Sec. 509aa.
(1) A clerk may use change of address information supplied by the United States postal service or other reliable information received by the clerk that identifies registered voters whose addresses may have changed as provided in this section.
(2) Upon receipt of reliable information that a registered voter has moved his or her residence within the city or township, the clerk shall send by forwardable mail all of the following to the voter:
(a) A notice that the clerk has received information indicating that the voter has moved his or her residence within the city or township.
(b) A postage prepaid and preaddressed return card on which the voter may verify or correct the address information.
(c) A notice explaining that, if the address information is correct and the voter has moved his or her residence within the city or township, the voter should complete and return the card to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election. If the voter has moved his or her residence within the city or township and does not complete and return the card to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election, the voter will be required to vote in his or her former precinct of residence in the city or township. The voter will also be required to submit an address correction before being permitted to vote.
(3) Upon the receipt of reliable information that a registered voter has moved his or her residence to another city or township, the clerk shall send by forwardable mail all of the following to the voter:
(a) A notice that the clerk has received information indicating that the voter has moved his or her residence to another city or township.
(b) A postage prepaid and preaddressed return card on which the voter may verify or correct the address information.
(c) A notice containing all of the following information:
(i) If the address information is incorrect and the voter has not moved to another city or township and wishes to remain registered to vote, the voter should complete and return the card to the clerk with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election. If the card is not completed and returned with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election, the voter may be required to affirm his or her current address before being permitted to vote. Further, if the voter does not vote in an election within the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the first business day immediately following the second November general election that is held after the date on the notice, the registration of the voter will be canceled and his or her name will be removed from the registration record of that city or township.
(ii) If the voter has moved his or her residence to another city or township, information on how the voter can become registered to vote at the next election in his or her new city or township.
(4) If a notice sent under subsection (2) or (3) is returned to the clerk by the post office as undeliverable, the clerk shall identify the registration record of a voter as challenged as provided in this act. The clerk shall instruct the board of election inspectors to challenge that voter at the first election at which the voter appears to vote. If in response to the challenge the voter indicates that he or she resides at the registration address or has changed addresses within the city or township, the voter shall be permitted to vote a regular ballot rather than a challenged ballot. The voter shall complete a change of address form at the polling place, if applicable. If the person does not appear to vote in an election within the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the first business day immediately following the second November general election that is held after the date of the notice, the clerk shall cancel the registration of the voter and remove his or her name from the registration record of the city or township.
(5) If the department of state receives notice that a registered voter has moved out of state by receiving a surrendered Michigan driver license of that registered voter, the secretary of state shall send by forwardable mail all of the following to the voter:
(a) A notice that the secretary of state has received information indicating that the voter has moved his or her residence to another state.
(b) A postage prepaid and preaddressed return card on which the voter may verify or correct the address information.
(c) A notice providing that if the address information is incorrect and the voter has not moved to another state and wishes to remain registered to vote, the voter should complete and return the card to the secretary of state with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election. If the card is not completed and returned with a postmark of 30 days or more before the date of the next election, the voter may be required to affirm his or her current address before being permitted to vote. Further, if the voter does not vote in an election within the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the first business day immediately following the second November general election that is held after the date on the notice, the registration of the voter will be canceled and his or her name will be removed from the qualified voter file.
History: Add. 1994, Act 441, Imd. Eff. Jan. 10, 1995 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 92, Imd. Eff. Apr. 26, 2004 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 270, Eff. Aug. 15, 2012
Compiler's Notes: Act 269 of 2001, which was approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State on January 11, 2002, provided for the amendment of MCL 168.31, 168.73, 168.283, 168.393, 168.509y, 168.509aa, 168.561a, 168.624, 168.624a, 168.686, 168.706, 168.727, 168.737, 168.745, 168.769, 168.782b, 168.795, 168.795c, 168.797a, 168.798c, 168.799a, 168.803, 168.804, 168.842, and 168.931 of, the addition of Sec. 701 to, and the repeal of Sec. 509 of, Act 116 of 1954, known as the Michigan Election Law. A petition seeking a referendum on Act 269 of 2001 was filed with the Secretary of State. The Board of State Canvassers officially declared the sufficiency of the referendum petition on May 14, 2002. Const 1963, art 2, sec 9, provides that no law as to which the power of referendum properly has been invoked shall be effective thereafter unless approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon at the next general election. A referendum on Act 269 of 2001 was presented to the electors at the November 5, 2002, general election as Proposal 02-1, which read as follows:“A REFERENDUM ON PUBLIC ACT 269 OF 2001--AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF MICHIGAN ELECTION LAWPublic Act 269 of 2001 would:--Eliminate “straight party” vote option on partisan general election ballots.--Require Secretary of State to obtain training reports from local election officials.--Require registered voters who do not appear on registration list to show picture identification before voting a challenged ballot.--Require expedited canvass if presidential vote differential is under 25,000.--Require ballot counting equipment to screen ballots for voting errors to ensure the accurate tabulation of absentee ballots. Permit voters in polls to correct errors.--Provide penalties for stealing campaign signs or accepting payment for campaign work while being paid as a public employee to perform election duties.Should this law be approved?Yes __________No __________”Act 269 of 2001 was not approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon at the November 5, 2002, general election.
Popular Name: Election Code