Updates About Elections

On February 1, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 13, a bill to move the presidential primary in Michigan from the second Tuesday in March to the fourth Tuesday in February.

Throughout the legislative process, Republicans voiced concerns that changing the primary breaks the Republican National Committee (RNC) rules that prohibit Michigan from holding primaries before March 1. Consequently, the bill failed to collect enough Republican votes in the Senate to ensure immediate effect.

Under the state Constitution, a law cannot take effect until 90 calendar days after the end of the legislative session year. For this bill to apply to the 2024 presidential primary, the state Legislature would have to adjourn for the year by November 29. However, Governor Whitmer would be able call special session days for the Legislature to finish any business throughout the remainder of the year.

For the upcoming presidential primary in 2024, Michigan is slated to vote on February 27.

On January 13, Governor Whitmer announced the re-appointment of Mary Ellen Gurewitz and Richard Houskamp to the Board of State Canvassers. Mary Ellen Gurewitz of Detroit was appointed to represent Democrats and Richard Houskamp of Grand Rapids is appointed to represent Republicans. Both of their terms begin on February 1, 2023 and will expire January 31, 2027. Their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

The Board of State Canvassers canvasses and certifies statewide elections, canvasses nominating petitions and state-level ballot proposals and their petitions, approves electronic voting systems for use in the state and, when necessary, conducts recounts for state-level offices. The Board is currently composed of four members with two members from each major political party.

On Monday, November 28, the Board of Canvassers unanimously certified the 2022 Michigan election results for all 83 counties.

The bipartisan panel, consisting of two Republicans and two Democrats, accepted the results despite two hours of public comment urging the board to overturn the results as well as demands from dissatisfied candidates who claim election fraud occurred. Among these candidates was Republican Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo who lost by 14 points to incumbent Democrat Jocelyn Benson. Karamo’s accusations were not entertained by Republican Chairman Anthony Daunt.

In related news, the Board of State Canvassers unanimously approved the partial recount of Proposal 2, Promote the Vote, and Proposal 3, Reproductive Freedom for All on December 5. Proposal 2 will see recounts in more than 40 precincts while Proposal 3 will see recounts in over 500 precincts. This initiative was spearheaded by the Election Integrity Fund and Force, a group that has peddled election conspiracy theories.