Act No. 163

Public Acts of 2002

Approved by the Governor

April 9, 2002

Filed with the Secretary of State

April 9, 2002

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 9, 2002

STATE OF MICHIGAN

91ST LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2002

Introduced by Reps. Richner, Raczkowski, Sanborn and Birkholz

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 5335

AN ACT to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled "An act to reorganize, consolidate, and add to the election laws; to provide for election officials and prescribe their powers and duties; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, state agencies, and state and local officials and employees; to provide for the nomination and election of candidates for public office; to provide for the resignation, removal, and recall of certain public officers; to provide for the filling of vacancies in public office; to provide for and regulate primaries and elections; to provide for the purity of elections; to guard against the abuse of the elective franchise; to define violations of this act; to provide appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; and to repeal certain acts and all other acts inconsistent with this act," by amending sections 2, 558, 561, 590f, 691, 696, and 971 (MCL 168.2, 168.558, 168.561, 168.590f, 168.691, 168.696, and 168.971), section 2 as amended by 1999 PA 216, section 558 as amended by 1999 PA 217, section 590f as added by 1988 PA 116, and section 971 as amended by 2002 PA 91, and by adding section 560b; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 2. As used in this act:

(a) "Business day" or "secular day" means a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(b) "Election" means an election or primary election at which the electors of this state or of a subdivision of this state choose or nominate by ballot an individual for public office or decide a ballot question lawfully submitted to them.

(c) "Name that was formally changed" means a name changed by a proceeding under chapter XI of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 711.1 to 711.3, or former 1915 PA 314, or through a similar, statutorily sanctioned procedure under the law of another state or country.

Sec. 558. (1) When filing a nominating petition, qualifying petition, filing fee, or affidavit of candidacy for a federal, county, state, city, township, village, or school district office in any election, a candidate shall file with the officer with whom the petitions, fee, or affidavit is filed 2 copies of an affidavit of identity. A candidate nominated for a federal, state, county, city, township, or village office at a political party convention or caucus shall file an affidavit of identity within 1 business day after being nominated with the secretary of state. The affidavit of identity filing requirement does not apply to a candidate nominated for the office of president of the United States or vice president of the United States.

(2) An affidavit of identity shall contain the candidate's name, address, and ward and precinct where registered, if qualified to vote at that election; a statement that the candidate is a citizen of the United States; the candidate's number of years of residence in the state and county; other information that may be required to satisfy the officer as to the identity of the candidate; the manner in which the candidate wishes to have his or her name appear on the ballot; and a statement that the candidate either is or is not using a name, whether a given name, a surname, or otherwise, that is not a name that he or she was given at birth. If a candidate is using a name that is not a name that he or she was given at birth, the candidate shall include on the affidavit of identity the candidate's full former name.

(3) The requirement to indicate a name change on the affidavit of identity does not apply if the name in question is 1 of the following:

(a) A name that was formally changed at least 10 years before filing as a candidate.

(b) A name that was changed in a certificate of naturalization issued by a federal district court at the time the individual became a naturalized citizen at least 10 years before filing as a candidate.

(c) A name that was changed because of marriage.

(d) A name that was changed because of divorce, but only if to a legal name by which the individual was previously known.

(4) An affidavit of identity shall include a statement that as of the date of the affidavit, all statements, reports, late filing fees, and fines required of the candidate or any candidate committee organized to support the candidate's election under the Michigan campaign finance act, 1976 PA 388, MCL 169.201 to 169.282, have been filed or paid; and a statement that the candidate acknowledges that making a false statement in the affidavit is perjury, punishable by a fine up to $1,000.00 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. If a candidate files the affidavit of identity with an officer other than the county clerk or secretary of state, the officer shall immediately forward to the county clerk 1 copy of the affidavit of identity by first-class mail. The county clerk shall immediately forward 1 copy of the affidavit of identity for state and federal candidates to the secretary of state by first-class mail. An officer shall not certify to the board of election commissioners the name of a candidate who fails to comply with this section.

(5) If petitions or filing fees are filed by or in behalf of a candidate for more than 1 office, either federal, state, county, city, village, township, or school district, the terms of which run concurrently or overlap, the candidate so filing, or in behalf of whom petitions or fees were so filed, shall select the 1 office to which his or her candidacy is restricted within 3 days after the last day for the filing of petitions or filing fees unless the petitions or filing fees are filed for 2 offices that are combined or for offices that are not incompatible. Failure to make the selection disqualifies a candidate with respect to each office for which petitions or fees were so filed and the name of the candidate shall not be printed upon the ballot for those offices. A vote cast for that candidate at the ensuing primary or general election shall not be counted and is void.

Sec. 560b. (1) A candidate required to indicate a name change on the affidavit of identity under section 558 shall be listed on the ballot with his or her current name and former name as prescribed by the secretary of state.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), both a candidate's given name and surname that he or she was given at birth, and only those names, shall appear on the ballot, except under 1 of the following circumstances:

(a) The name in question, whether a given name, a surname, or otherwise, is a name that was formally changed.

(b) The candidate is subject to subsection (1).

