Sec. 656.
(1) A city, ward, township, or village using paper ballots, having less than 400 registered voters, which constitutes a single election precinct, in the discretion of the election commission, or other officials charged with the performance of the duty by the charter of the city or village, may be divided into 2 or more election precincts. In a township, upon a petition signed by not less than 25 qualified electors of the township showing the boundaries of the proposed election precincts, the township board shall submit to the electors of the township, at the next election held in the township, the question of the division of the township into election precincts, as set forth in the petition. If, at the referendum, the electors of the township decide in favor of the division of the township into such election precincts, the township board shall thereupon make the division and enter the same of record in the proceedings of the township board. When in a township, city, ward, or village, or in an election precinct therein, using paper ballots, there is 400 or more registered electors, the election commission of the township or city, or other officials charged with the performance of the duty by the charter of the city or village, shall by resolution divide the precincts into 2 or more precincts, or shall again divide the township, city, ward, or village into election precincts, so that there shall not be more than 400 registered electors in any 1 precinct.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), city and township election commissions shall divide precincts according to law, not later than 210 days before the primary next preceding the general November election, and shall immediately notify the county clerk of the number of registered voters in each precinct in such city or township. The county clerk shall notify the secretary of state not later than 200 days before the primary of any precincts in his or her county which have not been divided according to law, and the secretary of state shall proceed to make the divisions as are necessary at the expense of the city or township involved, not later than 180 days before the primary next preceding the general November election. The division of precincts shall be made effective not later than 180 days before the primary election next preceding the general November election.
(3) In the second year following each federal census, precincts shall be divided pursuant to this subsection. City and township election commissions shall divide precincts, not later than 120 days before the primary election next preceding the general November election in order that a precinct, as far as is practical, is not split between districts and does not exceed 400 registered voters, and the commissions shall immediately notify the county clerk of the number of registered voters in each precinct in each city or township. The county clerk shall notify the secretary of state not later than 110 days before the primary of any precincts in the county which have not been divided, and the secretary of state shall proceed to make the divisions as are necessary at the expense of the city or township involved, not later than 90 days before the primary election. The division of precincts shall be made effective not later than 90 days before the primary election next preceding the general November election. The secretary of state may authorize, upon written request by a city or township election commission, a later division of a precinct which contains portions of more than 1 elective district. All precinct divisions under this subsection shall be completed not later than 90 days before the primary election next preceding the general November election.
History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1955, Act 271, Imd. Eff. June 30, 1955 ;-- Am. 1969, Act 290, Imd. Eff. Aug. 11, 1969 ;-- Am. 1975, Act 325, Imd. Eff. Jan. 9, 1976 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 2, Imd. Eff. Jan. 27, 1982
Popular Name: Election Code
Last modified: October 10, 2016