

16  grandparent, or grandchild or a person residing in the voter's              

                                                                                

17  household may mail or deliver the application to the clerk for              

                                                                                

18  the applicant.                                                              

                                                                                

19      (d)  In the event  If an applicant cannot return the                        

                                                                                

20  application in any of the above methods, the applicant may select           

                                                                                

21  any registered elector to return the application.  The person               

                                                                                

22  returning the application must sign and return the certificate at           

                                                                                

23  the bottom of the application.                                              

                                                                                

24      (7) A person who prints and distributes absent voter ballot                 

                                                                                

25  applications shall print on the application the warning,                    

                                                                                

26  certificate of authorized registered elector returning absent               

                                                                                

27  voter ballot application, and instructions required by this                 


                                                                                

1   section.                                                                    

                                                                                

2       (8) A person who makes a false statement in an absent voter                 

                                                                                

3   ballot application is guilty of a misdemeanor.  A person who                

                                                                                

4   forges a signature on an absent voter ballot application is                 

                                                                                

5   guilty of a felony.  A person who is not authorized in this act             

                                                                                

6   and who both distributes absent voter ballot applications to                

                                                                                

7   absent voters and returns those absent voter ballot applications            

                                                                                

8   to a clerk or assistant of the clerk is guilty of a misdemeanor.            

                                                                                

9       Sec. 759b.  (1)  Any  A registered elector may apply for an                 

                                                                                

10  absent voter  ballots  ballot at any time  prior to  before 4               

                                                                                

11  p.m. on election day if  he shall have become physically disabled           

                                                                                

12  or shall be absent from the city or township because of sickness            

                                                                                

13  or death in the family which  an event has occurred at a time               

                                                                                

14  which has  that made it impossible to apply for absent voter               

                                                                                

15  ballots by the statutory deadline.  The application shall be                

                                                                                

16  called an emergency absent voter ballot application.                        

                                                                                

17      (2) Emergency absent voter ballot applications may be made by               

                                                                                

18  letter or on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and                

                                                                                

19  provided by the clerk.  The application shall set forth that the            

                                                                                

20  voter is qualified to vote in the election  , stating the                   

                                                                                

21  statutory reason for applying for an emergency absent voter                 

                                                                                

22  ballot  and that  the reason for applying after the statutory               

                                                                                

23  deadline  an event occurred at such a time to make it impossible            

                                                                                

24  to file an application for an absent voter  ballots  ballot by              

                                                                                

25  the statutory deadline.  The secretary of state shall prescribe a           

                                                                                

26  standard emergency absent voter ballot application form,                    

                                                                                

27  including the size of the form and the color of paper upon which            


                                                                                

1   the form is printed.                                                        

                                                                                

2       (3)  Any  A person intentionally making a false statement in                

                                                                                

3   such  an emergency absent voter ballot application is guilty of            

                                                                                

4   a felony.   Any  A person aiding or abetting  any  another person           

                                                                                

5   to make a false statement  on such  in an emergency absent voter            

                                                                                

6   ballot application is guilty of a felony.                                   

                                                                                

7       (4) Upon receipt by the clerk of a valid application for an                 

                                                                                

8   emergency absent voter ballot, the clerk may deliver the absent             

                                                                                

9   voter ballots to the applicant in person, through a deputy or an            

                                                                                

10  election assistant, or  he may deliver them  at his or her office           

                                                                                

11  to a person named by the applicant in the emergency absent voter            

                                                                                

12  ballot application.  The absent voter may return the absent voter           

                                                                                

13  ballots to the clerk  in the sealed envelope provided therefor              

                                                                                

14  in any manner.  he sees fit.  To  However, to be valid,  ballots            

                                                                                

15  must be returned  the absent voter shall return the absent voter            

                                                                                

16  ballots to the clerk in the sealed envelope provided for that               

                                                                                

17  reason and in time to be delivered to the polls  prior to  before           

                                                                                

18  8 p.m. on election day.