Bill Text: MI SB1062 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Elections; voters; valid forms of voter identification; expand to include certain digital photographs. Amends secs. 497c, 523, 523a, 761 & 813 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.497c et seq.).

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-12 - Referred To Committee On Elections And Government Reform [SB1062 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2017-SB1062-Introduced.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE BILL No. 1062

 

 

June 12, 2018, Introduced by Senators BIEDA, CONYERS, KNEZEK, HOOD, ANANICH, YOUNG

     and WARREN and referred to the Committee on Elections and Government Reform.

 

 

 

      A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled

 

"Michigan election law,"

 

by amending sections 497c, 523, 523a, 761, and 813 (MCL 168.497c,

 

168.523, 168.523a, 168.761, and 168.813), section 497c as added and

 

sections 523, 761, and 813 as amended by 2012 PA 523 and section

 

523a as added by 2004 PA 92.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

 1        Sec. 497c. (1) Beginning on the effective date of the

 

 2  amendatory act that added this section, March 28, 2013, a person

 

 3  who applies in person to register to vote at a department of state

 

 4  office, a designated voter registration agency, the office of a

 

 5  county clerk, or the office of the clerk of the city or township in

 

 6  which the applicant resides shall identify himself or herself by

 

 7  presenting an official state personal identification card issued to

 

 8  that person under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, an operator's


 1  or chauffeur's license issued to that person under the Michigan

 

 2  vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or other generally

 

 3  recognized picture identification card, or a digital photograph of

 

 4  his or her official state personal identification card, operator's

 

 5  or chauffeur's license, or other generally recognized picture

 

 6  identification card.

 

 7        (2) If a person who applies in person to register to vote as

 

 8  provided in subsection (1) does not have an official state personal

 

 9  identification card, an operator's or chauffeur's license, or other

 

10  generally recognized picture identification card, or a digital

 

11  photograph of his or her official state personal identification

 

12  card, operator's or chauffeur's license, or other generally

 

13  recognized picture identification card as required under subsection

 

14  (1), the person may sign an affidavit to that effect and be allowed

 

15  to register to vote.

 

16        Sec. 523. (1) At each election, before being given a ballot,

 

17  each registered elector offering to vote shall identify himself or

 

18  herself by presenting an official state personal identification

 

19  card issued to that individual under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to

 

20  28.300, an operator's or chauffeur's license issued to that

 

21  individual under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1

 

22  to 257.923, or other generally recognized picture identification

 

23  card, or a digital photograph of his or her official state personal

 

24  identification card, operator's or chauffeur's license, or other

 

25  generally recognized picture identification card and by executing

 

26  an application, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, in

 

27  the presence of an election official, which that includes all of


 1  the following:

 

 2        (a) The name of the elector.

 

 3        (b) The elector's address of residence.

 

 4        (c) The elector's date of birth.

 

 5        (d) An affirmative statement by the elector that is included

 

 6  in the signature statement indicating that he or she is a citizen

 

 7  of the United States.

 

 8        (e) The elector's signature or mark.

 

 9        (2) If an elector's signature contained in the qualified voter

 

10  file is available in the polling place, the election official shall

 

11  compare the signature upon the application with the digitized

 

12  signature provided by the qualified voter file. If an elector's

 

13  signature is not contained in the qualified voter file, the

 

14  election official shall process the application in the same manner

 

15  as applications are processed when a voter registration list is

 

16  used in the polling place. If voter registration lists are used in

 

17  the precinct, the election inspector shall determine if the name on

 

18  the application to vote appears on the voter registration list. If

 

19  the name appears on the voter registration list, the elector shall

 

20  provide further identification or other information stated upon the

 

21  voter registration list. If the signature or an item of information

 

22  does not correspond, the vote of the person shall must be

 

23  challenged, and the same procedure shall must be followed as

 

24  provided in this act for the challenging of an elector. If the

 

25  elector does not have an official state personal identification

 

26  card, operator's or chauffeur's license, or other generally

 

27  recognized picture identification card, or a digital photograph of


 1  his or her official state personal identification card, operator's

 

 2  or chauffeur's license, or other generally recognized picture

 

 3  identification card as required under this subsection, section, the

 

 4  individual shall sign an affidavit to that effect before an

 

 5  election inspector and be allowed to vote as otherwise provided in

 

 6  this act. However, an elector being allowed to vote without the

 

 7  identification required under this subsection section is subject to

 

 8  challenge as provided in section 727.

