Michigan Administrative Code
Department - State
Elections & Campaign Finance
Signature Matching for Absent Voter Ballot Applications and Absent Voter Ballot Envelopes
Section R. 168.22 - Sufficient agreement of voter signature; voter contact by clerk
Current through Vol. 24-16, September 15, 2024
Rule 2.
(1) In determining for purposes of section 761(2) of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.761, or for the purposes of 766(2), 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.766, whether a voter's absent voter ballot application signature or absent voter ballot envelope signature agrees sufficiently with the voter's signature on file, an election official may determine that a signature does not agree sufficiently with the signature on file only after reviewing the absent voter ballot application signature or absent voter ballot envelope signature using the process set forth in these rules.
(2) A voter's signature should be considered invalid only if it differs in significant and obvious respects from the signature on file. Slight dissimilarities should be resolved in favor of the voter. Exact matches are not required to determine that a signature agrees sufficiently with the signature on file.
(3) If, after examining a voter's absent voter ballot application signature or absent voter ballot envelope signature using the process set forth in these rules, an election official has genuine concerns about the signature's validity, the election official may contact the voter to address those concerns prior to determining that a signature is not valid. Any efforts by the election official to contact a voter under this subsection is not notification for the purposes of R 168.25 that the absent voter ballot application signature or absent voter ballot envelope signature has been found not to agree sufficiently with the signature on file. An election official who is unable to determine that the absent voter ballot application signature or absent voter ballot envelope signature agrees sufficiently with the signature on file after contacting or attempting to contact the voter for clarification under this subsection is still bound by the notification timelines set forth in R 168.25.
An obvious error in R 168.22 was corrected at the request of the promulgating agency, pursuant to Section 56 of 1969 PA 306, as amended by 2000 PA 262, MCL 24.256. The rule containing the error was published in Michigan Register, 2022 MR 24. The memorandum requesting the correction was published in Michigan Register, 2024 MR 14.
