Legislative Analysis
ALLOWABLE USES FOR ON-DEMAND BALLOT PRINTING Phone: (517) 373-8080
http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
House Bill 6052 as reported from House committee Analysis available at
Sponsor: Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Committee: Elections
Complete to 12-7-24
SUMMARY:
House Bill 6052 would amend the Michigan Election Law to expand the allowable uses for
on-demand ballot printing systems beyond their currently allowed use for early voting.
To implement the early voting provisions added to the state constitution by Proposal 2 of 2022,1
2023 PA 81 required the secretary of state to evaluate new voting system technology that
produces ballots on demand or may be used to cast and tabulate early voting ballots and submit
appropriate new technology to the Board of State Canvassers for approval. The secretary of
state also was charged with issuing instructions regarding ballots produced by an on-demand
ballot printing system and that are subject to challenge. 2
In addition, 2023 PA 81 amended the Michigan Election Law to exempt ballots produced by
an on-demand ballot printing system for purposes of early voting from the general requirements
that paper ballots be numbered sequentially and have an attached, perforated, numbered stub.
The bill would additionally exempt the following kinds of ballots from those requirements if
they are produced by an on-demand ballot printing system:
• Absent voter ballots issued to individuals who register to vote or update a voter
registration at a clerk’s office on election day.
• Ballots issued to individuals who register to vote or update a voter registration at an
election day vote center.
• Ballots translated to a language other than English.
MCL 168.570, 168.795b, and 168.797a
FISCAL IMPACT:
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the state or local units of government.
BRIEF DISCUSSION:
According to committee testimony, the use of ballot-on-demand technology for early voting
accounted for over 1.0 million ballots in 2024, allowing clerks to print the correct ballot for
each individual in real time. Supporters of House Bill 6052 suggest that expanding its use to
same-day voter registration, election day vote centers, and ballots in a non–English language
is the logical next step for using this technology in Michigan.
1
Section 4(1)(m): https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-ARTICLE-II-4
2
See https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-720c
2023 PA 81: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0367
House Fiscal Agency Page 1 of 2
 Opponents of the bill, however, raised concerns about the lack of requirements for a numbering
system for ballots printed on demand.
POSITIONS:
Representatives of the following entities testified in support of the bill (11-12-24):
• Department of State
• Promote The Vote
The following entities indicated support for the bill (11-12-24):
• American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
• Voters Not Politicians
A representative of Pure Integrity for Michigan Elections testified in opposition to the bill.
(11-12-24)
Legislative Analyst: Holly Kuhn
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Cnossen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
House Fiscal Agency HB 6052 as reported Page 2 of 2