ABSENT VOTER COUNT BOARDS; CHALLENGERS                         S.B. 279 (S-1):

                                                                                         SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                         REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 279 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Ruth A. Johnson

Committee:  Elections

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Election Law to do the following:

-- Allow a challenger to serve in more than one absent voter counting board (AVCB) if the entity that designated him or her as a challenger indicated in which AVCBs the challenger would serve.

-- Specify that, if more than one challenger served at an AVCB, only one of the challengers would have the authority to initiate a challenge at any given time.

-- Allow two challengers to be designated for the initial 2,999 absentee ballots that were assigned to be counted at a combined AVCB, and one additional challenger for every 2,999 absentee ballots over the initial 2,999 ballots assigned to that AVCB.

-- Prohibit a political party, incorporated organization, or organized committee of interested citizens from designating more than one challenger for every three election inspectors that were appointed to an AVCB.

-- Allow a challenger or challengers to be replaced at an AVCB if that AVCB continued to work after the polls closed on election day.

-- Require a challenger designated to replace another challenger at an AVCB to meet the qualifications prescribed by the Law to be a challenger.

MCL 168.730 et al.                                          Legislative Analyst:  Dana Adams

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  12-9-21                                       Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

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.