Sec. 471.
Petitions under section 2 of article XII of the state constitution of 1963 proposing an amendment to the constitution must be filed with the secretary of state at least 120 days before the election at which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon. Initiative petitions under section 9 of article II of the state constitution of 1963 must be filed with the secretary of state at least 160 days before the election at which the proposed law would appear on the ballot if the legislature rejects or fails to enact the proposed law. Referendum petitions under section 9 of article II of the state constitution of 1963 must be filed with the secretary of state not more than 90 days following the final adjournment of the legislative session at which the law that is the subject of the referendum was enacted. Not more than 15% of the signatures to be used to determine the validity of a petition described in this section shall be of registered electors from any 1 congressional district. Any signature submitted on a petition above the limit described in this section must not be counted. When filing a petition described in this section with the secretary of state, a person must sort the petition so that the petition signatures are categorized by congressional district. In addition, when filing a petition described in this section with the secretary of state, the person who files the petition must state in writing a good-faith estimate of the number of petition signatures from each congressional district.
History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1963, 2nd Ex. Sess., Act 9, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 1963 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 219, Eff. Mar. 10, 2000 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 608, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2018 Constitutionality: The geographic distribution requirement that not more than 15% of the signatures come from any 1 congressional district, as added by Act 608 of 2018, violates the state constitution of 1963. League of Women Voters of Mich v Sec’y of State, 508 Mich 520 (2022).Popular Name: Election Code
Structure Michigan Compiled Laws
Chapter 168 - Michigan Election Law
Act 116 of 1954 - Michigan Election Law (168.1 - 168.992)
116-1954-XXII - Chapter XXII Initiative and Referendum (168.471...168.488)
Section 168.471 - Petitions Proposing Constitutional Amendments; Filing; Signature Requirements.
Section 168.472 - Initiative Petitions; Filing.
Section 168.472a - Petition; Signatures to Be Counted.
Section 168.473 - Referendum Petitions; Filing.
Section 168.473b - Filing Petition After November Election.
Section 168.474 - Repealed. 2012, Act 276, Eff. Aug. 16, 2012.
Section 168.481 - Proposed Constitutional Amendment or Question; Form.
Section 168.482 - Petitions; Size; Form; Contents.
Section 168.482a - Paid Signature Gatherer; Affidavit; Invalidity of Signatures.
Section 168.482d - "Paid Signature Gatherer" Defined.
Section 168.482e - Prohibited Conduct; Misdemeanor; Felony; Penalties.
Section 168.483, 168.484 - Repealed. 1965, Act 312, Eff. Jan. 1, 1966.
Section 168.485 - Questions Submitted to Electors; Form.
Section 168.488 - Applicability of MCL 168.544c and 168.482(1), (4), (5), and (6).