MICHIGAN ELECTION LAW (EXCERPT)
Act 116 of 1954
VOTING MACHINES AT PRIMARIES


168.584 Voting machines authorized in primaries.

Sec. 584.

     At all state, county, city, village and township primaries, ballots or votes may be cast, registered, recorded or counted by means of voting machines as hereinafter provided.


History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1965, Act 386, Eff. Mar. 31, 1966 ;-- Am. 1972, Act 214, Imd. Eff. July 7, 1972
Popular Name: Election Code





168.585 Primary elections; use of voting machines; supplementary ballots.

Sec. 585.

     Any voting machine which is by law authorized to be used at a general election may, by the order of the board of supervisors of any county, the legislative body of any city, the township board of any township, or the village council of any village, be purchased and used therein at primary elections in like manner and to the same extent that such machines may be used at general elections, and in case there are more candidates than can have their names placed on any such machines so to be used, or in case such machine is so constructed that an elector cannot vote for candidates of more than 1 political party, then it shall be the duty of the proper election commission to designate what names shall be voted for on the machines, and to print the remaining names upon proper ballots in such manner as nearly as may be that the political party or parties polling the largest vote in such county for secretary of state at the last preceding election shall be placed upon the machine, and the candidates of smaller parties shall be placed upon ballots, but all the candidates of any party shall either be upon the machine or upon a ballot.


History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955
Popular Name: Election Code





168.586 Provisions applicable to use of voting machines; appearance of names of candidates; determination of feasibility.

Sec. 586.

     The provisions relative to the use of voting machines at general elections shall apply, as near as may be, to the use of voting machines at primary elections. The names of all candidates of each political party, where feasible, shall appear on a single row of the voting machine assigned to that party. If not feasible because of limitations of space, the names of the candidates may appear on the next succeeding row or rows. Before providing that the names of candidates shall appear on a succeeding row, all available spaces on the row assigned to a party shall be used. The determination of the feasibility shall be made by the election commission of the political entity setting up the arrangement of the face of the machine. In determining feasibility the same consideration shall be given to nonpartisan and local candidates as is given to state and county candidates.


History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1961, Act 50, Eff. Sept. 8, 1961 ;-- Am. 1968, Act 46, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1968 ;-- Am. 1985, Act 24, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1985
Popular Name: Election Code





168.587 Primary elections; voting machines, straight ticket and excess voting prevented.

Sec. 587.

     Whenever a voting machine is used in a primary election, the party levers or bars, if any, shall be locked against voting so as to prevent straight ticket voting, and the machine shall be properly arranged so that the elector may vote for as many candidates for each office as there are candidates to be nominated to that office and no more.


History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955
Popular Name: Election Code





168.588 Primary elections; voting machines, number in precinct.

Sec. 588.

     More than 1 voting machine may be used in a precinct.


History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955
Popular Name: Election Code




Rendered 8/15/2025 10:29 AM
Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 5 of 2025
Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov