CREATE INACTIVE VOTER FILE

House Bill 6022

Sponsor:  Rep. Chris Ward

Committee:  House Oversight, Elections, and Ethics

Complete to 5-2-06

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6022 AS INTRODUCED 4-27-06

House Bill 6022 would amend the Michigan Election Law (MCL 168.509aa) to require the secretary of state to create an inactive voter file.

More specifically, the bill would require the secretary of state to create an inactive voter file within the qualified voter file.  The inactive voter file would contain a record for each voter who was sent a notice by the local clerk under the law because the clerk had received information that the voter had moved, either within the city or township or to another city or township. The record of a voter would remain in the inactive file 1) until the voter voted at an election, 2) the voter corrected or confirmed his or her voter registration address, or 3) until January 10 immediately following the second November general election that was held after the date of the notice sent, whichever occurred first.  If a voter remained in the inactive voter file on January 10 after two November elections, then the registration of the voter would be canceled.

While the record of a voter was in the inactive voter file, the voter would remain eligible to vote and his or her name would appear on the precinct voter registration list. 

Finally, the bill specifies that the record of a voter in the inactive voter file would not be counted for purposes described in seven sections of the law, or Rule 168.774 of the Michigan Administrative Code.  [Those seven sections of the law concern the school election coordinator in multi-city or multi-township school elections; the duties of county boards of canvassers; village officials' elections and appointments; the division of registered electors into precincts; consolidation of election precincts; and the number of voting machines within precincts.  Rule 168.774 of the Michigan Administrative Code concerns the preparation of ballots and ballot labels, including absent voter ballots.]

FISCAL IMPACT:

A fiscal analysis is in process.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Robin Risko

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.