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INST RUC TIO NS P RO VIDED BY THE MIC HIGA N B UREA U OF E LEC TIO NS RICHA RD H . A US TIN B UILD ING ● 1S T FLO OR ● 4 30 W. A LLEG A N ● LA NSI NG, MIC HIGA N 4 891 8 (8 00 ) 2 92 -5 97 3 FDC-FC-MAN-8 Petition Manual: Nominating Petitions for Partisan State and Federal Offices As approved on July 31, 2025 ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 2 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections I. Introduction 5 II. Statewide candidate nominating petition format requirements 6 A. Filing requirements for Democratic and Republican party candidates 6 Partisan nominating petitions 6 Filing fee option for State Senate, State House 7 Designated filing official 7 Filing deadlines 7 Withdrawal 7 Candidates nominated by party convention 7 Supreme Court Justice candidates only 7 B. Filing requirements for minor party candidates 8 Ballot-eligible minor parties. 8 No authority to file nominating petitions or filing fees 8 Filing official 9 Filing deadline 9 Withdrawal 9 Election dates 9 Write-in candidates 9 C. Certificate of circulator 9 D. Warning to circulator 10 E. Instruction to circulator and space for circulator’s signature and residential address 11 F. Identification of petition sponsor 11 G. Type size and font 11 H. Sheet size 13 I. Warning to petition signers 13 J. Staff review regarding form requirements 13 III. Completing countywide candidate partisan nominating petitions 14 A. Form use 14 ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 3 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections B. Petition heading 14 C. Signature lines on petition 15 D. Circulator block 15 IV. Filing instructions 16 A. Signature requirements 16 Statewide positions 16 State Senate, State House, and county level positions 17 County commissioner positions 17 Township positions 17 Judicial positions 17 School board/intermediate school board positions 17 Community college trustee positions 18 District library board positions 18 City library board positions, township library board positions and village library board 18 Qualifying petitions 19 B. Nominating petition filing instructions 20 Statewide nominating petitions 20 Legislative districts wholly contained within a county 20 V. Board of State Canvassers petition review 21 A. Requesting copies of the petition 21 B. Submitting the challenge 21 C. Challenge procedure 22 VI. Procedure for evaluating petitions 23 A. Validation of signatures by random sampling, 23 Procedure 23 Sampling 23 B. Petition sheet validity 24 Defects in the petition heading which render an entire sheet invalid..... 24 Defects in the certificate of circulator which render an entire sheet invalid. 24 Other fatal defects that render an entire petition sheet invalid. 25 ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 4 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Acceptable sheet variations 25 C. Validity of individual signatures 26 Acceptable signature entries 26 D. Jurisdiction name variations 28 E. Signature verification 28 Appendix A: Election dates and filing deadlines 30 Democratic and Republican Party candidate filing table 30 Minor party candidate filing table 31 Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples 32 Appendix C: Circulator best practices 33 A: Circulators 33 B: Crossing county lines 34 C: Quality control 34 D: Facilitating efficient review 35 Appendix D: Signature coding 36 Appendix E: Offices that file with the county clerk 38 Appendix F: Jurisdiction name variations 39 Appendix G: Petition size requirements 40 Appendix H: Invalid sheet examples 40 ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 5 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections I. Introduction This manual outlines legal requirements and provides guidance to individuals interested in nomination for certain statewide partisan offices. Filing deadlines and requirements in effect for the current election cycle can be found in Appendix A. This manual also highlights best practices which, although not legally required, will minimize the risk that an error could disqualify the petition. Candidate ballot access is governed by the Michigan Election Law and overseen by the Secretary of State and Board of State Canvassers. Once a petition is filed with the Secretary of State, signatures are subject to a verification process and the Board of State Canvassers determines whether the petition contains enough valid signatures to qualify for placement on the ballot. Changes in this publication from 2024 include: • Separate manuals for ballot questions and partisan nominating petitions. • Updated signature challenge information. • Reorganization of material and information has been rearranged into similar categories including the addition of a section on circulation. • Updated filing deadlines and requirements in effect for the current election cycle, which can be found in Appendix A. • Updated Bureau of Elections (BOE) contact information. If you have any questions regarding this publication, contact the Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections, at [PHONE REDACTED] or File- [EMAIL REDACTED], or visit www.michigan.gov/sos/elections. Correspondence may be mailed, hand delivered or sent via overnight delivery to the Richard H. Austin Building – 1st Floor, 430 West Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan 48933. Note: Candidates for office are subject to the registration and reporting requirements of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. For questions regarding these obligations, please refer to the publication, Getting Started as a Candidate or email [EMAIL REDACTED]. