HB-4656, As Passed House, January 25, 2012

SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 4656

     A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

"Michigan election law,"

(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 931a.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

     Sec. 931a. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the

contrary, and except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), the

name of an elected or appointed official of this state or a

political subdivision of this state shall not appear on any ballot-

related material that is provided to an elector. As used in this

section, "ballot-related material" includes any of the following:

     (a) Any material provided to an elector with an absent voter

ballot.

     (b) Absent voter ballot instructions.

     (c) An envelope used to mail to an elector an absent voter

ballot or any other ballot material.

     (d) An absent voter ballot return envelope.

     (2) Any ballot-related material printed or prepared before the

effective date of the amendatory act that added this section that

contains the name of an elected or appointed official of this state

or a political subdivision of this state may be used if the elected

or appointed official whose name appears on the ballot-related

materials is not a candidate at the election in which those ballot-

related materials are being used.

     (3) A person who violates this section is guilty of a

misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $100.00 for a

first offense and is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine

of not more than $250.00 for a second or subsequent offense.