HB 5063 Summary

• Director of elections must review petition forms for constitutional amendments, legislation initiation, and referendums before circulation to verify compliance with formatting requirements and that any subject matter statements fairly reflect the proposal.

• Board of state canvassers must meet within 30 days of petition submission to approve or reject the petition form; signatures dated before board approval are invalid, and rejected petitions may be corrected and resubmitted.

• If the board fails to meet within 30 days or deadlocks on approval, petition sponsors may proceed with circulation, with signatures valid from the expiration of the 30-day period or meeting date, whichever is earlier.

• Secretary of state must certify ballot language statements for proposed amendments and questions to county clerks at least 60 days before election; counties distribute materials to township and city clerks for posting at polling places.

• Candidates must file affidavits of identity disclosing name changes unless the change occurred over 10 years ago, through naturalization, marriage, divorce, or common law name usage; candidates with recent name changes appear on ballots with both current and former names.