2007 Senate Bill 624 / Public Act 52

Revise presidential primary dates; require declaration of party

Introduced in the Senate

June 27, 2007

Introduced by Sen. Michelle McManus (R-35)

To set January 29 as the date for the 2008 presidential primary in Michigan, and require presidential primary voters to declare their party in order to vote. Also, to establish date ranges for future presidential primaries (sometime between the second Tuesday in January and the fourth Tuesday in February); establish procedures by which Democratic and Republican party chairs would determine the date; and prohibit either party from canceling a primary after Sept. 15 of the previous year, or without the agreement of the other party.

Referred to the Committee on Campaign and Election Oversight

July 19, 2007

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the bill pass.

Aug. 22, 2007

Amendment offered by Sen. Mark Schauer (D-19)

To allow no-reason absentee voting in Michigan elections.

The amendment failed 17 to 21 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-23)

To repeal a law that requires a person to use the same address for voting registration and for his or her drivers license or state personal identification card.

The amendment failed 17 to 21 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. Cameron Brown (R-16)

To establish Jan. 15 as the date of the proposed presidential primary elections.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Passed in the Senate 21 to 17 (details)

To set January 15 as the date for the 2008 presidential primary in Michigan (eliminating the statutory February statewide election day), and require presidential primary voters to declare their party in order to vote. This information would not be made available to the public at large, but only to the parties, who would be subject to some restrictions on how they could use it (they could not sell the lists). Also, to establish date ranges for future presidential primaries (sometime between the second Tuesday in January and the fourth Tuesday in February); and establish procedures by which Democratic and Republican party chairs would determine the date. The bill would not require either party to hold a primary.

Received in the House

Aug. 22, 2007

Referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics

Aug. 30, 2007

Substitute offered by Rep. Ted Hammon (D-50)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that does not require voters to declare a party. Legislators voted on this substitute knowing that a subsequent one canceling out the non-declaration provision was favored by the House majority leadership (and the minority leadership as well), and would be offered as soon as this vote was completed. The leadership has the power to "gavel through" a substitute it prefers without a roll call vote, which is just what happened after this vote.

The substitute passed 92 to 11 (details)

Substitute offered by Rep. Paul Condino (D-35)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises various details of the procedures specified for the parties related to holding a primary. This is one of several substitutes that reflect negotiations between the political parties on these details.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Chris Ward (R-66)

To require the parties to pay the state $1 each for the names of voters who requested to vote in their party's presidential primary election.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Chris Ward (R-66)

To establish that if only one person files for election as a party precinct delegate, the name need not appear on the ballot and the person is automatically elected.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Chris Ward (R-66)

To require a "do not contact" list that voters who request to vote in one or the other party's presidential primary election could sign up for when making that declaration. The parties would be prohibited from contacting the voter to promote candidates or for other party activities. Although the amendment was adopted, it was not included in the final substitute version of the bill that was voted on and passed.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Fred Miller (D-31)

To repeal the provision of state election law that requires a person to use the same address for voting registration and for his or her drivers license or state personal identification card.

The amendment failed 53 to 50 (details)

Substitute offered by Rep. Paul Condino (D-35)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises various details of the procedures specified for the parties related to holding a primary. This is one of several substitutes that reflect negotiations between the political parties on these details; see House-passed bill for the final version.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Fred Miller (D-31)

To allow "no reason" absentee voting.

The amendment failed 52 to 48 (details)

Passed in the House 67 to 34 (details)

To set January 15 as the date for the 2008 presidential primary in Michigan, and require presidential primary voters to declare their party in order to vote. This information would not be made available to the public at large, but only to the parties, who would be subject to some restrictions on how they could use it (they could not sell the lists). Also, to establish date ranges for future presidential primaries (sometime between the second Tuesday in January and the fourth Tuesday in February); and establish procedures by which Democratic and Republican party chairs would determine the date. The bill would not require either party to hold a primary.

Received in the Senate

Aug. 30, 2007

To concur with the House-passed version of the bill.

Passed in the Senate 36 to 0 (details)

Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm

Sept. 3, 2007