Upcoming 2015 and 2016 Election Dates and Deadlines

School officials should be aware that while school board elections have been moved to the even-year November election date, school districts may also still place millage and bond propositions on the ballot at the four regular election dates each year (in February or March and May, August, and November), as well as certain petition initiative election dates.

The remaining 2015 and 2016 regular election dates for millage or bond proposals are:

August 4, 2015

November 3, 2015

March 8, 2016

May 3, 2016

August 2, 2016

November 8, 2016

Public Act 2 of 2015 moved the February regular election date to the second Tuesday in March in presi­dential election years. The second Tuesday in March will also be the presidential primary election date.

The certification deadline for the August 4, 2015 regular election is fast approaching. Michigan election law requires that a certified copy of the school board resolution approving ballot language for millage or bond propositions be filed with the election coordina­tor at least 84 days before the election date. For the August 2015 regular election, that filing deadline is Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at 4:00 p.m.  If your school dis­trict is considering a millage or bond proposition for this August, please contact your election attorney as soon as possible.

Public Act 253 of 2013 extended, from 70 to 84 days before the applicable election date, the filing deadline by which school districts must certify ballot questions to their election coordinators/county clerks. Consequently, school officials will need to begin work further in advance when planning millage or bond elections. Earlier planning will be particularly applica­ble for bonds proposed to be qualified through Treasury’s School Bond Qualification and Loan Program as the preliminary qualification meeting with Treasury will need to be scheduled earlier in the process to account for the earlier filing deadline.

In addition to the above-described regular election dates, registered electors in a school district may circulate petitions to place a millage or bond proposition on the ballot on an eligible date. The Secretary of State is requiring the use of new petition forms due to changes in the legal requirements for petition circulators. The old forms cannot be used. County Clerks can provide a new petition form upon request.

Petitions bearing sufficient signatures must be filed at least 12 weeks before the applicable election date.  For 2015, the remaining petition initiative “floater” election dates are:

September 15, 25, 29

December 15, 22, 29

If you have questions about voted bonds or millages, please contact your election attorney.