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

Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.413 (2026)

Judge of circuit court; nominating petitions; filing; affidavit; receiving petitions; applicability of MCL 168.544a and 168.544b; receipt of incorrect or inaccurate written information from secretary of state or bureau of elections; equitable relief; challenge.

✓ current as of July 2026
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MICHIGAN ELECTION LAW


Act 116 of 1954


168.413 Judge of circuit court; nominating petitions; filing; affidavit; receiving petitions; applicability of MCL 168.544a and 168.544b; receipt of incorrect or inaccurate written information from secretary of state or bureau of elections; equitable relief; challenge.

Sec. 413.

    (1) To obtain the printing of the name of a person as a candidate for nomination for the office of judge of the circuit court upon the official nonpartisan primary ballots, there must be filed with the secretary of state nominating petitions containing the signatures, addresses, and dates of signing of a number of qualified and registered electors residing in the judicial circuit as determined under section 544f or by the filing of an affidavit according to section 413a. The secretary of state shall receive the nominating petitions up to 4 p.m. of the fifteenth Tuesday before the primary. The provisions of sections 544a and 544b apply.

    (2) If a candidate for nomination for the office of judge of the circuit court receives incorrect or inaccurate written information from the secretary of state or the bureau of elections concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f and that incorrect or inaccurate written information is published or distributed by the secretary of state or the bureau of elections, the candidate may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for equitable relief. A court may grant equitable relief to a candidate under this subsection if all of the following occur:

    (a) The candidate brings the action for equitable relief within 6 days after the candidate is notified by the secretary of state or the bureau of elections that the candidate's nominating petition contains insufficient signatures.

    (b) The candidate files an affidavit certifying that he or she contacted and received from the secretary of state or the bureau of elections incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f.

    (c) The secretary of state or the bureau of elections published or distributed the incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f before the filing deadline under subsection (1).

    (d) The secretary of state or bureau of elections did not inform the candidate at least 14 days before the filing deadline under subsection (1) that incorrect or inaccurate written information concerning the number of nominating petition signatures required under section 544f had been published or distributed.

    (3) If a court grants equitable relief to a candidate under subsection (2), the candidate must be given the opportunity to obtain additional nominating petition signatures to meet the requirements under section 544f. The additional nominating petition signatures obtained by a candidate must be filed with the secretary of state no later than 4 p.m. on the fifth business day after the date that the court order granting equitable relief is filed.

    (4) The nominating petition signatures filed under this section are subject to challenge as provided in section 552.

History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1955, Act 271, Imd. Eff. June 30, 1955 ;-- Am. 1957, Act 293, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957 ;-- Am. 1963, 2nd Ex. Sess., Act 59, Eff. Mar. 24, 1964 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 3, Imd. Eff. Feb. 3, 1976 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 7, Imd. Eff. Feb. 12, 1990 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 583, Eff. Mar. 31, 1997 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 218, Eff. Mar. 10, 2000 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 206, Imd. Eff. Jan. 4, 2009 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 276, Eff. Aug. 16, 2012 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 120, Eff. Dec. 31, 2018

PopularName Notes:

Election Code
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1965–2024 · leading case: Martin v. Sec'y of State, 760 N.W.2d 726 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).
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Martin v. Sec'y of State, 760 N.W.2d 726 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 2× “MCL 168.413 establishes the requirements for nominating petitions for candidates for circuit court judges: To obtain the printing of the name of a person as a candidate for nomination for the office of judge of the circuit court upon the official nonpartisan primary ballots,…”
Dozier v. Auto. Club of Mich., 244 N.W.2d 376 (Mich. Ct. App. 1976). “Compare MCLA 168.413; MSA 6.1413, with MCLA 168.413a; MSA 6.”
Lord v. Genesee Circuit Judge, 214 N.W.2d 321 (Mich. Ct. App. 1973). · cites it 3× “MCLA 168.413; MSA 6.1413. However, MCLA 168.”
Markowitz v. Bd. of State Canvassers, 133 N.W.2d 209 (Mich. Ct. App. 1965). “2 CLS 1961, § 168.413 (Stat Aim 1963 Cum Supp § 6.1413).”
Christopher P Martin v. Sec'y of State (Mich. 2008). · cites it 2× “l Justice Kelly offers a disingenuous interpretation of MCL 168.413 in order to justify ignoring that the Legislature created candidate nominating petition deadlines.”
B D Christenson v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2021). “MCL 168.413(1) required plaintiff to file nominating petitions “containing the signatures, addresses, and dates of signing of a number of qualified and registered electors residing in the judicial circuit.”
Christopher Martin v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). “Anyone who files a nominating petition, qualifying petition, filing fee, or affidavit of candidacy, must file an AOI. MCL 168.558(1).”
Robert Davis v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). “, a nonincumbent candidate for circuit court in the August 2022 primary election and the November 8, 2022 general election was required to submit to defendant a sufficient number of nominating petitions signed by qualified and registered voters, MCL 168.413(1), while an…”
Hugh a Woodrow v. Bd. of State Canvassers (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). “MCL 168.413(1). Those nominating petitions must comply with MCL 168.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.413(1) — 3 cases
B D Christenson v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2021). “MCL 168.413(1) required plaintiff to file nominating petitions “containing the signatures, addresses, and dates of signing of a number of qualified and registered electors residing in the judicial circuit.”
Robert Davis v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). “, a nonincumbent candidate for circuit court in the August 2022 primary election and the November 8, 2022 general election was required to submit to defendant a sufficient number of nominating petitions signed by qualified and registered voters, MCL 168.413(1), while an…”
Hugh a Woodrow v. Bd. of State Canvassers (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). “MCL 168.413(1). Those nominating petitions must comply with MCL 168.”
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