Signed by Governor Rick Snyder

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that authorizes the use of absentee voting in state elections without providing a reason.

Highlights:

• Defines “absent voter ballot” as a ballot that is issued to a voter through the absentee voter process (Sec. 2).

• Defines “common carrier” as a company that transports mail, on reasonable request, on regular routes and at set rates (Sec. 2).

• Defines “regular ballot” as a ballot that is issued to a voter on election day at a polling place location (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State to automatically register to vote each individual who meets the qualifications of an elector and who have identification material, that includes (Sec. 2):

• A submitted application for an operator’s or chauffeur’s license;

• An official state personal id card; or

• An enhanced driver license or enhanced official state personal id card.

• Requires the Secretary of State to prescribe for election audits that include reviewing documents, ballots, and procedures used during an election (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State and County Clerks to conduct election audits, including statewide election audits, as set forth in the prescribed procedures (Sec. 2).

• Requires an election audit to include an audit of the results of at least 1 race in each precinct selected for an audit (Sec. 2).

• Requires a statewide election audit to include an audit of the results of at least 1 statewide race or statewide ballot question in a precinct selected for an audit (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State to only automatically register to vote an individual who indicates on their identification material or change of address application that they are a citizen of the United States (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits the Secretary of State from automatically register to vote an individual who indicates on their identification material or change of address application that they decline to use the application as a voter registration application (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that an individual who is not eligible to vote and who, without intending to register to vote, becomes registered to vote through human or mechanical error is not considered to have knowing intended to register to vote in violation of the law (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes an individual who is not registered to vote but possesses the qualifications of an elector or an individual who is not registered to vote in the city or township which they are registering to vote to apply for registration in person at the city or township clerk’s office from the 14th day before an election and continuing through the day of the election (Sec. 2).

• Requires an individual applying to register to vote to provide to the city or township clerk proof of residency in that city or township by using their identification material (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the applicant to provide one of these other forms of identification for election purposes, if an applicant for voter registration does not have proof of residency through the identification materials, which includes the following documents that contain the applicant’s name and current residence address (Sec. 2):

• A current utility bill;

• A current bank statement; and

• A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

• Authorizes an applicant for voter registration to register to vote if they sign an affidavit indicating that the applicant does not have identification for election purposes and the applicant provides 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant’s name and current residence address (Sec. 2):

• A current utility bill;

• A current bank statement; or

• A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

• Requires a ballot to be prepared as a challenged ballot and counted as any other ballot is counted if the ballot belongs to an individual that registers to vote in person 14 days or less before an election or registers to vote on election day (Sec. 2).

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass with amendment a bill that authorizes the use of absentee voting in state elections without providing a reason.

Highlights:

• Defines “absent voter ballot” as a ballot that is issued to a voter through the absentee voter process (Sec. 2).

• Defines “common carrier” as a company that transports mail, on reasonable request, on regular routes and at set rates (Sec. 2).

• Defines “regular ballot” as a ballot that is issued to a voter on election day at a polling place location (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State to automatically register to vote each individual who meets the qualifications of an elector and who have identification material, that includes (Sec. 2):

• A submitted application for an operator’s or chauffeur’s license;

• An official state personal id card; or

• An enhanced driver license or enhanced official state personal id card.

• Requires the Secretary of State to prescribe for election audits that include reviewing documents, ballots, and procedures used during an election (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State and County Clerks to conduct election audits, including statewide election audits, as set forth in the prescribed procedures (Sec. 2).

• Requires an election audit to include an audit of the results of at least 1 race in each precinct selected for an audit (Sec. 2).

• Requires a statewide election audit to include an audit of the results of at least 1 statewide race or statewide ballot question in a precinct selected for an audit (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Secretary of State to only automatically register to vote an individual who indicates on their identification material or change of address application that they are a citizen of the United States (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits the Secretary of State from automatically register to vote an individual who indicates on their identification material or change of address application that they decline to use the application as a voter registration application (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that an individual who is not eligible to vote and who, without intending to register to vote, becomes registered to vote through human or mechanical error is not considered to have knowing intended to register to vote in violation of the law (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes an individual who is not registered to vote but possesses the qualifications of an elector or an individual who is not registered to vote in the city or township which they are registering to vote to apply for registration in person at the city or township clerk’s office from the 14th day before an election and continuing through the day of the election (Sec. 2).

• Requires an individual applying to register to vote to provide to the city or township clerk proof of residency in that city or township by using their identification material (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the applicant to provide one of these other forms of identification for election purposes, if an applicant for voter registration does not have proof of residency through the identification materials, which includes the following documents that contain the applicant’s name and current residence address (Sec. 2):

• A current utility bill;

• A current bank statement; and

• A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

• Authorizes an applicant for voter registration to register to vote if they sign an affidavit indicating that the applicant does not have identification for election purposes and the applicant provides 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant’s name and current residence address (Sec. 2):

• A current utility bill;

• A current bank statement; or

• A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

• Requires a ballot to be prepared as a challenged ballot and counted as any other ballot is counted if the ballot belongs to an individual that registers to vote in person 14 days or less before an election or registers to vote on election day (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text