Bill Text: MI SB0273 | 2021-2022 | 101st Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Elections: election officials; regulation of absent voter ballot drop boxes; provide for. Amends 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.1 - 168.992) by adding sec. 761e & repeals sec. 761d of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.761d).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 14-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-05-24 - Referred To Second Reading [SB0273 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2021-SB0273-Engrossed.html
Substitute For
SENATE BILL NO. 273
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled
"Michigan election law,"
(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 761e.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 761e. (1) Before an absent voter ballot drop box is used at an election in a city or township, the design and construction of that absent voter ballot drop box must be approved by both of the following:
(a) The secretary of state.
(b) The board of county canvassers of the county in which that city or township is located.
(2) If an absent voter ballot drop box was installed in a city or township before January 1, 2022, the design and construction of that absent voter ballot drop box must be approved by both of the following before June 1, 2022:
(a) The secretary of state.
(b) The board of county canvassers of the county in which that city or township is located.
(3) If the design and construction of an absent voter ballot drop box installed in a city or township before January 1, 2022 is not approved as provided in subsection (2) before June 1, 2022, that absent voter ballot drop box must not be used at an election held after June 1, 2022.
(4) Beginning June 1, 2022, a city or township clerk must use a video recording device to monitor each absent voter ballot drop box location in that city or township. At each absent voter ballot drop box location, there must be adequate lighting for the video recording device to record at a resolution of at least 1080p continuously, or allow for the use of motion detection that records not less than 1 frame per minute until motion detection triggers continuous recording. The video recordings of each absent voter ballot drop box used in a city or township must be retained by the city or township clerk for not less than 30 days after the final certification of the election at which the absent voter ballots were collected. Upon request, the video recordings must be made available by the city or township clerk to the secretary of state or appropriate board of county canvassers.
(5) Not later than June 1, 2022, an absent voter ballot drop box must contain the following text painted or affixed to the front of the absent voter ballot drop box in not less than 60-point font and in a color that provides a clear contrast so that it is clearly visible to an individual depositing an absent voter ballot into the absent voter ballot drop box:
"AREA MAY BE UNDER SURVEILLANCE
It is a felony under Michigan law for an individual other than the voter, a member of the voter's immediate family, or an individual residing in the household of the voter to return an absent voter ballot. Immediate family includes a father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild."
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 278 of the 101st Legislature is enacted into law.