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 6 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections II. Statewide candidate nominating petition format requirements A. Filing requirements for Democratic and Republican party candidates Partisan nominating petitions Democratic and Republican Party candidates who collect signatures to qualify for the following offices will use the Partisan Nominating Petition form: • Governor • U.S. Senate • U.S. Representative in Congress • State Senator • State Representative Two versions of the Partisan Nominating Petition form are available: A Countywide form, which must be circulated within a single county, and a City/Township form, which can only be circulated within a single city or township. The heading of the petition must include the name of the county where the petition sheet will be circulated, the candidate’s name, his or her street address/rural route and city or township, the candidate’s political party, and the name of the office sought (including the district number if applicable). Failure to complete the blanks renders the entire sheet invalid. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 7 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Filing fee option for State Senate, State House Democratic and Republican Party candidates seeking the office of State Senator or State Representative may pay a $100.00 fee to their designated filing official in lieu of filing a Partisan Nominating Petition. Designated filing official For the office of Governor and any Congressional or state legislative district that is composed of two or more counties, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petitions or filing fee must be filed with the Secretary of State. Petitions filed by Democratic and Republican candidates seeking statewide office or election to a district office containing multiple counties are canvassed under the authority of the Board of State Canvassers (Board). If a Congressional or state legislative district is wholly contained within a single county, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petitions or filing fees must be filed with the County Clerk. Petitions are canvassed by the County Clerk. Filing deadlines Current election year filing deadlines are located in Appendix A: Election dates and filing deadlines. Withdrawal Candidates are permitted to withdraw up until 4:00 pm on the third day after the filing deadline expires by filing a written statement with the appropriate filing official. Candidates nominated by party convention Democratic and Republican Party candidates who seek the offices of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Board of Education, UM Regent, MSU Trustee, WSU Governor and State Supreme Court Justice are nominated at the party’s fall state convention. Within one business day of the convention’s conclusion, the state central committee chair and Secretary must certify the names and addresses of the nominees to the Secretary of State and file an Affidavit of Identity for each nominee. Supreme Court Justice candidates only ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 8 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Non-incumbent candidates for Supreme Court Justice who are affiliated with the Democratic or Republican Parties do not file nominating or qualifying petitions. Please see the Manual: Filing for Office: Judicial Elective Offices. Best practices for Democratic and Republican Candidates: Candidates are strongly encouraged to use the Partisan Nominating Petition (Countywide) form when filing for state- level offices. Candidates are strongly encouraged to file a significant number of surplus signatures over the minimum required, as signatures may be found to be invalid during the petition canvass but may not submit more than the maximum. Candidates for the Michigan Legislature who pay the filing fee in lieu of filing nominating petitions cannot be challenged for filing insufficient signatures. NOTE: Comprehensive election dates and filing deadlines can be found online at www.michigan.gov/sos/elections, and also in Appendix A. B. Filing requirements for minor party candidates Ballot-eligible minor parties. The following minor political parties are eligible to nominate candidates for the November general election ballot: • Libertarian Party • US Taxpayers Party • Green Party • Working Class Party • Natural Law Party No authority to file nominating petitions or filing fees Minor party candidates do not submit nominating petitions or pay filing fees to obtain ballot access. Instead, all minor parties nominate candidates at state party conventions or county caucuses and nominees are certified to the appropriate filing official by the Chair and Secretary of the party’s state central committee. Minor party nominees must also file the Affidavit of Identity and Certificate of Acceptance. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 9 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Filing official For statewide elective offices and any Congressional or state legislative districts that are composed of two or more counties, the Affidavit of Identity and Certificate of Acceptance must be filed with the Secretary of State, along with the state party Chair and Secretary’s certification of the candidate’s nomination. If a Congressional, or State Senate or State House district is wholly contained within a single county, the Affidavit of Identity and Certificate of Acceptance must be filed with the County Clerk, in addition to the Chair and Secretary’s certification of the candidate’s nomination. Filing deadline The filing deadline is 5:00 pm on the business day immediately following the conclusion of the state convention or county caucus for Libertarian, US Taxpayers, Green, Natural Law, and Working Class Party candidates. Withdrawal Minor party candidates who have been nominated through caucus or convention, and certified by the chairperson and secretary of the caucus or convention, are not permitted to withdraw. See MCL 168.686a. Other minor party candidates are permitted to withdraw up until 4:00 pm on the third day after the filing deadline expires by filing a written statement with the appropriate filing official. Election dates The names of qualified minor party candidates will appear on the general election ballot. Write-in candidates Candidates without political party affiliation who wish to run as write-ins must file a Write-In Candidate Declaration of Intent form. Please see Appendix A, Election dates and filing deadlines for the filing deadline. C. Certificate of circulator The “CERTIFICATE OF CIRCULATOR” heading shall be printed in 12-point boldfaced type in the lower left-hand corner of the petition sheet. The statement itself must be printed in 8-point type. MCL 168.544c(1). ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 10 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections When circulating city/township petition forms, the statement must read as follows: CERTIFICATE OF CIRCULATOR The undersigned circulator of the above petition asserts that he or she is 18 years of age or older and a United States citizen; that each signature on the petition was signed in his or her presence; that he or she has neither caused nor permitted a person to sign the petition more than once and has no knowledge of a person signing the petition more than once; and that, to his or her best knowledge and belief, each signature is the genuine signature of the person purporting to sign the petition, the person signing the petition was at the time of signing a registered elector of the city or township listed in the heading of the petition, and the elector was qualified to sign the petition. If the circulator is not a resident of Michigan, the circulator shall make a cross or check mark in the box provided, otherwise each signature on this petition sheet is invalid and the signatures will not be counted by a filing official. By making a cross or check mark in the box provided, the undersigned circulator asserts that he or she is not a resident of Michigan and agrees to accept the jurisdiction of this state for the purpose of any legal proceeding or hearing that concerns a petition sheet executed by the circulator and agrees that legal process served on the Secretary of State or a designated agent of the Secretary of State has the same effect as if personally served on the circulator. When circulating countywide petition forms, the statement must read as follows: CERTIFICATE OF CIRCULATOR The undersigned circulator of the above petition asserts that he or she is 18 years of age or older and a United States citizen; that each signature on the petition was signed in his or her presence; that he or she has neither caused nor permitted a person to sign the petition more than once and has no knowledge of a person signing the petition more than once; and that, to his or her best knowledge and belief, each signature is the genuine signature of the person purporting to sign the petition, the person signing the petition was at the time of signing a registered elector of the city or township indicated following the signature, and the elector was qualified to sign the petition. If the circulator is not a resident of Michigan, the circulator shall make a cross or check mark in the box provided, otherwise each signature on this petition sheet is invalid and the signatures will not be counted by a filing official. By making a cross or check mark in the box provided, the undersigned circulator asserts that he or she is not a resident of Michigan and agrees to accept the jurisdiction of this state for the purpose of any legal proceeding or hearing that concerns a petition sheet executed by the circulator and agrees that legal process served on the Secretary of State or a designated agent of the Secretary of State has the same effect as if personally served on the circulator. MCL 168.544c(1); MCL 168.544d. Best Practice: It is recommended that the check box be printed in boldface type to minimize the likelihood that an out-of-state circulator may inadvertently fail to make the selection. D. Warning to circulator A warning to the circulators of the petition must be printed in 12-point boldface type. MCL 168.544c(1). The warning must be placed in the lower left-hand corner of the sheet immediately beneath the circulator’s statement, and state the following: ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 11 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections WARNING–A circulator knowingly making a false statement in the above certificate, a person not a circulator who signs as a circulator, or a person who signs a name other than his or her own as circulator is guilty of a misdemeanor. E. Instruction to circulator and space for circulator’s signature and residential address In the lower right-hand corner of the petition sheet, the following circulator instruction must be printed in 12-point boldface type: CIRCULATOR–Do not sign or date certificate until after circulating petition. MCL 168.544c(1)-(2). Immediately beneath this instruction, the entry space for the petition circulator must be presented in 8-point type as shown below: F. Identification of petition sponsor The petition sheet must include, in 8-point type, the name and address of the candidate committee paying for the printing of the petition form, preceded by the words: “Paid for by the committee to elect MCL 169.247. G. Type size and font The statutes that govern the form of the petition mandate the use of specific type sizes. The font size indicated in some software programs does not always measure the same type size. Petition sponsors and printers must exercise caution to ensure that the printed type measures the type size required by law. