COUNTY COMMISSION SPECIAL ELECTION H.B. 4307:
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 4307 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons
House Committee: Elections and Ethics
Senate Committee: Local Government and Elections
CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 261 of 1966 (which governs the apportionment of county boards of commissioners) to eliminate a requirement that a special election be held when a county commission vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year.
The Act requires a county board of commissioners to fill a vacancy in the office of commissioner by appointment within 30 days after the vacancy occurs. In an odd-numbered year, the appointed person serves until the vacancy is filled in a special election called by the board. In an election year, the appointed person serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Under the bill, a person appointed to fill a vacancy would serve for the remainder of the unexpired term (whether the vacancy occurred in an odd-numbered year or an election year).
The bill would retain a requirement that a vacancy be filled by a special election called by the county board of commissioners if it does not appoint someone within 30 days. The bill specifies that an individual elected at a special election would serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
MCL 46.412 et al. Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no impact on local unit revenue, but would reduce expenditures in local units affected by the bill by an unknown amount. No information exists on the number of county commissioner vacancies that will occur in an odd-numbered year and require a special election, absent the bill. Data are not available for the cost of these types of special elections, assuming that other elections do not occur concurrently. However, for a general statewide election, the average cost of conducting an election is approximately $2,000 per precinct. It is unknown if the low turnout typical of these special elections results in a lower cost per precinct.
The bill would have no impact on State revenue or expenditure.
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.