HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1997.04.24 - 24950Miscellaneous Resolution #97077
BY: General Government Committee, Kay Schmid, Chairman
RE: Clerk/Register of Deeds - Amendments to PA 583 of 1996
To The Oakland County Board of Commissioners
April 24, 1997
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS, in the flurry of bills which were passed into law during the last legislative
session, several amendments were made to the State Election Laws which have a deleterious effect
on the elections process and which place an extreme hardship on the administration of elections for
major jurisdictions throughout the State, and
WHEREAS, of utmost concern is the provision in PA 583 of 1996, which moves the precinct
delegate filing deadline to the twelfth Tuesday prior to the August Primary, which is the same
deadline as candidates for federal, state and county offices, and the provision which allows precinct
delegates to file locally will unduly delay the compilation of delegate candidates, and adversely
impact the process of ballot construction, proofing and printing, and
WHEREAS, PA 583 of 1996 also eliminated the provision for filing a nominating petition
for precinct delegate, and replaced it with the requirement of filing an affidavit of identity, which
will engender a great number of people filing at the last minute, requiring assistance from a limited
number of election clerks, and escalating the already hectic final hours of filing, and
WHEREAS, the elimination of the three-vote minimum requirement for election to precinct
delegate to the county convention, presents another problem as long as write-ins continue for this
office; such a practice among Oakland County's 549 precincts, would have historically caused a
great number of tie votes, as the number of write-ins who receive only one vote is extensive.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
does hereby support amendment of the Michigan Election Law, as amended by PA 583, of 1996,
to:
• reinstate the previous precinct delegate filing date,
• reinstate the requirement for filing a nominating petition for precinct delegate,
• eliminate the local filing of candidacy for precinct delegates, and
• reinstate the three-vote requirement for election to precinct delegate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this resolution be sent to all of
Oakland County's state legislators, to Oakland County Clerk/ Register, to the Oakland County
Clerks Association, to the Michigan Association of Counties and to the County's legislative agents.
Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move the adoption of the
foregoing resolution.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
Resolution #97077 April 24, 1997
Moved by Schmid supported by Coleman the resolution be adopted.
AYES: Garfield, Holbert, Huntoon, Jensen, Johnson, Kaczmar, Kingzett,
McCulloch, McPherson, Obrecht, Palmer, Pernick, Powers, Schmid, Taub, Wolf, Amos,
Coleman, Devine, Dingeldey, Douglas. (21)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the resolution was adopted.
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lynn D. Allen, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the
Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April 24, 1997 with the original record
thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the
County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 24th day,of Apri1.1297.
Lyrin D. Allen, County Clerk