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SB 1021

Elections: school; election of regents, trustees, or board of governors for the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University; eliminate, and modify the nominating process for the secretary of state and attorney general. Amends; adds & repeals (See bill). TIE BAR WITH: SJR J'26

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sam Singh

The bill shifts key statewide nominations (secretary of state, attorney general, and related offices) from conventions to primary elections with petition requirements starting in 2

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
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Bill Summary · SB 1021

Overview

SB 1021 (2025-2026 Session, Michigan) proposes substantial changes to Michigan’s election law and the method for selecting certain university trustees and state constitutional officers. The bill repeals and amends multiple provisions of the Michigan Election Law and adds new sections (72a, 73a, 74a–74f, 74b–74f, 74c–74f, etc.), with a procedural plan that shifts from party conventions to primary nominations for several offices. It also includes a tie bar with SJR J'26, indicating a constitutional augmentation path.

Main purpose and intent

  • Transition from nominating conventions to primary elections for selecting certain statewide offices.
  • Eliminate or modify the traditional nomination process for the secretary of state and attorney general, replacing it with party primary elections and petition requirements beginning in 2027.
  • Extend direct public participation in selecting party nominees (via primaries and petition signatures) for statewide offices.
  • Apply similar nomination and election reforms to the boards of regents/trustees/governors for the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University.
  • Align ballot printing and vacancy procedures with the new nomination framework, including vacancy filling and candidate withdrawal rules.

Key provisions and changes

  • Sec. 72 and related sections:

    • Before 2027: Each major political party may nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general at fall state conventions.
    • Beginning Jan 1, 2027: Each party may nominate only for lieutenant governor at fall state conventions; secretary of state and attorney general nominations shift to the primary process.

  • Sec. 72a:

    • Beginning Jan 1, 2027, a general primary must be held in August (the Tuesday after the first Monday) in each election precinct for secretary of state and attorney general elections.
    • Qualified voters of each party may vote for party candidates for these offices at the primary.

  • Sec. 73 and Sec. 73a:

    • Convention canvassing: After conventions, state central committees determine party nominees for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general (and, beginning 2027, for lieutenant governor only).
    • Nominee lists and transmission to the secretary of state for ballot preparation.
    • Sec. 73a adds petition requirements for nominating petitions for secretary of state or attorney general, including:
    • Petitions signed by at least 100 registered electors per 1/2 of congressional districts, with statewide threshold based on governor vote totals (relative to 2% district-wide minimum and 1% statewide minimum).
    • Filing deadline: up to the fifteenth Tuesday before the August primary.

  • Sec. 74–74f (and related subsections) cover withdrawals, vacancies, and ballots:

    • Withdrawals: Stricter withdrawal deadlines after convention for nominees.
    • If a party has no candidate for secretary of state or attorney general, a blank space can be printed on ballots for write-in style selections.
    • Vacancy or death after nomination: Party central committee can nominate a replacement, with immediate ballot printing implications.
    • Post-close of filing: Nominee with the highest votes in the general election becomes the party’s nominee, certified by the board of state canvassers.

  • Board and election officer provisions (Secs. 281–296, 534, 590a–590b, 643, 697, 828):

    • Eligibility to serve on the state boards of education and the three universities is tied to being a registered and qualified elector.
    • Nomination timelines and procedures for the university boards align with the party-convention-to-primary transition.
    • General primary and petition requirements apply to statewide offices, with the August primary window specified.
    • General election ballot ordering and canvassing procedures updated to reflect new nomination processes.

  • Sec. 534, 590a, 590b, 643, 697, 828:

    • Primary and petition mechanics, signatures, and timing for various state and university offices.
    • Revisions to the ballot printing process, canvassing, and certification.

  • Enacting provisions:

    • Repeals of Sections 282 and 286 of the Michigan election law and a repealed public act related to the schedule, with an overarching condition that the act’s amendments take effect only if a specified constitutional amendment (SJR J'26) becomes part of the state constitution.

Who would be affected

  • Political parties: Changes to nomination processes (conventions vs. primaries) and petition requirements for secretary of state and attorney general.
  • Electors: General public voters would participate in party primaries for secretary of state and attorney general starting in 2027.
  • Statewide offices: Secretary of State and Attorney General (and Lieutenant Governor per convention, with primary changes) would be chosen via primaries and petition-based nominating processes.
  • University governance: The University of Michigan Board of Regents, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, and Wayne State University Board of Governors would be selected under revised nomination and election procedures.
  • County canvassers and clerks: Ballot printing, canvass reporting, and certification processes would be updated to reflect the new nomination framework.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date of major changes: January 1, 2027.
  • August primary: Implemented for secretary of state and attorney general elections starting in 2027; primary dates set as the Tuesday after the first Monday in August before general elections.
  • Post-convention timelines: Nominees must be certified to the secretary of state within a tight window (not more than one business day after convention).
  • Nominating petitions: Deadline set for filing petitions up to 4 p.m. on the fifteenth Tuesday before the August primary.
  • Vacancy and withdrawal rules: Stricter withdrawal deadlines; replacement procedures for vacancies and death after nomination.
  • Ballot and canvass: Clear procedures for printing names, notifying county clerks, and certifying results through the board of state canvassers.

Note: The bill explicitly ties its enactment to a constitutional amendment (SJR J'26) becoming part of the state constitution, indicating that several provisions depend on constitutional change.

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

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