The bill amends Michigan election law to improve the requirements and processes for petitions related to constitutional amendments, legislative initiatives, and referendums. Key changes include the specification that petitions must be 8-1/2 inches by 14 inches, with clear headings and summaries in designated font sizes. It introduces new language clarifying that if a petition contains multiple signatures from the same elector, only the first valid signature will be counted. Additionally, it mandates that petitions indicate whether the circulator is a paid or volunteer signature gatherer and includes warnings about the legal implications of improper signing. The bill also rephrases certain terms for clarity, such as changing "a person" to "an individual," and ensures that signatures are not invalidated due to the absence of a city or township designation in case of naming conflicts.

Moreover, the bill addresses qualifying petitions for candidates without political party affiliation and the procedures for recall petitions. It allows circulators to use their mailing address on petitions, provided it includes their political jurisdiction, thus validating signatures even if a residence address is not used. The language in the qualifying petition form is modified to replace "voters" with "electors" and remove references to specific cities or townships. The bill clarifies the responsibilities of individuals circulating recall petitions, requiring them to affirm that signatures were not obtained through fraud and that they were present during the collection. These amendments aim to enhance the integrity of the petition process and facilitate better participation from candidates and voters, with changes set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Substitute (S-1): 168.482
Substitute (S-3): 168.482
Senate Introduced Bill: 168.482
As Passed by the Senate: 168.482