 

 9        (3) If, upon a comparison of the signature or other

 

10  identification as required in this section, it is found that the

 

11  applicant is entitled to vote, the election officer having charge

 

12  of the registration list shall approve the application and write

 

13  his or her initials on the application, after which the number on

 

14  the ballot issued shall must be noted on the application. The

 

15  application shall serve serves as 1 of the 2 poll lists required to

 

16  be kept as a record of a person who has voted. The application

 

17  shall must be filed with the township, city, or village clerk. If

 

18  voter registration cards are used in the precinct, the date of the

 

19  election shall must be noted by 1 of the election officials upon

 

20  the precinct registration card of each elector voting at an

 

21  election. If voter registration lists are used in the precinct, the

 

22  election official shall clearly indicate upon the list each elector

 

23  voting at that election. The clerk of a city, village, or township

 

24  shall maintain a record of voting participation for each registered

 

25  elector.

 

26        Sec. 523a. (1) If an individual who has applied to register to

 

27  vote on or before the close of registration appears at a polling


 1  place on election day and completes an application under section

 

 2  523 is not listed on the voter registration list, the election

 

 3  inspector shall issue a ballot to the individual as follows:

 

 4        (a) For an individual who presents a receipt issued by a

 

 5  department of state office, a designated voter registration agency,

 

 6  or the elector's county, city, or township clerk's office verifying

 

 7  the acceptance of a voter registration application before the close

 

 8  of registration and completes a new voter registration application,

 

 9  the election inspector shall allow the individual to vote a ballot

 

10  in the same manner as an elector whose name is listed on the voter

 

11  registration list.

 

12        (b) For an individual who does not present a receipt verifying

 

13  the acceptance of a voter registration application under

 

14  subdivision (a), the election inspector shall determine whether the

 

15  individual is in the appropriate polling place based on residence

 

16  information provided by the individual. The election inspector

 

17  shall review any documents or maps in the polling place or

 

18  communicate with the city or township clerk to verify the

 

19  appropriate polling place for the individual. The election

 

20  inspector shall direct an individual who is not in the appropriate

 

21  polling place to the appropriate polling place. If the individual

 

22  refuses to go to the appropriate polling place, the election

 

23  inspector shall issue the individual a provisional ballot that

 

24  shall must be processed according to subsection (5).

 

25        (2) Except for an individual who produces a receipt under

 

26  subsection (1)(a), the election inspector shall require an

 

27  individual who is not listed on the voter registration list to


 1  execute a sworn statement affirming that the individual submitted a

 

 2  voter registration application before the close of registration and

 

 3  is eligible to vote in the election. An individual who provides

 

 4  false information in a signed sworn statement under this subsection

 

 5  is guilty of perjury. An individual signing a sworn statement shall

 

 6  complete a new voter registration application. The individual shall

 

 7  state the approximate date and in what manner the registration

 

 8  application was submitted:

 

 9        (a) To a department of state office.

 

10        (b) To a designated voter registration agency.

 

11        (c) To the office of his or her county, city, or township

 

12  clerk.

 

13        (d) By a mailed application.

 

14        (3) The election inspector shall contact the city or township

 

15  clerk to verify whether the individual who signed the sworn

 

16  statement is listed in the registration records of the jurisdiction

 

17  or whether there is any information contrary to the content of the

 

18  sworn statement.

