Public Act 298 of 2003

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• Introduced by Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom (R) on December 3, 2003, to require all local and state primary, general, and special elections in the state, including school elections, to be held on one of four days during the year: the last Tuesday in February, or the Tuesday after the first Monday in either May, August, or November. This would not apply to special elections called to fill open statewide or legislative offices. The bill would allow a school district to call one special bond, millage or debt election per year on a Tuesday “floater” date that is not on one of the four proposed regular election dates, and is not within 35 days of one of them, if a petition is signed by at least 10 percent of the number of electors voting in the last gubernatorial election in that district, or 3,000 electors, whichever is less. The bill part of the election consolidation package comprised of House Bills 4820 to 4828.
  • Referred to the Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee on December 3, 2003.
    • Reported in the Senate on December 11, 2003, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on December 11, 2003, to replace the previous version of the bill with one which incorporates technical changes that do not affect the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on December 11, 2003.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Samuel B. Thomas, III (D) on December 11, 2003, to eliminate the petition signature requirements, and allow a school district to call a special election on a "floater" date with a two-thirds vote of the school board. The amendment failed 17 to 21 in the Senate on December 11, 2003.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Passed 29 to 9 in the Senate on December 11, 2003, to require all local and state primary, general, and special elections in the state, including school elections, to be held on one of four days during the year: the last Tuesday in February, or the Tuesday after the first Monday in either May, August, or November. This would not apply to special elections called to fill open statewide or legislative offices. The bill would allow a school district to call one special bond, millage or debt election per year on a Tuesday “floater” date that is not on one of the four proposed regular election dates, and is not within 35 days of one of them, if a petition is signed by at least 10 percent of the number of electors voting in the last gubernatorial election in that district, or 3,000 electors, whichever is less. The bill part of the election consolidation package comprised of House Bills 4820 to 4828. The new consolidated election system would go into effect in 2005.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on December 16, 2003.
  • Referred to the House Local Government and Urban Policy Committee on December 16, 2003.
    • Reported in the House on December 17, 2003, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
• Passed 81 to 28 in the House on December 18, 2003, to require all local and state primary, general, and special elections in the state, including school elections, to be held on one of four days during the year: the last Tuesday in February, or the Tuesday after the first Monday in either May, August, or November. This would not apply to special elections called to fill open statewide or legislative offices. The bill would allow a school district to call one special bond, millage or debt election per year on a Tuesday “floater” date that is not on one of the four proposed regular election dates, and is not within 35 days of one of them, if a petition is signed by at least 10 percent of the number of electors voting in the last gubernatorial election in that district, or 3,000 electors, whichever is less. The bill part of the election consolidation package comprised of House Bills 4820 to 4828. The new consolidated election system would go into effect in 2005.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on January 8, 2004.