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 509aa and 811 (MCL 168.509aa and 168.811), section 509aa as amended by 2012 PA 270 and section 811 as amended by 2018 PA 603, and by adding sections 6, 759e, 759f, and 759g.
House Bill 4699 would amend the Michigan Election Law to add provisions related to permanent mail ballot voters. The bill would appear to implement provisions of section 4 of Article II of the state constitution, which was approved by voters as Ballot Proposal 22-2. That section provides the following: • Registered voters have the right to have an absent voter ballot sent to them before each election by submitting a single signed absent voter ballot application covering all future elections. • This right can be rescinded only if the voter submits a signed request to do so, the voter is no longer qualified to vote, the secretary of state or the applicable election official receives reliable information that the voter has moved to another state or has moved within Michigan without updating their voter registration address, or the voter does not vote for six consecutive years. • If the voter moves within Michigan and updates their voter registration address, the exercise of the above right must remain in effect without the need for a new absent voter ballot application.
Co-sponsored by Reps.
Referred to the Committee on Elections
Reported with substitute H-2
Substitute H-2 concurred in by voice vote
1. Amend page 6, following line 17, by inserting:
“(4) The secretary of state or the appropriate city or township clerk shall rescind the absent voter ballot application for all future elections for a permanent mail ballot voter if the secretary of state or the appropriate city or township clerk receives reliable information that the permanent mail ballot voter meets 1 or more of the reasons described in subsection (3).” and renumbering the remaining subsections.
The amendment passed by voice vote
1. Amend page 7, line 17, by striking out “or” and inserting “and”.
The amendment passed by voice vote
Passed in the House 56 to 53 (details)
Motion to give immediate effect
by
The motion prevailed by voice vote
Referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics
Discharged from committee
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Reported without amendment
Passed in the Senate 27 to 10 (details)