 

19        (4) If the city or township clerk verifies the elector

 

20  information and finds no information contrary to the information

 

21  provided by the individual in the sworn statement and the

 

22  individual presents a Michigan operator's or chauffeur's license,

 

23  department of state issued personal identification card, other

 

24  government issued government-issued photo identification card, or a

 

25  photo identification card issued by an institution of higher

 

26  education in this state described in section 6 of article VIII of

 

27  the state constitution of 1963 or a junior college or community


 1  college established under section 7 of article VIII of the state

 

 2  constitution of 1963, or a digital photograph of his or her

 

 3  Michigan operator's or chauffeur's license, department of state

 

 4  issued personal identification card, other government-issued photo

 

 5  identification card, or photo identification card issued by an

 

 6  institution of higher education in this state described in section

 

 7  6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 or a junior

 

 8  college or community college established under section 7 of article

 

 9  VIII of the state constitution of 1963 that contains a current

 

10  residence address to establish his or her identity and residence

 

11  address, the individual shall be permitted to may vote a

 

12  provisional ballot on election day. Before the provisional ballot

 

13  is tabulated on election day, election inspectors shall process the

 

14  ballot as a challenged ballot under sections 745 and 746.

 

15        (5) If the election inspector is not able to contact the city

 

16  or township clerk, the individual is not in the correct precinct,

 

17  the individual presents identification other than a Michigan

 

18  operator's or chauffeur's license, department of state issued

 

19  personal identification card, other government issued government-

 

20  issued photo identification card, or a photo identification card

 

21  issued by an institution of higher education in this state

 

22  described in section 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of

 

23  1963 or a junior college or community college established under

 

24  section 7 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963, or a

 

25  digital photograph of his or her Michigan operator's or chauffeur's

 

26  license, department of state issued personal identification card,

 

27  other government-issued photo identification card, or photo


 1  identification card issued by an institution of higher education in

 

 2  this state described in section 6 of article VIII of the state

 

 3  constitution of 1963 or a junior college or community college

 

 4  established under section 7 of article VIII of the state

 

 5  constitution of 1963 that contains a current residence address, or

 

 6  the individual is unable to present any identification, the

 

 7  individual shall must be issued a provisional ballot that is not

 

 8  tabulated on election day but is secured for verification after the

 

 9  election. A provisional ballot shall must also be issued under this

 

10  subsection to a voter who presents a Michigan operator's license,

 

11  chauffeur's license, department of state personal identification

 

12  card, other government issued government-issued photo

 

13  identification card, or a photo identification card issued by an

 

14  institution of higher education in this state described in section

 

15  6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 or a junior

 

16  college or community college established under section 7 of article

 

17  VIII of the state constitution of 1963, or a digital photograph of

 

18  his or her Michigan operator's license, chauffeur's license,

 

19  department of state personal identification card, other government-

 

20  issued photo identification card, or photo identification card

 

21  issued by an institution of higher education in this state

 

22  described in section 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of

 

23  1963 or a junior college or community college established under

 

24  section 7 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 that

 

25  does not bear the voter's current residence address, if the voter

 

26  also presents a document to establish the voter's current residence

 

27  address. The election inspector shall accept a document containing


 1  the name and current residence address of the voter as sufficient

 

 2  documentation to issue a provisional ballot if it is 1 of the

 

 3  following documents:

 

 4        (a) A current utility bill.

 

 5        (b) A current bank statement.

 

 6        (c) A current paycheck, government check, or other government

 

 7  document.

 

 8        (6) A provisional ballot shall must be placed in a provisional

 

 9  ballot return envelope prescribed by the secretary of state and

 

10  delivered to the city or township clerk after the polls close in a

 

11  manner as prescribed by the secretary of state.

 

12        (7) For a provisional ballot voted under subsection (4), the

 

13  election inspector shall provide the voter with a notice that his

 

14  or her ballot has been tabulated. For a provisional ballot voted

 

15  under subsection (5), the election inspector shall provide the

 

16  voter with a notice that the voter's information will be verified

 

17  by the clerk of the jurisdiction within 6 days after the election

 

18  to determine whether the ballot will be tabulated and, if the

 

19  ballot is not tabulated, to determine the reason it was not

 

20  tabulated. A clerk of a jurisdiction shall provide a free access

 

21  system for the voter to determine whether the ballot was tabulated.

