ELIMINATE FEB. ELECTION DATE H.B. 4271 (H-2) - 4274 (H-2, 4276 (H-2) & 4385:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4271 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4272 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4273 (Substitute H-3 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4274 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4276 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4385 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons (H.B. 4271 & 4276)
Representative Dan Lauwers (H.B. 4273)
Representative Kurt Heise (H.B. 4274)
Representative Bradford Jacobson (H.B. 4385)
Senate Committee: Elections and Government Reform
CONTENT
The bills would amend the Michigan Election Law to eliminate the February regular election date and delete related references.
All of the bills are tie-barred and each would take effect 90 days after enactment.
House Bill 4273 (H-3) would amend a section that establishes regular election dates in February, May, August, and November. The bill would delete the February election date, which is the fourth Tuesday in February (except in a presidential election year when a statewide presidential primary must be held on the second Tuesday of March).
House Bill 4271 (H-2) would amend a section that requires the official primary ballot to include candidates for township offices, and contains related requirements. The bill would delete language requiring that all references in the Election Law to a February primary be deemed to be references to the primary held in August before the general November election and that all references to an April election be deemed references to the general November election.
House Bill 4272 (H-2) would amend a section that specifies the dates on which a city must hold its regular election or regular primary election, and includes provisions under which a city may hold its regular election on the May regular election date. If that is the case, the city's regular election primary must be held on the February regular election date. Under the bill, if a city's regular election were held on the May regular election date, the city could not hold a regular primary election.
House Bills 4274 (H-2) would amend a section providing that the candidate of each political party receiving the most votes cast at a recall primary election must be declared the nominee of that political party at the recall general election to be held on the next February regular election date or the next August regular election date, whichever is first. The bill would refer to the next May regular election date, rather than the next February regular election date.
House Bill 4276 (H-2) would amend a section providing that, if a petition is filed for the recall of the Governor, a special recall election must be at least 95 days after the date the petition is filed, and must be held on the next February regular election date or the next August regular
election date, whichever is first. The bill would refer to the next May regular election date, rather than the next February regular election date.
House Bill 4385 would delete provisions that set filing deadlines for the name of a candidate for a city office to appear on the official February primary election ballot.
MCL 168.570a (H.B. 4271) Legislative Analyst: Suzanne Lowe
168.642 (H.B. 4272)
168.641 (H.B. 4273)
168.970e (H.B. 4274)
168.963 (H.B. 4276)
168.322 (H.B. 4385)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill should have no fiscal impact on the Department of State.
Local units of government could potentially realize savings with the elimination of the February election date. According to the Department of State, the average local cost to hold an election is an estimated $2,000 per precinct for expenses associated with administration, set-up, printing of ballots, and payment of poll workers. Thus, the potential savings for local units of government that now hold February elections would depend on the number of precincts in that particular election at roughly $2,000 per precinct.
Date Completed: 6-4-15 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
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.