SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

House Bill 6232

Sponsor:  Rep. Andy Neumann

Committee:  Ethics and Elections

Complete to 6-22-10

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6232 AS INTRODUCED 6-1-10

House Bill 6232 would amend Section 642a of the Michigan Election Law to allow school districts to change their school board elections to the date of the general November election, if they now hold their school board elections at the time of the odd-year November general election.  Under the Election Law, the term "general November election" means the election held on the November regular election date in an even numbered year.

Specifically, the bill says that after December 31, 2009, a school district's school board that holds its regular election for the office of school board member at the odd-year general election may change its regular election to the general November election by adopting a resolution in compliance with Section 642. (*See Note below.)  Under the bill, if a school board adopted that resolution, then after December 31 of the year in which the resolution was adopted, the school board's school district would hold its regular election at the general November election.

Section 642(8) of the Election Law says that, with certain specified exceptions, as of September 1, 2004, a school district must hold its regular school board elections at the odd-year general November election.  If as of that date, a school district held its regular election at another date, then the board could choose to switch its regular election date to any of the following by adopting a resolution:  (a) the odd-year May regular election date (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May); (b) the November regular election date in both even and odd years (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November); and (c) the May regular election date in both even and odd years. 

[*Note:  Section 168.642 of the Michigan Election Law (which sets the dates for city and village regular elections; regular election primaries; and the dates for school district regular elections) requires that before adopting a resolution to set election dates, local officials hold at least one public hearing; that the notices of all public hearings be designed to reach the largest number of the jurisdiction's qualified electors in a timely fashion; that the notices state the issue in detail; that the council or school board votes on the resolution and, on a record roll call vote, a majority adopt the resolution; and that the resolution be filed with the secretary of state.]

 MCL 168.642a

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

A fiscal analysis is in process.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Mary Ann Cleary

                                                                                                                           Bethany Wicksall

■ 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.