Michigan Election Administration Roundup: May 7, 2021
Did you have an election on Tuesday? We voted on (and approved) a bond issue in my school district. I enjoy voting in person when I’m not serving as a precinct inspector, although I sure am glad all Michigan voters have the right to vote absentee now. I was surprised to have two other people in front of me at the sign-in table at my polling place.
The turnout was low, and the ballot was small, but election workers’ and clerks’ responsibilities aren’t much different than they are in presidential or midterm elections. Much gratitude goes out to all of them!
Redistricting Commission Launches Public Submission Tool
It’s now easier for members of the public to participate in the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s work.
This week, the ICRC launched a public comment portal where you can submit your congressional and legislative district map ideas; let them know about communities of interest in your area; and offer testimony and comments. You can also comment on what others have already submitted.
One caveat: Districtr (the software they use to help users create maps) only has data from 2010, since block-level 2020 Census data isn’t available yet. This means that many of the districts people submit right now will end up being too large or too small in population. Hopefully Districtr will upload the 2020 data shortly after it’s released.
As for the Commission itself, at this week’s meeting they continued to prepare for their upcoming public hearings, the first of which is scheduled for Tuesday in Jackson. The Commission worked to obtain audio/visual support for the hearings and amended its budget to reflect expenditures related to the hearings. The commission has also took steps to add a legal staffing agency and to hire a lawyer who may represent the commission in court.
Ballot drop box regulations
This week the Senate considered some of the bills in Senate Republicans’ infamous 39-bill package which Democrats have slammed as a voter suppression package. Many of the bills considered on Wednesday would regulate the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots and request forms. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson submitted written testimony opposing many of these bills, either because they would stifle voters’ rights or because they wouldn’t actually improve election administration in this state.
First up was Senate Bill 273, which would require that all drop boxes be approved by both the Secretary of State and the Board of County Canvassers. It’s easy to see a scenario where a future Secretary of State blanketly objects to all drop boxes in Michigan, or where no Republican canvassers in a county approve of any drop boxes. The bill would require that drop boxes be covered by video surveillance, and that the words “Area may be under surveillance” be printed in 72-point font. “The bill ignores the strong drop box security and monitoring standards already in place under Michigan law and calls for new measures that are unnecessary, impractical and cost-prohibitive,” Benson said in her written testimony.
In addition to the myriad duties that local clerks have in each election, Senate Bill 278 would require them to take meticulous notes on absentee ballot collection, including when and where each dropbox was collected.
Senate Bill 286 would prohibit any drop boxes from being used after 5:00 PM on the day before the election. That means for the last 27 hours before polls close, a voter must do directly to their clerk’s office.
Making it easier for servicemembers to vote… or not?
The Senate also considered Senate Bills 8 and 9 by Sen. Paul Wojno (D) and Senate Bill 311 by Sen. Ruth Johnson (R). These bills would allow military voters to use their Common Access Card to submit an electronic ballot. Wojno’s bills and Johnson’s bills are pretty similar, except that Wojno’s bills would allow military spouses to participate in the program, while Johnson’s bill would require that the program be in place in time for the August 2022 primary.
The catch? According to Benson (a former military spouse herself), the Department of Defense hasn’t agreed to authorize using the Common Access Card to vote. So it’s possible that this legislation won’t actually make it easier for servicemembers or their spouses to vote.
Signature verification and absentee pre-processing
The Senate Elections Committee also considered two other bills:
- Senate Bill 308 would require clerks and poll workers to undergo what Benson calls “overly specific and restrictive” signature verification training.
- Senate Bill 334 would allow 10 hours of pre-processing of absentee ballots the day before every election — a process that was implemented last November. Benson and others have said that the proposal does not go far enough.
The one bill the committee approved
Despite all the focus on the other bills, the Senate Elections Committee only approved one bill and sent it to the full Senate: Senate Bill 212.
When a candidate runs for office in Michigan, one of the things they must file is an informational form called an affidavit of identity. Michigan law currently requires that certain things be included in the affidavit form, such as name and address. Senate Bill 212 would add a few additional requirements for the affidavit, such as party affiliation and precinct number. Practically, I’m not sure the actual affidavit will change, since all of that info is already on the affidavit currently furnished by the Secretary of State.
Village term limits
A bill introduced this week by Rep. Greg Markkanen (R) would allow villages to establish term limits for village officers. The bill would require that the term limits be for either four terms of two years or two terms of four years.
This coming week
As menioned earlier, the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will hold the first of its constitutionally required public hearings this Tuesday and Thursday in Jackson and Kalamazoo, respectively. Meanwhile, I’d also expect the Senate Elections Committee to look at more of the Republicans’ 39-bill package. Groups like Voters Not Politicians will certainly be on the case.
