168.510 Deceased electors; cancellation of registration; notification requirements; updating of qualified voter file; removal of absent voter ballot return.

Sec. 510.

    (1) Until December 31, 2022, at least once a month, the county clerk shall forward a list of the last known address and birth date of all individuals over 17-1/2 years of age who have died in the county to the clerk of each city or township in the county. The city or township clerk shall compare this list with the registration records and cancel the registration of the deceased electors.

    (2) Beginning January 1, 2023, and except as otherwise provided in subsections (6) and (7), at least once a month, and not later than the second business day of each month, each county clerk shall update the qualified voter file to initiate the cancellation of the voter registration of all individuals over 17-1/2 years of age who have died in the county.

    (3) Beginning January 1, 2023, each time a county clerk updates the qualified voter file under subsection (2), (6), or (7), the secretary of state shall, within 24 hours after the qualified voter file is updated, send an electronic notification to the appropriate city or township clerk regarding each initiated cancellation of voter registration in that city or township.

    (4) Beginning January 1, 2023, upon receiving an electronic notification under subsection (3), the city or township clerk shall compare the electronic notification with the voter registration records in that city or township and complete the cancellation of the voter registration of each deceased elector in that city or township.

    (5) Beginning January 1, 2023, if the secretary of state updates the qualified voter file to cancel the voter registration of any deceased elector, the secretary of state shall, within 24 hours after the qualified voter file is updated, send an electronic notification to the appropriate city or township clerk regarding each canceled voter registration in that city or township. The secretary of state shall notify each appropriate city or township clerk of any voter registration that needs to be canceled after 4 p.m. on the day before an election so that the city or township clerk can cancel the voter registration.

    (6) Beginning January 1, 2023, on the first Friday in July before an August election and continuing until 16 days before that August election, each county clerk shall update the qualified voter file by the close of business each Friday before that August election to initiate the cancellation of the voter registration of all individuals over 17-1/2 years of age who have died in the county. Beginning January 1, 2023, on the first Friday in October before a November election and continuing until 16 days before that November election, each county clerk shall update the qualified voter file by the close of business each Friday before that November election to initiate the cancellation of the voter registration of all individuals over 17-1/2 years of age who have died in the county.

    (7) Beginning January 1, 2023, 15 days before each August and November election and continuing until the day before each August and November election, each county clerk shall update the qualified voter file by the close of business each business day before the August or November election to initiate the cancellation of the voter registration of all individuals over 17-1/2 years of age who have died in the county. Each county clerk shall notify each appropriate city or township clerk in the county of any voter registration that needs to be canceled after 4 p.m. on the day before an August or November election so that the city or township clerk can cancel the voter registration.

    (8) Upon receiving notice that an elector in the city or township has died and determining that the elector was issued an absent voter ballot, the clerk of that city or township shall make the clerk's best effort to remove the absent voter ballot return envelope or any ballot returned by that elector from processing and spoil the ballot for that elector.