 

22  The free access system may include a telephone number that does not

 

23  require a toll charge, a toll-free telephone number, an internet

 

24  website, or a mailed notice.

 

25        (8) As used in this section and sections 813 and 829,

 

26  "provisional ballot" means a special ballot utilized for an

 

27  individual who is not listed on the voter registration list at the


 1  polling place that is tabulated only after verification of the

 

 2  individual's eligibility to vote.

 

 3        Sec. 761. (1) If the clerk of a city, township, or village

 

 4  receives an application for an absent voter ballot from a person

 

 5  registered to vote in that city, township, or village and if the

 

 6  signature on the application agrees with the signature for the

 

 7  person contained in the qualified voter file or on the registration

 

 8  card as required in subsection (2), the clerk immediately upon

 

 9  receipt of the application or, if the application is received

 

10  before the printing of the absent voter ballots, as soon as the

 

11  ballots are received by the clerk, shall forward by mail, postage

 

12  prepaid, or shall deliver personally 1 of the ballots or set of

 

13  ballots if there is more than 1 kind of ballot to be voted to the

 

14  applicant. Subject to the identification requirement in subsection

 

15  (6), absent voter ballots may be delivered to an applicant in

 

16  person at the office of the clerk.

 

17        (2) The qualified voter file shall must be used to determine

 

18  the genuineness of a signature on an application for an absent

 

19  voter ballot. Signature comparisons shall must be made with the

 

20  digitized signature in the qualified voter file. If the qualified

 

21  voter file does not contain a digitized signature of an elector, or

 

22  is not accessible to the clerk, the city or township clerk shall

 

23  compare the signature appearing on the application for an absent

 

24  voter ballot to the signature contained on the master card.

 

25        (3) Notwithstanding section 759, providing that no absent

 

26  voter applications shall be received by the clerk after 2 p.m. on

 

27  the Saturday before the election, and subject to the identification


 1  requirement in subsection (6), a person qualified to vote as an

 

 2  absent voter may apply in person at the clerk's office before 4

 

 3  p.m. on a day before the election except Sunday or a legal holiday

 

 4  to vote as an absent voter. The applicant shall must receive his or

 

 5  her absent voter ballot and vote the ballot in the clerk's office.

 

 6  All other absent voter ballots, except ballots delivered pursuant

 

 7  to an emergency absent voter ballot application under section 759b,

 

 8  shall must be mailed or delivered to the registration address of

 

 9  the applicant unless the application requests delivery to an

 

10  address outside the city, village, or township or to a hospital or

 

11  similar institution, in which case the absent voter ballots shall

 

12  must be mailed or delivered to the address given in the

 

13  application. However, a clerk may mail or deliver an absent voter

 

14  ballot, upon request of the absent voter, to a post office box if

 

15  the post office box is where the absent voter normally receives

 

16  personal mail and the absent voter does not receive mail at his or

 

17  her registration address.

 

18        (4) Absent voter ballots shall must be issued in the same

 

19  order in which applications are received by the clerk of a city,

 

20  township, or village, as nearly as may be, and each ballot issued

 

21  shall must bear the lowest number of each kind available for this

 

22  purpose. However, this provision does not prohibit a clerk from

 

23  immediately issuing an absent voter ballot to an absent voter who

 

24  applies in person in the clerk's office for absent voter ballots.

 

25  The clerk shall enclose with the ballot or ballots a return

 

26  envelope properly addressed to the clerk and bearing upon the back

 

27  of the envelope a printed statement in substantially the following


 1  form:

 

 

 2

                         TO BE COMPLETED

 3

                           BY THE CLERK

 4

______________________________      ____________________________

 5

     Name of Voter                    Street Address or R.R.

 6

______________________________      ____________________________

 7

  City, Township or Village                   County

 8

Ward ________  Precinct _______  Date of Election  _____________

 9

=================================================================

10

              TO BE COMPLETED BY THE ABSENT VOTER

 

 

11        I assert that I am a United States citizen and a qualified and

 

12  registered elector of the city, township, or village named above. I

 

13  am voting as an absent voter in conformity with state election law.

