Bill > SB0531

This bill modifies Michigan's election law to clarify and standardize rules for handling petition signatures across different types of petitions, such as initiative, nominating, qualifying, and recall petitions. The most significant change is establishing a consistent rule that if a petition contains a duplicate signature from the same registered voter, only the first valid signature will be counted. The bill also updates language throughout the law, replacing gendered terms like "his or her" with gender-neutral terms like "the individual's" and making minor technical corrections to improve clarity. Additional provisions include allowing petition signers to use mailing addresses that incorporate their political jurisdiction, clarifying rules for out-of-state petition circulators, and maintaining existing penalties for fraudulent petition signing, such as misdemeanor and felony charges for signing multiple names or petitions. The changes aim to standardize petition signature validation processes and ensure election integrity by preventing duplicate signatures while maintaining relatively straightforward petition requirements. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0531