(c) The name in question, whether a given name, a surname, or otherwise, is 1 of the following:

(i) A name that was changed in a certificate of naturalization issued by a federal district court at the time the individual became a naturalized citizen at least 10 years before filing as a candidate.

(ii) A name that was changed because of marriage.

(iii) A name that was changed because of divorce, but only if to a legal name by which the individual was previously known.

(3) A candidate may specify that both his or her given name and middle name, or only a middle name, shall appear on the ballot. A candidate may specify that either an initial or a recognized diminutive for the candidate's given or middle name, or for both, shall appear on the ballot.

(4) A candidate is prohibited from specifying that a nickname that is not a recognized diminutive of the candidate's given name or middle name appear on the ballot. A married individual is prohibited from specifying that his or her spouse's given name, or an alternative for that given name otherwise permitted under subsection (3), appear on the ballot.

(5) A ballot that would violate this section shall not be produced, printed, or distributed.

Sec. 561. (1) The ballots prepared by the board of election commissioners in each county for use by the electors of a political party at a primary election shall include the name of each candidate of the political party for the office of governor, United States senator, and district offices; for the county, the name of each candidate of the political party for county offices; and for each township, the name of each candidate of the political party for township offices.

(2) If, in a district that is a county or entirely within 1 county, 2 or more candidates, including candidates for nonpartisan offices, for the same office have the same or similar surnames, a candidate may file a written request with the board of county election commissioners for a clarifying designation. The request shall be filed not later than 3 days after the last date for filing nominating petitions. Not later than 3 days after the filing of the request, the board of county election commissioners shall determine whether a similarity exists and whether a clarifying designation should be granted. In a district located in more than 1 county, the board of state canvassers shall make a determination whether to grant a clarifying designation upon the written request of a candidate who files nominating petitions with the secretary of state. The request shall be filed with the state board of canvassers not later than 5 days after the last date for filing nominating petitions. The board of state canvassers shall make its determination at the same time it makes a declaration of the sufficiency or insufficiency of nominating petitions in compliance with section 552.

(3) In each instance, the determining board shall immediately notify each candidate for the same office as the requester that a request for a clarifying designation has been made and of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The requester and each candidate for the same office shall be notified of the board's determination by first-class mail sent within 24 hours after the final date for the determination. A candidate who is dissatisfied with the determination of the board of county election commissioners may file an appeal in the circuit court of the county where the board is located. A candidate who is dissatisfied with the determination of the board of state canvassers may file an appeal in the Ingham county circuit court. The appeal shall be filed within 14 days after the final date for determination by the board. The court shall hear the matter de novo. Except as provided in subsection (4), in the case of the same surname or of a final determination by the board or by the court before the latest date that the board can arrange the ballot printing of the existence of similarity, the board shall print the occupation, date of birth, or residence of each of the candidates on the ballot or ballot labels under their respective names. The term "occupation" includes a currently held political office, even though it is not the candidate's principal occupation, but does not include reference to a previous position or occupation.

(4) If there are 2 candidates with the same or similar surnames and 1 of the candidates is entitled to an incumbency designation by section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, no other designation shall be provided for the other candidate with the same or similar surname. If there are more than 2 candidates with the same or similar surname and 1 of the candidates is entitled to an incumbency designation by section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, a clarifying designation may be given to the other candidates with the same or similar surname. Except for an incumbency designation under section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, if 2 or more candidates with the same or similar surnames are related, the board shall only print the residence or date of birth of each of the candidates as a clarifying designation. As used in this subsection, "related" means that the candidates with the same or similar surnames are related within the third degree of consanguinity.

(5) The board of state canvassers shall issue guidelines to ensure fairness and uniformity in the granting of designations and may issue guidelines relating to what constitutes the same or similar surnames. The board of state canvassers and the boards of county election commissioners shall follow the guidelines.

Sec. 590f. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), sections 544c, 545, 552, 553, 555, 556, and 558 are applicable to a qualifying petition, a person filing a qualifying petition, and an officer receiving a qualifying petition.

(2) The board of state canvassers shall canvass a qualifying petition filed with the secretary of state and shall make an official declaration of the sufficiency or insufficiency of the qualifying petition at least 60 days before the election. A hearing under this subsection by the board of state canvassers shall be held as provided in section 552.

(3) A filing officer who receives a qualifying petition from a candidate who has met the requirements of this act shall certify to the proper board or boards of election commissioners the candidate's name, post office address, and office sought. If the election for the office is held at the general election, the filing officer shall make the certification not later than 60 days before the general election.

Sec. 691. (1) Each board of election commissioners shall have printed on the ballot, or on ballot labels or slips to be placed on a voting machine, when used, the names of the candidates certified to that board under this act. A candidate's name shall not be placed or printed in more than 1 column on the ballot for the same office. A board of election commissioners for a county or city may arrange the ballots with an identification numeral placed in the same space with the name of each of the candidates. That identification numeral shall be rotated with the name of the candidate, and when rotated, shall appear in the same space with the same candidate regardless of where the candidate's name appears on the ballot.