 

14  Unless otherwise indicated below, I personally marked the ballot

 

15  enclosed in this envelope without exhibiting it to any other

 

16  person.

 

17        I further assert that this absent voter ballot is being

 

18  returned to the clerk or an assistant of the clerk by me

 

19  personally; by public postal service, express mail service, parcel

 

20  post service, or other common carrier; by a member of my immediate

 

21  family; or by a person residing in my household.

 

 

22

     DATE: ______________   SIGN HERE:  X_________________________

23

                                        Signature of Absent Voter

24

The above form must be signed or your vote will not be counted.

25

AN ABSENT VOTER WHO KNOWINGLY MAKES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY

26

OF A MISDEMEANOR.

27

=================================================================

28

       TO BE COMPLETED ONLY IF VOTER IS ASSISTED IN VOTING

29

                         BY ANOTHER PERSON


 1        I assisted the above named absent voter who is disabled or

 

 2  otherwise unable to mark the ballot in marking his or her absent

 

 3  voter ballot pursuant to his or her directions. The absent voter

 

 4  ballot was inserted in the return envelope without being exhibited

 

 5  to any other person.

 

 

 6

_______________________  __________________   ___________________

 7

  Signature of Person      Street Address      City, Twp., or

 8

    Assisting Voter            or R.R.             Village

 9

_________________________________________________________________

10

Printed Name of Person Assisting Voter

11

A PERSON WHO ASSISTS AN ABSENT VOTER AND WHO KNOWINGLY MAKES A

12

FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF A FELONY.

13

=================================================================

14

                             WARNING

 

 

15        PERSONS WHO CAN LEGALLY BE IN POSSESSION OF AN ABSENT VOTER

 

16  BALLOT ISSUED TO AN ABSENT VOTER ARE LIMITED TO THE ABSENT VOTER; A

 

17  PERSON WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE ABSENT VOTER'S IMMEDIATE FAMILY OR

 

18  RESIDES IN THE ABSENT VOTER'S HOUSEHOLD AND WHO HAS BEEN ASKED BY

 

19  THE ABSENT VOTER TO RETURN THE BALLOT; A PERSON WHOSE JOB IT IS TO

 

20  HANDLE MAIL BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER BEING TRANSPORTED BY A PUBLIC

 

21  POSTAL SERVICE, EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE, PARCEL POST SERVICE, OR

 

22  COMMON CARRIER, BUT ONLY DURING THE NORMAL COURSE OF HIS OR HER

 

23  EMPLOYMENT; AND THE CLERK, ASSISTANTS OF THE CLERK, AND OTHER

 

24  AUTHORIZED ELECTION OFFICIALS OF THE CITY, TOWNSHIP, VILLAGE, OR

 

25  SCHOOL DISTRICT. ANY OTHER PERSON IN POSSESSION OF AN ABSENT VOTER

 

26  BALLOT IS GUILTY OF A FELONY.

 

27        (5) An absent voter who knowingly makes a false statement on


 1  the absent voter ballot return envelope is guilty of a misdemeanor.

 

 2  A person who assists an absent voter and who knowingly makes a

 

 3  false statement on the absent voter ballot return envelope is

 

 4  guilty of a felony.

 

 5        (6) If an elector obtains his or her absent voter ballot in

 

 6  person from the clerk of the city, township, or village in which he

 

 7  or she is registered, the clerk of the city, township, or village

 

 8  shall not provide an absent voter ballot to that elector until the

 

 9  elector identifies himself or herself to the clerk by presenting an

 

10  official state personal identification card issued to that elector

 

11  under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, an operator's or

 

12  chauffeur's license issued to that elector under the Michigan

 

13  vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or other generally

 

14  recognized picture identification card, or a digital photograph of

 

15  his or her official state personal identification card, operator's

 

16  or chauffeur's license, or other generally recognized picture

 

17  identification card. If an elector does not have an official state

 

18  personal identification card, operator's or chauffeur's license, or

 

