PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DATE CHANGE S.B. 44 & 45:
SUMMARY AS ENROLLED
Senate Bills 44 and 45 (as enrolled)
Sponsor: Senator Dave Robertson
Senate Committee: Elections and Government Reform
House Committee: Elections
CONTENT
The bills would amend the Michigan Election Law to move the presidential primary from the fourth Tuesday in February to the second Tuesday in March; and change the February regular election date to the second Tuesday in March when a presidential primary was held.
The bills are tie-barred. Each bill would take effect 90 days after the date it was enacted.
Senate Bill 44
Section 613a of the Election Law requires a statewide presidential primary election to be conducted on the fourth Tuesday in February in each presidential election year. The bill would require the primary to be conducted, instead, on the second Tuesday in March.
Senate Bill 45
Section 641 of the Election Law specifies four regular election dates and, except as otherwise provided, requires an election conducted under the Law to be held on one of those dates.
The four specified dates include the February regular election date, which is the fourth Tuesday in February. Under the bill, however, in each presidential election year when a statewide presidential primary was held under Section 613a, the February regular election date would be the second Tuesday in March.
(The remaining regular election dates are the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, in August, and in November. Section 641 is named the "Hammerstrom Election Consolidation Law".)
MCL 168.613a (S.B. 44) Legislative Analyst: Suzanne Lowe
168.641 (S.B. 45)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
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.