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,"
by amending section 685 (MCL 168.685), as amended by 2002 PA 399.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 685. (1) The name of a candidate of a new political
2 party shall not be printed upon the official ballots of an
3 election unless the chairperson and secretary of the state
4 central committee of the party files with the secretary of state,
5 not later than 4 p.m. of the one hundred-tenth day before the
6 general November election, a certificate signed by the
7 chairperson and secretary of the state central committee bearing
8 the name of the party, together with petitions bearing the
9 signatures of registered and qualified electors equal to not less
1 than 1% of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for
2 governor at the last election in which a governor was elected.
3 The petitions shall be signed by at least 100 registered electors
4 in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts of the
5 this state. All signatures on the petitions shall be obtained not
6 more than 180 days immediately before the date of filing.
7 (2) After the date on which a petition is filed, the
8 secretary of state shall not accept additional petition sheets
9 for that petition. The validity and authenticity of the
10 signatures may be determined in the same manner as provided for
11 initiatory and referendary referendum petitions in
section 9 of
12 article II of the state constitution of 1963. An official
13 declaration of the sufficiency or insufficiency of a petition
14 filed under this section shall be made by the board of state
15 canvassers not later than 60 days before the general November
16 election.
17 (3) The petitions shall be in substantially the following
18 form:
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PETITION TO FORM NEW POLITICAL PARTY |
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We, the undersigned, duly registered electors of the |
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city, township of ................. county of ................. |
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(strike one) |
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state of Michigan, residing at the places set opposite our |
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names, respectfully request the secretary of state, in |
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accordance with section 685 of the Michigan election law, |
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1954 PA 116, MCL 168.685, to receive the certificate and |
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vignette accompanying this petition, and place the names of |
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the candidates of the ........................ party on the |
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ballot at the .................... election. |
2 Warning: A person who knowingly signs petitions to organize
3 more than 1 new state political party, signs a petition to
4 organize a new state political party more than once, or signs a
5 name other than his or her own is violating the provisions of the
6 Michigan election law.
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10 (4) The balance of the petition form shall be substantially
11 as set forth in section 544c. The size of all organizing
12 petitions shall be 8-1/2 inches by 13 inches and shall be printed
13 in the following type sizes: The words "petition to form new
14 political party" and the name of the proposed political party
15 shall be in 24-point boldface type; the word "warning" and the
16 language contained in the warning shall be in 12-point boldface
17 type. Section 547 applies to a petition to form new political
18 party.
19 (5) Petitions circulated under this section may be
20 circulated on a countywide basis. A petition that is circulated
21 countywide shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of
22 state.
23 (6) If the principal candidate of a political party receives
24 a vote equal to less than 1% of the total number of votes cast
25 for the successful candidate for the office of secretary of state
1 at the last preceding general November election in which a
2 secretary of state was elected, that political party shall not
3 have the name of any candidate printed on the ballots at the next
4 ensuing general November election, and a column shall not be
5 provided on the ballots for that party. A disqualified party may
6 again qualify and have the names of its candidates printed in a
7 separate party column on each election ballot in the manner set
8 forth in subsection (1) for the qualification of new parties. The
9 term "principal candidate" of a political party means the
10 candidate who receives the greatest number of votes of all
11 candidates of that political party for that election.
12 (7) A political party that complied with this section is
13 subject to section 686a in order to have the name of that party,
14 its vignette, and its candidates appear on the general election
15 ballot.
16 (8) A person shall not knowingly sign a petition to organize
17 more than 1 new state political party, sign a petition to
18 organize a new state political party more than once, or sign a
19 name other than his or her own on the petition.
20 Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
21 unless all of the following bills of the 97th Legislature are
22 enacted into law:
23 (a) Senate Bill No.1167.
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25 (b) Senate Bill No.1161.
26
27 (c) Senate Bill No.1163.
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2 (d) Senate Bill No.1164.
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4 (e) Senate Bill No.1165.
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