19  other generally recognized picture identification card, or a

 

20  digital photograph of his or her official state personal

 

21  identification card, operator's or chauffeur's license, or other

 

22  generally recognized picture identification card, the elector may

 

23  sign an affidavit to that effect before the clerk of the city,

 

24  township, or village and be allowed to obtain his or her absent

 

25  voter ballot in person from the clerk. The clerk of the city,

 

26  village, or township shall indicate to each elector who obtains his

 

27  or her absent voter ballot in person from the clerk that the


 1  elector may sign an affidavit indicating that the elector does not

 

 2  have an official state personal identification card, operator's or

 

 3  chauffeur's license, or other generally recognized picture

 

 4  identification card, or a digital photograph of his or her official

 

 5  state personal identification card, operator's or chauffeur's

 

 6  license, or other generally recognized picture identification card

 

 7  in order to obtain his or her absent voter ballot in person from

 

 8  the clerk. However, if an elector obtains his or her absent voter

 

 9  ballot in person from the clerk and votes by absent voter ballot

 

10  without providing the identification required under this

 

11  subsection, the absent voter ballot of that elector shall must be

 

12  prepared as a challenged ballot as provided in section 727 and

 

13  shall must be counted as any other ballot is counted unless

 

14  determined otherwise by a court of law under section 747 or 748 or

 

15  any other applicable law.

 

16        Sec. 813. (1) Within 6 days after an election, for each

 

17  provisional ballot that was placed in a provisional ballot return

 

18  envelope, the city or township clerk shall determine whether the

 

19  individual voting the provisional ballot was eligible to vote a

 

20  ballot and whether to tabulate the provisional ballot. In making

 

21  this determination, the city or township clerk shall not open the

 

22  provisional ballot return envelope. A provisional ballot shall must

 

23  only be tabulated if a valid voter registration record for the

 

24  elector is located or if the identity and residence of the elector

 

25  is established using a Michigan operator's license, chauffeur's

 

26  license, personal identification card, other government issued

 

27  government-issued photo identification card, or a photo


 1  identification card issued by an institution of higher education in

 

 2  this state described in section 6 of article VIII of the state

 

 3  constitution of 1963 or a junior college or community college

 

 4  established under section 7 of article VIII of the state

 

 5  constitution of 1963, or a digital photograph of his or her

 

 6  Michigan operator's license, chauffeur's license, personal

 

 7  identification card, other government-issued photo identification

 

 8  card, or photo identification card issued by an institution of

 

 9  higher education in this state described in section 6 of article

 

10  VIII of the state constitution of 1963 or a junior college or

 

11  community college established under section 7 of article VIII of

 

12  the state constitution of 1963 along with a document to establish

 

13  the voter's current residence address as provided in section

 

14  523a(5). Before the provisional ballot is tabulated, election

 

15  officials shall process the ballot as a challenged ballot under

 

16  sections 745 and 746.

 

17        (2) Within 7 days after an election, but sooner if

 

18  practicable, the city or township clerk shall transmit the results

 

19  of provisional ballots tabulated after the election to the board of

 

20  county canvassers. The results shall must be transmitted in a form

 

21  prescribed by the secretary of state.

 

22        (3) Within 7 days after an election, the city or township

 

23  clerk shall transmit to the county clerk a provisional ballot

 

24  report for each precinct in the jurisdiction. The report shall must

 

25  include for each precinct the number of provisional ballots issued,

 

26  the number of provisional ballots tabulated on election day, the

 

27  number of provisional ballots forwarded to the clerk to be


 1  determined after the election, the number of provisional ballots

 

 2  tabulated by the clerk after election day, and any additional

 

 3  information concerning provisional ballots as required by the

 

 4  secretary of state.

 

 5        (4) Within 7 days after an election, the city or township

 

 6  clerk shall transmit to the county clerk an affidavit report that

 

 7  includes the number of affidavits signed by voters under section

 

 8  523(2). The affidavit report shall must be transmitted to the

 

 9  county clerk in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.

 

10        Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

11  after the date it is enacted into law.

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