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 12 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Best Practice: Petition sponsors are strongly encouraged to utilize a sans serif font for readability purposes. Examples of such fonts are provided below. Arial (14-point type) Microsoft Sans Serif (14-point type) Tahoma (14-point type) Verdana (14-point type) ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 13 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections H. Sheet size The size of the petition sheet must be 8½ by 14 inches. MCL 168.544c(1). The petition format must be arranged horizontally in landscape layout) on the sheet. I. Warning to petition signers A warning to the signers of the petition must be printed in 12-point boldface type, immediately above the signature lines. MCL 168.544c(1). WARNING – A PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY SIGNS MORE PETITIONS FOR THE SAME OFFICE THAN THERE ARE PERSONS TO BE ELECTED TO THE OFFICE, SIGNS A PETITION MORE THAN ONCE, OR SIGNS A NAME OTHER THAN HIS OR HER OWN IS VIOLATING THE PROVISIONS OF THE MICHIGAN ELECTION LAW. J. Staff review regarding form requirements The BOE can provide limited informal review of petitions to offer advice on petition heading formatting requirements. A staff review does not constitute formal approval of the petition form. Due to limits in staff, BOE personnel in the Filing and Canvassing Section will only provide one initial review and one follow-up review. Please note that staff review includes a review only of whether the petition heading complies with the technical formatting requirements and whether the font size on the petition is correct. Staff can provide heading review via email, but font size review requires staff to receive a physical copy of the petition. A person wishing to have font size reviewed in person must make an appointment by emailing [EMAIL REDACTED]. Note that under Michigan election law, if a nominating petition heading does not comply with all the requirements of the Michigan Election Law, signatures submitted on the petition will be considered invalid and not counted. MCL 168.544c. Best Practice: Petition sponsors are urged to confer with their own legal counsel for advice regarding the form of their petition prior to engaging in the staff review process. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 14 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections III. Completing countywide candidate partisan nominating petitions A. Form use Democratic and Republican Party candidates who collect signatures to qualify for countywide offices will use the Partisan Nominating Petition form: • County Executive • County Treasurer • County Prosecutor • County Clerk • Other countywide partisan offices This form is not used for candidates seeking the office of County Commissioner. Candidates must use the proper petition form; failure to do so will result in the candidate’s disqualification. All mandatory elements on the petition sheet must be visible and undamaged otherwise the entire petition sheet will be deemed invalid. B. Petition heading County name: A petition sheet must include the name of the county where it was circulated; each sheet must list only a single county. (Example: Wayne) Candidate name: Candidate’s first and last name. (Example: John A. Doe or Jane Doe). Candidate address: Residence address. (Example: 1234 Main Street) City or township: City OR township must be listed. Party affiliation: Name of Party. (Example: Democratic, Republican) Title of office & district: The office sought, and the district served by the office (if any). (Example: State Representative, 5th) Date of primary election: The day, month, and year of the upcoming primary election should be listed. (Example: 4th day of August 2026. The usual August primary election date, which is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August.) ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 15 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections C. Signature lines on petition Signer’s signature: Signature should match QVF file. An individual signature entry is invalid if the QVF indicates that on the date of signing, the signer was: 1. Not registered to vote in Michigan, or 2. Registered to vote in this state but not in the city or township indicated, or 3. Registered to vote in the city or township indicated but that jurisdiction is not within the county listed in the heading of the petition sheet. Signer’s name: Signer should clearly write their first and last name. Street address or rural route: Signer must include the house number and name of their street. A P.O. Box provided in lieu of a residential address is not acceptable. City or township: Signer must write the name of the city or township in which their residence is located. Do not write both the county and the city/township. Zip code: Signer should write the 5-digit zip code associated with their residential address. Date: Signer must write the month, day, and year that they signed the circulated petition sheet. D. Circulator block A circulator section is valid if it includes the circulator’s signature; the date on which the circulator signed the petition; the circulator’s complete residence address (street address or rural route number, city or township and state; a P.O. Box is invalid); and for a circulator who is not a Michigan resident, the name of the county where the circulator is registered to vote (if applicable) and the circulator’s mark (cross or check mark) in the nonresident box in the Certificate of Circulator. Note that the circulator must sign the circulator certificate on or after the date of circulating the petition to gather signatures. