HOUSE BILL No. 6005


     September 27, 2000, Introduced by Rep. Patterson and referred to the Committee on Constitutional Law and Ethics.


        A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

   "Michigan election law,"

   by amending section 163 (MCL 168.163), as amended by 1999 PA

   218.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

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           Sec. 163.  (1)  To obtain the printing of  EXCEPT AS PRO-

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      VIDED IN SUBSECTION (2), IN ORDER FOR the name of a person as a

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      candidate for nomination by a political party for the office of

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      state senator or STATE representative TO APPEAR under a particu-

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      lar party heading  upon  ON the official primary  ballots in the

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      various election precincts of a district, there shall be filed

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      nominating petitions  BALLOT, A NOMINATING PETITION SHALL BE

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      signed by a number of qualified and registered electors residing

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      in the district as determined under section 544f.  If the

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      district comprises more than 1 county, the nominating  petitions 


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      PETITION shall be filed with the secretary of state.  If the

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      district  comprises  IS WITHIN 1 county,  or less,  the
   nominat-

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      ing  petitions  PETITION shall be filed with the county clerk of

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      that county.  Nominating petitions shall be in the form pre-

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      scribed in section 544c.  The NOMINATING PETITION SHALL BE FILED

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      WITH THE secretary of state  and the various county clerks shall

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      receive nominating petitions for filing in accordance with this

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      act up to  OR COUNTY CLERK NO LATER THAN 4 p.m. of the twelfth

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      Tuesday  preceding  BEFORE the August primary.

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           (2)  In lieu  INSTEAD of filing a nominating petition, THE

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      CANDIDATE MAY PAY a filing fee of $100.00  may be paid  to the

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      county clerk or, for a candidate in a district comprising more

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      than 1 county, to the secretary of state.  Payment of the fee and

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      certification of the name of the candidate paying the fee  shall

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      be  ARE governed by the same provisions as  in the case of 
   FOR A

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      nominating  petitions  PETITION.  The fee shall be deposited in

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      the general fund of the county OR STATE and shall be refunded to

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      candidates who are nominated and to an equal number of candidates

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      who receive the next highest number of votes in the primary

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      election.  If 2 or more candidates tie in having the lowest

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      number of votes allowing a refund, the sum of $100.00 shall be

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      divided among them.  A refund of a deposit shall not be made to a

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      candidate who withdraws as a candidate.











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