ELECTION INSPECTORS; EQUAL APPOINTMENT S.B. 294:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 294 (as introduced 3-24-21)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to do the following:
-- Prohibit a board of election commissioners from appointing more than two election inspectors from a major political party for every one election inspector appointed from the other major political party for an election in that city or township.
-- Require a city or township clerk to submit a report to the Secretary of State (SOS) at least 10 days before an election that detailed all of the efforts the city or township made to appoint an equal number of election inspectors from each major political party, if a city or township board of election commissioners were unable to do so.
The Law requires a city or township board of election commissioners to appoint for each election precinct at least three elections inspectors and as many as in its opinion is required for the proper conduct of the election.
The board must designate one appointed election inspector from each major political party and must appoint an equal number, as nearly as possible, of election inspectors in each election precinct from each major political party. The bill specifies that the Board could not appoint more than two election inspectors from a major political party for every one election inspector appointed from the other major political party for any election precinct in that city or township.
If a city or township board of election commissioners were unable to appoint an equal number of election inspectors from each major political party in each election precinct in that city or township, the clerk of that city or township would have to submit a report to the SOS at least 10 days after the election detailing all of the efforts the city or township made to appoint an equal number of election inspectors from each major political party in each election precinct in that city or township.
MCL 168.674 Legislative Analyst: Dana Adams
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local units of government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.