S.B. 739: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - CANCEL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

Senate Bill 739 (as introduced 10-7-97)

Sponsor: Senator Jon Cisky

Date Completed: 10-24-97

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to allow a school board to cancel a regular or special election, under certain circumstances, if a candidate for school board member were unopposed.

The bill provides that a school board could cancel an election, before the date of the election and with reasonable notice provided to the electors of the school district, if all of the following applied:

-- There was no more than one candidate on the ballot for each office on the ballot.

-- There was no question on the ballot, other than the election of school board members.

-- The deadline had passed for filing a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, and a candidate whose name was printed on the official ballot had not died or otherwise been disqualified. (Under the Michigan Election Law, a person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent by 4 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election. If a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot for the election dies or is otherwise disqualified on or after the Wednesday immediately preceding the election, the required declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate does not apply to a write-in candidate.)

If an election were canceled under the bill, the candidate on the ballot for each office on the ballot would be considered elected to that office for all purposes, as if the election had occurred and the candidate had been elected at the election.

Proposed MCL 380.1061 - Legislative Analyst: G. Towne

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government. A local school district that canceled a school election under the bill would save money that would otherwise be paid for election expenses.

- Fiscal Analyst: E. Pratt

S9798\S739SA

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.