Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 168 / Act 116 of 1954
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2 (2026)

Definitions; A to I.

✓ current as of July 2026
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MICHIGAN ELECTION LAW


Act 116 of 1954


168.2 Definitions; A to I.

Sec. 2.

    As used in this act:

    (a) "Absent voter" is a voter who utilizes the process described in section 759.

    (b) "Absent voter ballot" means a ballot that is issued to a voter through the absent voter process.

    (c) "Ballot container" is defined in section 14a.

    (d) "Ballot question committee" means that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan campaign finance act, 1976 PA 388, MCL 169.202.

    (e) "Business day" or "secular day" means a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

    (f) "Change the result of the election" means either of the following:

    (i) Elect a different candidate.

    (ii) Result in the opposite outcome for a ballot question.

    (g) "Clearly observable boundaries" is defined in section 654a.

    (h) "Common carrier" means a company that transports mail, on reasonable request, on regular routes and at set rates.

    (i) "Educational institution" means a public or private institution, or a separate school or department of a public or private institution, that is authorized by law or an accrediting body to grant or issue a diploma, degree, certificate, or license, or to grant approval to practice a profession or engage in an enterprise, and includes, but is not limited to, an academy, high school, college, university, community college, junior college, secondary school, extension course, or a business, nursing, professional, secretarial, technical, or vocational school.

    (j) "Election" means an election or primary election at which the electors of this state or of a subdivision of this state choose or nominate by ballot an individual for public office or decide a ballot question lawfully submitted to them.

    (k) "Election precinct" is defined in section 654.

    (l) "Fall" state and county conventions and "spring" state and county conventions are assigned meanings in section 596.

    (m) "General election" or "general November election" means the election held on the November regular election date in an even numbered year.

    (n) "Identification for election purposes" means, if issued to the individual presenting the card or document and if presented for voting purposes the name on the card or document sufficiently matches the individual's name in the individual's voter registration record so as to accurately identify the individual as the registered elector, or if issued to the individual presenting the card or document and if presented for voter registration purposes, any of the following:

    (i) An operator's or chauffeur's license issued under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or an enhanced driver license issued under the enhanced driver license and enhanced official state personal identification card act, 2008 PA 23, MCL 28.301 to 28.308.

    (ii) An official state personal identification card issued under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, or an enhanced official state personal identification card issued under the enhanced driver license and enhanced official state personal identification card act, 2008 PA 23, MCL 28.301 to 28.308.

    (iii) A current operator's or chauffeur's license issued by another state.

    (iv) A current state personal identification card issued by another state.

    (v) A current state government issued photo identification card.

    (vi) A current United States passport or federal government issued photo identification card.

    (vii) A current military photo identification card.

    (viii) A current tribal photo identification card.

    (ix) A current photo identification card issued by a local government.

    (x) A current student photo identification card issued by an educational institution.

    (o) "Immediate family" means an individual's father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, and spouse and a relative of any degree residing in the same household as that individual.

    

    

History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1968, Act 152, Eff. July 1, 1968 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 216, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 1999 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 91, Eff. Apr. 9, 2002 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 163, Imd. Eff. Apr. 9, 2002 ;-- Am. 2003, Act 302, Eff. Jan. 1, 2005 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 129, Imd. Eff. May 3, 2018 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 603, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2018 ;-- Am. 2023, Act 87, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024 ;-- Am. 2024, Act 74, Eff. Apr. 2, 2025

Constitutionality Notes:

    Legislative attempt in this section to place an interpretation having the effect of law upon the words “civil appointment”, as used in Const 1963, art 4, § 9, is beyond the legislative power. Richardson v Secretary of State, 381 Mich 304; 160 NW2d 883 (1968).

