Bill Text: MI SB0881 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Elections; school; pilot program to conduct school election via internet or mail; provide for. Amends 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.1 - 168.992) by adding sec. 317.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-09-30 - Referred To Committee On Campaign And Election Oversight [SB0881 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2009-SB0881-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL No. 881
September 30, 2009, Introduced by Senator SWITALSKI and referred to the Committee on Campaign and Election Oversight.
A bill to amend 1954 PA 116, entitled
"Michigan election law,"
(MCL 168.1 to 168.992) by adding section 317.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 317. (1) Beginning January 1, 2010 and through December
31, 2011, the secretary of state shall establish a pilot project to
test the following in school district elections:
(a) Internet voting.
(b) Voting by mail.
(c) A combination of internet voting and voting by mail.
(2) The secretary of state shall select not fewer than 6 or
more than 12 school districts to test internet voting, voting by
mail, or a combination of internet voting and voting by mail in
compliance with this section. The secretary of state shall approve
a plan for internet voting, voting by mail, or a combination of
internet voting and voting by mail submitted by a school district
if it meets the guidelines established by the secretary of state.
The guidelines shall include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(a) Pilot project school districts shall vary in size of
school population and shall include small school districts and
large school districts.
(b) Pilot project school districts shall represent diverse
geographical regions of this state and shall include urban school
districts and rural school districts.
(3) The local election officials for each school district
selected as a pilot project school district under subsection (2)
shall cooperate with the secretary of state in conducting a pilot
project school district election involving internet voting, voting
by mail, or a combination of internet voting and voting by mail.
(4) The secretary of state shall implement internet voting,
voting by mail, or a combination of internet voting and voting by
mail in a pilot project school district at a school district
election in which a single question is on the ballot.
(5) The secretary of state shall prescribe the procedures for
a secure means for internet voting and voting by mail.
(6) Before March 31, 2012, the secretary of state shall submit
a report to the house and senate committees that consider election
issues. The secretary of state shall include all of the following
in the report for each pilot project school district:
(a) The cost of each school district election that utilizes
internet voting, voting by mail, or a combination of internet
voting and voting by mail.
(b) The level of voter participation in each school district
election that utilizes internet voting, voting by mail, or a
combination of internet voting and voting by mail.
(c) Information concerning the accuracy, security, and
integrity of internet voting and voting by mail.
(d) The recommendation of the secretary of state concerning
statewide internet voting and statewide voting by mail.
(e) The recommendation of each pilot project school district
concerning statewide internet voting and statewide voting by mail.
(f) Any other information the secretary of state considers
relevant.
(7) As used in this section:
(a) "Internet voting" means the act of voting in a school
district election by a qualified and registered elector utilizing
the internet at home or utilizing an internet voting system.
(b) "Internet voting system" means a voting system at a
polling place approved for use by the board of state canvassers
that allows an elector to secretly and securely transmit his or her
voted ballot to elections officials by utilizing the internet.
(c) "Large school district" means a school district with 5,000
or more pupils.
(d) "Rural school district" means a school district that has a
population density of 100 or fewer persons per square mile as
determined by the most recent federal decennial census.
(e) "Small school district" means a school district with less
than 5,000 pupils.
(f) "Urban school district" means a school district that has a
population density of 500 or more persons per square mile as
determined by the most recent federal decennial census.
