Sec. 659.
(1) If a county, city, ward, township, village, metropolitan district, or school district is divided into 2 or more election precincts, the county, city, ward, township, or village election commissioners may, by resolution, consolidate the election precincts for a particular election that is not a general November election, primary election immediately before a general November election, or other statewide or federal election. In making the determination to consolidate election precincts for a particular election, the election commission shall take into consideration the number of choices the voter must make, the percentage of registered voters who voted at the last similar election in the jurisdiction, and the intensity of the interest of the electors in the jurisdiction concerning the candidates and proposals to be voted upon. Consolidated precincts shall not exceed 5,000 active registered electors.
(2) A consolidation under this section shall be made not less than 60 days before a primary, general, or special election.
(3) Unless the polling places for the election precincts to be consolidated are located in the same building, when a county, city, ward, township, or village consolidates election precincts for a particular election under subsection (1), the election commissioners or other designated election officials shall do both of the following:
(a) Provide notice to the registered electors of the affected election precincts of the consolidation of election precincts for the particular election and the location of the polling place for the election precinct or precincts for that election. Notice may be provided by mail or other method designed to provide actual notice to the registered electors.
(b) Post a written notice at each election precinct polling place stating the location of the consolidated election precinct polling place.
(4) If a county, city, ward, township, or village consolidates election precincts under this section, each affected election precinct shall be treated as a whole unit and shall not be divided during the consolidation.
History: Add. 2003, Act 302, Eff. Mar. 30, 2004 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 296, Imd. Eff. July 23, 2004 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 270, Eff. Aug. 15, 2012 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 586, Imd. Eff. Jan. 7, 2013 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 94, Imd. Eff. Apr. 3, 2014
Compiler's Notes: Former MCL 168.659, which pertained to prohibition of change in election precincts within 60 days of primary or election, was repealed by Act 271 of 1955, Imd. Eff. June 30, 1955, and by Act 283 of 1955, Imd. Eff. July 19, 1955.
Popular Name: Election Code