Gov. Rick Snyder Monday signed legislation to authorize extension of the filing deadline for city office elections in 2017, ensuring mayoral and city council candidates who filed petitions with the necessary signatures will be placed on the ballot for the primary election this August.
House Bill 4892, sponsored by state Rep. Lee Chatfield, adjusts the filing deadline for a candidate if a city clerk published a filing deadline different from the deadline set in the law, the clerk did not publicly correct the error within a certain time frame, and candidates relied on the incorrect deadline. HB 4892 requires the Secretary of State to direct the city clerk to include on the general ballot election all eligible candidates who filed before the 11th Tuesday before the August primaries.
Prior to January 2018, cities will be charged a $2,500 civil fine, and in addition, the city clerk will be required to attend an election training school conducted by the Secretary of State. Additionally, the Secretary of State will provide continuing oversight and training to affected jurisdictions. Starting January 2018, cities will be fined $5,000 if the filing deadline published is different than the deadline set in law and not corrected in a certain time frame.
The bill is now Public Act 118 of 2017.
For additional information on this and other legislation, visit, www.legislature.michigan.gov.
Published: Wed, Sep 20, 2017
