Public Act 163 of 2011
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- Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on August 24, 2011, to authorize a Republican presidential primary election between Feb. 28 and March 6, 2012. This would be a “closed” primary, meaning voters would have to “declare” that they want a Republican ballot. The voter lists would become public information.
- Referred to the Senate Local Government & Elections Committee on August 24, 2011.
- Substitute offered in the Senate on September 15, 2011, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance as previously described. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on September 15, 2011.
- Amendment offered in the Senate on September 15, 2011, to authorize "no reason" absentee ballots for this election. The amendment failed 12 to 25 in the Senate on September 15, 2011.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
- Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on September 15, 2011, to authorize a Republican presidential primary election on Feb. 28, 2012. This would be a “closed” primary, meaning voters would have to “declare” that they want a Republican ballot. The voter lists would become public information.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" - Received in the House on September 15, 2011.
- Referred to the House Redistricting and Elections Committee on September 15, 2011.
- Reported in the House on September 20, 2011, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
- Substitute offered by Rep. Woodrow Stanley (D) on September 20, 2011, to make this an "open" primary rather than a "closed" one, meaning that Democrats could cross-over and vote without "declaring" publically that they want a Republican ballot. The substitute failed 45 to 63 in the House on September 20, 2011.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
- Amendment offered by Rep. David Nathan (D) on September 20, 2011. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 20, 2011.
- Substitute offered by Rep. Barb Byrum (D) on September 20, 2011, to authorize "early voting," "no-reason" absentee ballot voting, and early registration for 16- and 17-year-olds (effective when they turn 18) in all Michigan elections. The substitute failed by voice vote in the House on September 20, 2011.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Barb Byrum (D) on September 20, 2011, to give the proposed law the official title of "The $10 Million Republican Presidential Primary Election Law". The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on September 20, 2011.
- Referred to the House Redistricting and Elections Committee on September 15, 2011.
- Passed 63 to 45 in the House on September 20, 2011, to authorize a Republican presidential primary election on Feb. 28, 2012. This would be a “closed” primary, meaning voters would have to “declare” that they want a Republican ballot. The voter lists would become public information.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" - Received in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
- Motion by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on September 21, 2011, that the bill be given immediate effect. The motion passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
- Motion by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on September 21, 2011, that the bill be given immediate effect. The motion passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on September 21, 2011.
- Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on October 4, 2011.
Comments
1) Re: 2011 Senate Bill 584 (Set date and authorize “closed” Republican presidential primary ) by Paul on September 22, 2011Total Nonsense !!!
Unless O'Bama abdicates, there is no real Democratic Presidential Primary. Why would the Democrats vote against this. Why do the Repulicans insist on calling it a "closed" primary ?
Senator Bieda’s statement, in which Senators Whitmer, Anderson, Hood, Gregory and Hunter concurred, is as follows:
Colleagues, you know, voting is one of the most important tasks and responsibilities of the citizens in this state. I don’t take that responsibility lightly in this body, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly as a citizen when I go to the voting booth. Neither should any of us, and I know we don’t.
The bill before us today raises some real important questions. How do you justify a $10 million expenditure to hold a single-party closed primary election at the very same time that we are making devastating cuts to education, to public safety, and a host of other vital state programs by claiming that we can no longer afford them? You are telling Michigan’s parents that a single-political-party closed election is more important than providing bus service to their children to take their children safely to school. You are telling Michigan’s public safety officers that a single-party closed primary is more important than their ability to do their job and keep their community safe. You are telling Michigan’s middle-class families that the tax increases on pensions that went through earlier this year didn’t go for the betterment of the state, but it went to fund the single, closed primary election.
I am the first one to say that I think voting is one of the most important tasks that we can do. I proposed an amendment to make it easier for people to vote by no-excuse absentee voting, and it’s an open and clean government type of reform, but there are alternatives to this expensive primary. The presidential primaries in the past have been held in caucus systems where the political parties paid for it themselves. I think under these stressful economic times that this is a bad move on the part of this Legislature. We have better places that these scarce dollars can be directed to.
I would urge my colleagues to think of Michigan taxpayers, and vote “no” on this bill.
Introduced in the Senate on August 24, 2011
The vote was 25 in favor, 12 opposed and 1 not voting
(Senate Roll Call 486 at Senate Journal 0)
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