PopularName Notes:

Election Code
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1968–2024 · leading case: Richardson v. Sec'y of State, 160 N.W.2d 883 (Mich. 1968).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Richardson v. Sec'y of State, 160 N.W.2d 883 (Mich. 1968). · cites it 3× “" I do agree that PA 1968, No 152, amending PA 1954, No 116, § 2 (CLS 1961, § 168.2, Stat Ann 1956 Rev § 6.1002), is constitutionally infirm by reason of the sentence, "The term `election' is not synonymous with the term `civil appointment' as such term appears in section 9 of…”
Key v. Twp. of Paw Paw, 657 N.W.2d 546 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003). “” A subsection of the Michigan Election Law, MCL 168.2(a), defines “business day” as “a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.”
Ferency v. Austin, 493 F. Supp. 683 (W.D. Mich. 1980). “§ 168.2 does not preclude this court from interpreting the term “caucus” to mean an “election”, I am not convinced that the language in Section 2 supports such an interpretation.”
Attorney Gen. v. Clarke, 803 N.W.2d 130 (Mich. 2011). · cites it 2× “(4) Michigan law defines “general election” as “the election held on the November regular election date in an even numbered year,” MCL 168.2(h), and sets the 2 November regular election date as “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November,” MCL 168.”
Ferency v. Sec'y of State, 362 N.W.2d 743 (Mich. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 2× “Plaintiff next argues that the trial court erred in holding that the March caucuses were not "elections” under the definition of "election” found in MCL 168.2; MSA 6.1002, which reads: "The term 'election’, as used in this act, shall mean and be held to include any election and…”
Gina Kozlowski v. Charter Twp. of Waterford (Mich. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 4× “1 MCL 168.2 was amended on December 28, 2018.”
Promote the Vote v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 4× “” -4- purposes as that term is defined in [MCL 168.2] and 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant’s name and current residence address: (a) A current utility bill.”
Promote the Vote v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “497(3) literally requires proof of identity under MCL 168.2(k). In other words, the Legislature has not, in any way, provided guidance as to what constitutes “proof of residency.”
20231214_C368615_67_368615.Opn.Pdf (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). “See MCL 168.2(g) (defining “election” as “an election or primary election at which the electors of this state or of a subdivision of this state choose or nominate by ballot an individual for public office .”
People of Michigan v. James Donald Holkeboer (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). “See MCL 168.2 through MCL 168.4. The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary provides several definitions for “remove” and “secrete.”
Templin v. Oakland Cnty. Clerk, 387 N.W.2d 156 (Mich. Ct. App. 1986). “*492 To support their argument, defendants rely principally upon MCL 168.2; MSA 6.1002, which provides in pertinent part: "The term 'election’, as used in this act, shall mean and be held to include any election and primary election, at which the electors of the state or of any…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(a) — 1 case
Key v. Twp. of Paw Paw, 657 N.W.2d 546 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003). “” A subsection of the Michigan Election Law, MCL 168.2(a), defines “business day” as “a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(b) — 1 case
Promote the Vote v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “” -4- purposes as that term is defined in [MCL 168.2] and 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant’s name and current residence address: (a) A current utility bill.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(e) — 1 case
Gina Kozlowski v. Charter Twp. of Waterford (Mich. Ct. App. 2019). “1 MCL 168.2 was amended on December 28, 2018.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(g) — 2 cases
Gina Kozlowski v. Charter Twp. of Waterford (Mich. Ct. App. 2019). “1 MCL 168.2 was amended on December 28, 2018.”
20231214_C368615_67_368615.Opn.Pdf (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). “See MCL 168.2(g) (defining “election” as “an election or primary election at which the electors of this state or of a subdivision of this state choose or nominate by ballot an individual for public office .”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(h) — 1 case
Attorney Gen. v. Clarke, 803 N.W.2d 130 (Mich. 2011). “(4) Michigan law defines “general election” as “the election held on the November regular election date in an even numbered year,” MCL 168.2(h), and sets the 2 November regular election date as “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November,” MCL 168.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.2(k) — 2 cases
Promote the Vote v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “497(3) literally requires proof of identity under MCL 168.2(k). In other words, the Legislature has not, in any way, provided guidance as to what constitutes “proof of residency.”
Promote the Vote v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “” -4- purposes as that term is defined in [MCL 168.2] and 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant’s name and current residence address: (a) A current utility bill.”
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