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HB 5575

Elections: petitions; ballot initiative and constitutional amendment petition filing deadlines; modify, and modify petition signature requirements. Amends sec. 471 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.471).

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Joey Andrews and 18 co-sponsors

HB 5575 standardizes petition forms, allows statistical sampling for signature review, tightens deadlines and penalties, and expands fraud enforcement for elections in Michigan.

vetoed by the Governor 01/17/2025
#elections:constitutionalamendments #elections:electionofficials #elections:initiativeandreferendum #elections:petitions #stateagencies(existing):state
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5575

Summary — HB 5575 (Michigan Election Law amendments — petitions)

Status: Vetoed by the Governor (January 17, 2025).
Introduced: March 13–14, 2024 (House); Passed House June 26, 2024; Passed Senate December 19, 2024; Presented to Governor January 8, 2025; vetoed January 17, 2025.

Main purpose / intent

HB 5575 is part of a package (HBs 5571–5576 and companion measures) to revise Michigan’s petition and canvass procedures for ballot initiatives, referenda, and nominating petitions. The bill seeks to standardize petition forms and content, change filing and canvass timing rules, authorize statistical sampling for signature review, strengthen tools to address fraudulent signatures, and reorganize certain criminal penalties and administrative requirements.

Key provisions and changes

  • Filing deadlines (section amended):
    • Constitutional amendment petitions must be filed with the Secretary of State at least 120 days before the election.
    • Initiative (statutory) petitions must be filed at least 160 days before the election at which the initiative would appear if the Legislature rejects or fails to enact it.
    • Referendum petitions must be filed no more than 90 days after final adjournment of the legislative session that enacted the subject law.
  • Petition content and form standards:
    • Requires a Secretary of State / Board-approved petition form and a digitally editable template.
    • Petition must include: a sponsor area, a 100‑word summary of purpose, the full text of the proposal (printed on the reverse; fold-over allowed if needed), a signature table (name, address, city/township, ZIP, county, date), a petition circulator certification, and any Michigan Campaign Finance Act identification statements.
    • Petition text size minimums and placement requirements (e.g., 8‑point default text; summary and warning in larger type) were specified in committee reports.
  • Signature-counting rules and geographic limit:
    • No more than 15% of the signatures used to determine sufficiency may come from any single congressional district; excess signatures from any district must not be counted.
    • When filing, petitioners must state in writing they made a good‑faith effort to sort petitions and are submitting at least the minimum required signatures.
  • Canvass and review procedures:
    • Authorizes the Board of State Canvassers (BSC) to use Board‑approved statistical random sampling to evaluate signature validity and petition form compliance and to publish canvass procedures and progress online.
    • Allows disqualification of “obviously fraudulent” signatures without checking the Qualified Voter File (QVF) in certain circumstances and requires referral of signatures the Board determines to be obviously fraudulent to the Attorney General for investigation.
    • Requires quicker Board action on nominating-petition complaints (7 days in specified circumstances) and other timeline adjustments in the canvass process (e.g., target declaration of sufficiency at least 60 days before the relevant election in some provisions in related bills).
  • Administrative changes and repeals:
    • Repeals section 472 of the Michigan Election Law (and other circulation-related provisions in companion bills).
    • Requires the Bureau of Elections to make copies/original petition sheets available on request (fees permitted).
  • Penalties and enforcement:
    • Reorganizes misdemeanor and felony penalty provisions related to false signatures, false circulator certifications, etc., and provides authority to disqualify candidates who refuse to comply with investigations or subpoenas.

Who would be affected

  • Petition sponsors, circulators, and ballot‑question committees (new form and content rules; circulator certification).
  • Candidates and political committees using nominating petitions (random sampling, faster Board timelines, referral of fraud to AG).
  • Secretary of State / Bureau of Elections and Board of State Canvassers (new duties: form creation, posting, canvass processes).
  • Attorney General (potentially increased investigations of referred fraud).
  • Local clerks (some cooperation duties for verification; potential minor administrative impacts).

Fiscal and practical impacts

  • Fiscal: indeterminate. Potential MDOS staff savings from fewer full petition reviews; possible increased costs for the Attorney General and criminal justice system if prosecutions increase. Local fiscal impact likely negligible (administrative time).
  • Practical: standardizes forms and allows statistical sampling, which proponents say speeds and clarifies canvass work; opponents raised concerns about thresholds for disqualification and new enforcement burdens.

Procedural / contingency notes

  • HB 5575 was tie‑barred to related bills in the HB 5571–5576 package (enactment conditioned on enactment of companion measures).
  • Enacting section repealed MCL 168.472 and included a non‑effect clause dependent on companion bills.
  • Final enacted/enrolled language retained the 120/160/90 filing deadlines noted above. The package was vetoed by the Governor on January 17, 2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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