December 4, 2014, Introduced by Senator ROBERTSON and referred to the Committee on Local Government and Elections.
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled
"Michigan election law,"
(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 547.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 547. (1) The failure of the circulator or an elector who
signs a petition to print his or her name, to print his or her name
in the location prescribed by the secretary of state, or to enter a
zip code or his or her correct zip code does not affect the
validity of the signature of the circulator or the elector who
signs the petition. A printed name located in the space prescribed
for printed names does not constitute the signature of the
circulator or elector. If an elector does not include his or her
signature, his or her street address or rural route, or the date of
signing on a petition as required under section 544c(1), the
elector's signature is invalid and shall not be counted by a filing
official.
(2) The circulator of a petition shall sign and date the
certificate of circulator before the petition is filed. A
circulator shall not obtain electors' signatures after the
circulator has signed and dated the certificate of circulator. A
filing official shall not count electors' signatures that were
obtained after the date the circulator signed the certificate or
that are contained in a petition that the circulator did not sign
and date.
(3) Except as provided in section 544d, a petition sheet shall
not be circulated in more than 1 city or township and each signer
of a petition sheet shall be a registered elector of the city or
township indicated in the heading of the petition sheet. The
invalidity of 1 or more signatures on a petition does not affect
the validity of the remainder of the signatures on the petition.
(4) An individual shall not sign a petition more than once. An
individual shall not sign more nominating petitions for the same
office than there are persons to be elected to the office. An
individual who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(5) An individual shall not do any of the following:
(a) Sign a petition with a name other than his or her own.
(b) Make a false statement in a certificate on a petition.
(c) If not a circulator, sign a petition as a circulator.
(d) Sign a name as circulator other than his or her own.
(6) An individual who violates subsection (5) is guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00 or
imprisonment for not more than 93 days, or both.
(7) An individual shall not sign a petition with more than 1
name other than his or her own. An individual who violates this
subsection is guilty of a felony.
(8) A person who aids or abets another in an act that is
prohibited by this section is guilty of that act.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
unless all of the following bills of the 97th Legislature are
enacted into law:
(a) Senate Bill No.1167.
(b) Senate Bill No.1163.
(c) Senate Bill No.1164.
(d) Senate Bill No.1165.
(e) Senate Bill No.1166.