HOUSE BILL No. 5659

February 8, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Cushingberry and Waters and referred to the Committee on House Oversight, Elections, and Ethics.

 

     A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

 

"Michigan election law,"

 

by amending sections 509bb and 510 (MCL 168.509bb and 168.510),

 

section 509bb as added by 1994 PA 441, and by adding sections 515a

 

and 764c.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 509bb.  A clerk shall not  The governing body of a city,

 

township, or village may adopt a resolution authorizing the city,

 

township, or village clerk to cancel or cause the cancellation of

 

the registration of a voter from the registration record of the

 

city,  or  township, or village based  solely  upon that registered

 

voter's failure to vote in more than 5 successive elections that

 

include at least 2 general November elections.

 

     Sec. 510. (1) At least once a month, the county clerk shall

 


forward a list of the last known address and birth date of all

 

persons over 18 years of age who have died within the county to the

 

clerk of each city,  or  township, or village within the county.

 

The city,  or  township, or village clerk shall compare this list

 

with the voter registration records and cancel the voter

 

registration of all deceased electors.

 

     (2) In addition to the requirements of subsection (1), the

 

city, township, or village clerk may search a national database

 

containing death records to obtain information concerning the last

 

known address and birth date of all persons over 18 years of age

 

who have died within the city, township, or village. The city,

 

township, or village clerk may compare the information obtained

 

from the national database with the voter registration records of

 

the city, township, or village and cancel the voter registration of

 

all deceased electors.

 

     Sec. 515a. (1) Before the 2006 August primary election, in a

 

city with a population greater than 500,000, the city clerk shall

 

compare the voter registration address of each elector in the city

 

with the address of each building located in the city that has been

 

demolished. If the voter registration address of an elector matches

 

the address of a building that has been demolished, the city clerk

 

shall immediately cancel the voter registration of that elector.

 

     (2) Before the 2008 general November election, the clerk of

 

each city, township, or village shall compare the voter

 

registration address of each elector in his or her city, township,

 

or village with the address of each building located in his or her

 

city, township, or village that has been demolished. If the voter

 


registration address of an elector matches the address of a

 

building that has been demolished, the city, township, or village

 

clerk shall immediately cancel the voter registration of that

 

elector.

 

     (3) The governing body of a city, township, or village may

 

apply for, accept, and disburse grants from the federal government

 

to defray any additional costs incurred by the city, township, or

 

village in order to comply with this section.

 

     Sec. 764c. (1) The clerk of each city, township, or village

 

shall canvass the street address of each absent voter who delivers

 

an absent voter ballot return envelope to the clerk or assistant

 

clerk to confirm that the absent voter is a resident of the city,

 

township, or village.

 

     (2) A city, township, or village clerk may appoint a

 

sufficient number of persons to assist the clerk in performing the

 

duties imposed under subsection (1). The persons appointed to

 

assist the clerk under this subsection may include, but are not

 

limited to, election inspectors appointed under section 674 to an

 

election precinct located in the city, township, or village.

 

     (3) The governing body of a city, township, or village may

 

apply for, accept, and disburse grants from the federal government

 

to defray any additional costs incurred by the city, township, or

 

village in order to comply with this section.