(2) The name of a candidate appearing on a ballot shall comply with sections 560b and 561.

Sec. 696. (1) The board of election commissioners in each county shall have the name of each candidate for federal, state, district, county, and township offices at an election printed on 1 ballot, separate from any other ballot. The name of each candidate of each political party shall be placed in a separate column on the ballot under the name and vignette of the party with the name of each candidate opposite the name of the office for which the candidate was certified to have been nominated.

(2) If, in a district that is a county or entirely within 1 county, 2 or more candidates nominated by the same political party or by different political parties for the same office, or nonpartisan candidates for the same office, have the same or similar surnames, a candidate may file a written request with the board of county election commissioners for a clarifying designation. The request shall be filed not later than 3 days after the certification of the relevant candidates. Not later than 3 days after the filing of the request, the board of county election commissioners shall determine whether a similarity exists and whether a clarifying designation should be granted. In a district located in more than 1 county, the board of state canvassers shall make a determination whether to grant a clarifying designation upon the written request of a candidate who is certified by the secretary of state. The request shall be filed with the state board of canvassers not later than 3 days after the state board of canvassers completes the canvass of the primary election in compliance with section 581 and the certification of nominees in compliance with section 687. The board of state canvassers shall make its determination not later than 3 days after the request is filed.

(3) In each instance, the determining board shall immediately notify each candidate for the same office as the requester that a request for a clarifying designation has been made and of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The requester and each candidate for the same office shall be notified of the board's determination by first-class mail sent within 24 hours after the final date for the determination. A candidate who is dissatisfied with the determination of the board of county election commissioners may file an appeal in the circuit court of the county where the board is located. A candidate who is dissatisfied with the determination of the board of state canvassers may file an appeal in the Ingham county circuit court. The appeal shall be filed within 14 days after the final date for determination by the board. The court shall hear the matter de novo. Except as provided in subsection (4), in the case of the same surname or of a final determination by the board or by the court before the latest date that the board can arrange for the ballot printing of the existence of similarity, the board shall print the occupation, date of birth, or residence of each of the candidates having the same or similar surnames on the ballot or ballot labels or slips to be placed on the voting machine, when used, under their respective names. The request may not be made by a candidate of a political party whose candidate for secretary of state received less than 10% of the total vote cast in the state for all candidates for secretary of state in the most recent November election in which a secretary of state was elected. The term "occupation" includes a currently held political office, even though it is not the candidate's principal occupation, but does not include reference to a previous position or occupation.

(4) If there are 2 candidates with the same or similar surnames and 1 of the candidates is entitled to an incumbency designation by section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, no other designation shall be provided for the other candidate with the same or similar surname. If there are more than 2 candidates with the same or similar surname and 1 of the candidates is entitled to an incumbency designation by section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, a clarifying designation may be given to the other candidates with the same or similar surname. Except for an incumbency designation under section 24 of article VI of the state constitution of 1963, if 2 or more candidates with the same or similar surnames are related, the board shall only print the residence or date of birth of each of the candidates as a clarifying designation. As used in this subsection, "related" means that the candidates with the same or similar surnames are related within the third degree of consanguinity.

(5) The board of state canvassers shall issue guidelines to ensure fairness and uniformity in the granting of designations and may issue guidelines relating to what constitutes the same or similar surnames. The board of state canvassers and the boards of county election commissioners shall follow the guidelines.

Sec. 971. (1) If the recall was successful, the officer with whom the recall petition was filed shall, within 5 days after receiving the certification, submit to the county election scheduling committee a proposed date for a special election to be held within 60 days for the filling of the vacancy. If any primary or election is to be held in that electoral district within 4 months after the certification and at a time as will permit preparation for the election by election officials as provided by law, the election to fill the vacancy shall be held concurrently with that primary or election. The same provisions made in section 964 for calling and conducting of the recall election govern in the calling and conducting of the election to fill the vacancy created, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(2) If a petition is filed under section 959, the officer with whom the petition is filed shall not submit a proposed date to the county election scheduling committee, but shall call the special election subject to the same time limitations set out in this section.

(3) If the governor appoints a review team under the local government fiscal responsibility act, 1990 PA 72, MCL 141.1201 to 141.1291, to perform the functions prescribed in that act relative to a city, township, or village and an elected official of the city, township, or village was the subject of a successful recall, the officer with whom the recall petition was filed does not have the authority to propose a date for a special election. If the review team described in this subsection is appointed after the officer submits a proposed special election date or the county election scheduling committee schedules the special election as required by subsection (1), but before the election is held, the officer's or county election scheduling committee's action becomes void when the review team is appointed. Within 5 days after the review team described in this subsection reports its findings to the governor as required by section 14 of the local government fiscal responsibility act, 1990 PA 72, MCL 141.1214, the review team shall submit to the county election scheduling committee a proposed date for the special election. A special election scheduled under this subsection is subject to all of the other provisions of subsection (1). This subsection applies to any special election scheduled but not yet held before the effective date of the amendatory act that added this sentence.

Enacting section 1. Section 557 of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.557, is repealed.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Secretary of the Senate.

Approved

Governor.