LOCAL RECEIVING BOARDS FOR ELECTIONS H.B. 5482: FLOOR ANALYSIS






House Bill 5482 (as reported with amendments)
Sponsor: Representative Chris Ward
House Committee: Local Government and Urban Policy
Senate Committee: Government Operations

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to allow the legislative body of a city, township, or village to decide by resolution to appoint one or more additional boards of election inspectors to serve as receiving boards for an election at which the ballots were counted and certified at the precinct. The bill describes the responsibilities of such a board, which would include:

-- Determining whether ballot containers had been properly sealed.
-- Determining whether the number of voting individuals recorded in the poll book was equal to the number of ballots issued to the electors.
-- Notifying the clerk of the responsible board of canvassers of the action taken when election inspectors, along with the receiving board, had opened the ballot container to take corrective action.
-- Placing the poll book and statement of returns in the appropriate, sealed envelope, following the board's review.


For a precinct having receiving boards, the board of election commissioners would have to appoint a receiving board consisting of two or more election inspectors, with an equal number from each major political party, and would have to appoint an equal number of election inspectors from each major political party.


Proposed MCL 168.697a Legislative Analyst: J.P. Finet

FISCAL IMPACT
The salary paid to election inspectors serving as receiving boards would be determined by local election boards. The bill would result in savings through the efficient use of precinct workers. (The receiving board would have the authority to inspect the poll book and statement of returns while precinct workers were still available.)


Date Completed: 7-1-04 Fiscal Analyst: Bill Bowerman


floor\hb5482 Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org
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.

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. hb5482/0304