Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.53 (2026)

Office of governor; nominating petitions; signatures; form; filing.

✓ current as of July 2026

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MICHIGAN ELECTION LAW

Act 116 of 1954

168.53 Office of governor; nominating petitions; signatures; form; filing.

Sec. 53.

To obtain the printing of the name of a person as a candidate for nomination by a political party for the office of governor under a particular party heading upon the official primary ballots, there shall be filed with the secretary of state nominating petitions signed by a number of qualified and registered electors residing in this state as determined under section 544f. Nominating petitions shall be signed by at least 100 registered resident electors in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts of the state. Nominating petitions shall be in the form as prescribed in section 544c. Until December 31, 2013, nominating petitions shall be received by the secretary of state for filing in accordance with this act up to 4 p.m. of the twelfth Tuesday before the August primary. Beginning January 1, 2014, nominating petitions shall be received by the secretary of state for filing in accordance with this act up to 4 p.m. of the fifteenth Tuesday before the August primary.

History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955 ;-- Am. 1963, 2nd Ex. Sess., Act 34, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 1963 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 3, Imd. Eff. Feb. 3, 1976 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 7, Imd. Eff. Feb. 12, 1990 ;-- Am. 1990, Act 329, Imd. Eff. Dec. 21, 1990 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 583, Eff. Mar. 31, 1997 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 218, Eff. Mar. 10, 2000 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 276, Eff. Aug. 16, 2012

PopularName Notes:

Election Code

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1976–2022 · leading case: Woodland v. Michigan Citizens Lobby, 378 N.W.2d 337 (Mich. 1985).

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Woodland v. Michigan Citizens Lobby, 378 N.W.2d 337 (Mich. 1985). · cites it 2× “MCL 168.53, 168.93; MSA 6.1053, 6.1093. But see Const 1963, art 12, § 2.”

Dozier v. Auto. Club of Mich., 244 N.W.2d 376 (Mich. Ct. App. 1976). “See MCLA 168.53; MSA 6.1053 (Governor); MCLA 168.”

Earle Lackie v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “The placement of the name of a candidate for the office of governor is governed by MCL 168.53, and the placement of the name of a candidate for the office of United States senator is governed by MCL 168.”

Brandenburg v. Michigan Bd. of State Canvassers (W.D. Mich. 2022). · cites it 2× “Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.53 , § 168.544f. Plaintiff alleges that she filed nominating petitions on April 14, 2022, containing about 19,500 signatures, and on April 19, 2022, containing about 8,000 signatures by the April 19, 2022 deadline.”

League of Women Voters of Michigan v. Sec'y of State (Mich. Ct. App. 2021). “, MCL 168.53, regarding candidates running for Michigan Governor.”

Perry Johnson v. Bd. of State Canvassers (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). “See MCL 168.53 and MCL 168.544f. Prior to the applicable filing deadline, he submitted nominating petitions that included a total of approximately 23,193 signatures, each of which was purportedly the signature of a different registered elector.”

Johnson v. Michigan Bd. of State Canvassers (E.D. Mich. 2022). “§ 168.53; Mich. Comp. L. § 168.544f. Johnson’s campaign collected and filed with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office 23,193 signatures by the April 19, 2022 deadline.”

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