October 12, 2011, Introduced by Senators JANSEN, GREEN and ROBERTSON and referred to the Committee on Local Government and Elections.
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled
"Michigan election law,"
by amending section 509v (MCL 168.509v), as added by 1994 PA 441,
and by adding section 497c.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 497c. (1) Beginning on the effective date of the
amendatory act that added this section, a person who applies in
person to register to vote at a department of state office, a
designated voter registration agency, the office of a county clerk,
or the office of the clerk of the city or township in which the
applicant resides shall identify himself or herself by presenting
an official state identification card issued to that person under
1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, an operator's or chauffeur's
license issued to that person under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949
PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or other generally recognized picture
identification card.
(2) If a person who applies in person to register to vote as
provided in subsection (1) does not present an official state
identification card, an operator's or chauffeur's license, or other
generally recognized picture identification card as required under
subsection (1), that person's voter registration application shall
be considered a mail registration application.
Sec. 509v. (1) A person who is not registered to vote at the
address where he or she resides may apply to register to vote by
submitting an application at any of the following locations:
(a) The office of the clerk of a county or the office of the
clerk of the city or township in which the applicant resides,
during regular office hours of that clerk.
(b) A department of state office.
(c) A designated voter registration agency when submitting an
application, recertification, renewal, or change of address at the
voter registration agency.
(2) A person who is not registered to vote at the address
where he or she resides may apply for registration by submitting a
completed mail registration application. A person may request a
mail registration application from and submit the application to
any of the following:
(a) The secretary of state.
(b) The clerk of the county, city, or township in which the
applicant resides.
(c) A designated voter registration agency.
(d) A third-party voter registration organization.
(3) Before engaging in any voter registration activities, a
third-party voter registration organization shall register with the
department of state, on a form prescribed by the department of
state, and shall provide to the department of state all of the
following information:
(a) The name and permanent address of the third-party voter
registration organization.
(b) The name of each officer of the third-party voter
registration organization.
(c) The name and address of the third-party voter registration
organization's registered agent in this state.
(4) If any of the information provided to the department of
state under subsection (3) changes, the third-party voter
registration organization shall promptly provide that updated
information to the department of state.
(5) The department of state shall maintain a database
containing the name and address of each third-party voter
registration organization that is registered with this state.
(6) The secretary of state shall develop a voter registration
training program for third-party voter registration organizations
that teaches the proper procedure for taking a voter registration
application. The secretary of state shall provide training to
third-party voter registration organizations that is consistent
with the voter registration training program.
(7) Each third-party voter registration organization shall
designate 1 person to participate in the state's voter registration
training program as provided in subsection (6). The person
designated by a third-party voter registration organization who
receives training under this section shall provide training to the
registration agents of that third-party voter registration
organization before the registration agents conduct voter
registration activities in this state.
(8) Each registration agent employed by or volunteering for a
third-party voter registration organization shall sign a statement,
as prescribed by the department of state, that certifies that the
registration agent will comply with all state laws and rules
concerning the registration of electors. The statement shall
include all of the following:
(a) A provision indicating that the registration agent has
received voter registration training as provided in this section.
(b) A notice of applicable penalties for false registration of
electors under this act.
(9) A third-party voter registration organization shall keep
the signed statements, as provided under subsection (8), on file
for not less than 2 years. The signed statements shall be made
available to the department of state upon request.
(10) A third-party voter registration organization serves as a
fiduciary to the voter registration applicant, ensuring that the
applicant's voter registration application shall be promptly
delivered to the clerk of the county, city, or township where the
applicant resides.
(11) If a voter registration application is received by a
third-party voter registration organization within 7 days before
the close of registration for a federal election, the third-party
voter registration organization shall transmit that application to
the clerk of the county, city, or township where the applicant
resides within 1 business day after receiving the application.
(12) If a third-party voter registration organization wants to
withdraw as a registered third-party voter registration
organization, the third-party voter registration organization shall
submit a withdrawal form, as prescribed by the department of state,
with the department of state.
(13) As used in this section, "third-party voter registration
organization" means a person, entity, or organization that solicits
a person to return a voter registration application to the
organization or that collects voter registration applications from
applicants. A third-party voter registration organization does not
include any of the following:
(a) The secretary of state.
(b) A county, city, township, or village clerk or assistant
clerk.
(c) A designated voter registration agency as defined in
section 509m.
(d) A person who registers voters or who collects voter
registration applications as an employee or agent of the secretary
of state, a county, city, township, or village clerk, or a
designated voter registration agency.