SENATE BILL No. 676

September 26, 2001, Introduced by Senator HAMMERSTROM and referred to the Committee on

Government Operations.

A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

"Michigan election law,"

by amending section 720 (MCL 168.720) and by adding section

720a.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1 Sec. 720. (1) On the day of any AN election, the polls

2 shall be opened OPEN at 7 o'clock in the forenoon, A.M. and

3 shall be continuously open until 8 o'clock in the afternoon and

4 no longer P.M. Every EACH qualified elector present and in

5 line at the polls at the hour prescribed for the closing

6 thereof TIME shall be allowed to vote.

7 (2) IN A JURISDICTION CONDUCTING EARLY VOTING UNDER SECTION

8 720A, THE CLERK CONDUCTING THE ELECTION SHALL DESIGNATE THE HOURS

9 THE POLLS WILL OPEN AND CLOSE. BEFORE EARLY VOTING BEGINS, THE

10 CLERK SHALL POST THE HOURS THAT THE POLLS WILL BE OPEN AT THE

02424'01 CAS

2

1 CLERK'S OFFICE AND AT EACH EARLY VOTING POLLING PLACE. THE CLERK

2 SHALL PROVIDE NOTICE TO ELECTORS OF THE LOCATION OF EACH EARLY

3 VOTING POLLING PLACE AND THE DATES AND HOURS THE EARLY VOTING

4 POLLING PLACE WILL BE OPEN. THE NOTICE TO ELECTORS SHALL SUB-

5 STANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE FORM IN SECTION 653A.

6 SEC. 720A. (1) IF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF A CITY, TOWNSHIP,

7 OR VILLAGE APPROVES EARLY VOTING FOR A GENERAL NOVEMBER ELECTION,

8 THE CITY, TOWNSHIP, OR VILLAGE MAY PROVIDE EARLY VOTING FOR THAT

9 GENERAL NOVEMBER ELECTION.

10 (2) EARLY VOTING SHALL BEGIN 5 DAYS BEFORE A GENERAL

11 NOVEMBER ELECTION AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY BEFORE THE

12 ELECTION. EARLY VOTING DAYS SHALL INCLUDE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

13 (3) THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL COOPERATE WITH A JURISDIC-

14 TION CONDUCTING EARLY VOTING AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO

15 A JURISDICTION REQUESTING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

16 (4) SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION, A JURISDICTION CONDUCTING EARLY

17 VOTING SHALL FOLLOW THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT REGARDING ALL OF

18 THE FOLLOWING:

19 (A) SELECTION OF A POLLING PLACE.

20 (B) ELECTION INSPECTORS.

21 (C) CHALLENGES TO VOTERS.

22 (D) POLL BOOK AND POLL LIST.

23 (E) NOTICES, INSTRUCTIONS, AND PLACARDS.

24 (F) SECURITY OF A VOTING MACHINE OR OTHER VOTING SYSTEM.

25 (G) BALLOT SECURITY, BALLOT CONTAINERS, BALLOT COUNTING, AND

26 BALLOT PRESERVATION.

02424'01

3

1 (5) A POLL BOOK AND POLL LIST FOR EACH PRECINCT SHALL BE

2 MAINTAINED FOR EARLY VOTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 735. THE

3 POLL BOOK SHALL BE DIVIDED BY DATE AND SEPARATE RECORDS MAIN-

4 TAINED FOR EACH DAY OF EARLY VOTING.

5 (6) EARLY VOTING BALLOTS SHALL BE PROCESSED IN THE SAME

6 MANNER AS BALLOTS CAST ON ELECTION DAY AND SHALL NOT BE COUNTED

7 UNTIL THE POLLS CLOSE ON ELECTION DAY.

8 (7) "EARLY VOTING", AS USED IN THIS SECTION AND SECTION 720,

9 MEANS THE PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE A GENERAL NOVEMBER ELECTION WHEN

10 A QUALIFIED AND REGISTERED ELECTOR MAY VOTE IN PERSON AT A POLL-

11 ING PLACE DESIGNATED BY THE CLERK CONDUCTING THE ELECTION.

02424'01 Final page. CAS