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 16 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections IV. Filing instructions A. Signature requirements The following “population based” signature requirements apply to certain federal and all state offices, judicial offices, county offices (including county commissioner), township offices (including offices elected in charter townships), city offices (unless otherwise set by charter) and village offices (unless otherwise set by charter). See the notes following this chart for information on petition signature requirements established for candidates who seek school board positions; intermediate school board positions; community college trustee positions; district library board positions; and city, township, and village library board positions. MCL 168.544f. Partisan Petition Non-partisan Petition Qualifying Petition Population Min Max Min Max Min Max 0 - 9,999 3 10 6 20 9 30 10,000 - 24,999 20 50 40 100 60 150 25,000 - 49,999 50 100 100 200 150 300 50,000 - 74,999 100 200 200 400 300 600 75,000 - 99,999 200 400 400 800 600 1,200 100,000 - 199,999 300 500 600 1,000 900 1,500 200,000 - 499,999 500 1,000 1,000 2,000 1,500 3,000 500,000 - 999,999 1,000 2,000 2,000 4,000 3,000 6,000 1,000,000 - 1,999,999 2,000 4,000 4,000 8,000 6,000 12,000 2,000,000 - 4,999,999 4,000 8,000 6,200 12,000 12,000 24,000 Over 5 million (statewide) 15,000 30,000 30,000 60,000 12,0001 60,000 Statewide positions Nominating petitions filed for the office of Governor or U.S. Senator must be signed by at least 100 registered voters in each of at least half of the congressional districts in the state. Similarly, a qualifying petition filed by a 1 In Graveline v Benson, 430 F Supp 3d 297 (ED Mich 2019), the minimum number of signatures required for independent candidates seeking statewide office was reduced from 30,000 to 12,000. The maximum number remains 60,000 as specified in MCL 168.544f. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 17 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections candidate without political party affiliation for the office of President, Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, U.S. Senator, State Board of Education, University of Michigan Regent, Michigan State University Trustee, Wayne State University Governor or Supreme Court Justice must be signed by at least 100 registered electors in each of at least half of the congressional districts in the state. State Senate, State House, and county level positions Democratic and Republican candidates who seek the office of State Senator, the office of State Representative, or a county office may file a $100.00 fee in lieu of a nominating petition. The filing fee is nonrefundable. County commissioner positions The “population based” signature requirements listed in the above chart apply to candidates who seek the office of county commissioner. Candidates seeking the office of county commissioner may file a $100.00 fee in lieu of a nominating petition. The filing fee is nonrefundable. Township positions Democratic and Republican candidates seeking the office of Township Supervisor, Trustee, Clerk, Treasurer or Park Commissioner may file a $100.00 fee in lieu of a nominating petition. The filing fee is nonrefundable. Judicial positions A judicial officer who is running for reelection to the office he or she holds may file an Affidavit of Candidacy in lieu of a nominating petition. School board/intermediate school board positions Local school board and intermediate school board candidates are required to meet the filing requirements list below (MCL 168.303): • District with less than 10,000 in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 6 signatures; maximum of 20 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. • District with 10,000 or more in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 40 signatures; maximum of 100 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 18 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Community college trustee positions In a community college district organized by an intermediate school district of over 1.5 million, the minimum number of valid signatures required is 250. A candidate may not file more than 500 signatures to cover the requirement. (MCL 389.83) In all other community college districts, the following signature requirements apply (MCL 389.152): • Community college district with less than 10,000 in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 6 signatures; maximum of 20 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. • Community college district with 10,000 or more in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 40 signatures; maximum of 100 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. District library board positions The following signature requirements apply to district library board candidates (MCL 397.181): • District with less than 10,000 in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 6 signatures; maximum of 20 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. • District with 10,000 or more in population according to the most recent federal census: minimum of 40 signatures; maximum of 100 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. City library board positions, township library board positions and village library board positions The following signature requirements apply to city, township and village library board candidates (MCL 397.211): • Jurisdiction with less than 10,000 in population: minimum of 6 signatures; maximum of 20 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. • Jurisdiction with 10,000 or more in population: minimum of 40 signatures; maximum of 100 signatures. A $100.00 nonrefundable fee may be filed in lieu of a nominating petition. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 19 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Qualifying petitions All signatures submitted on a qualifying petition must have been collected within the preceding 180-day period; signatures which are dated more than 180 days prior to the date of the petition is filed are invalid. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 20 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections B. Nominating petition filing instructions Nominating petitions for statewide office and certain petitions for U.S. Congress, State Senate and State House are filed with the Michigan Department of State’s Bureau of Elections, Richard H. Austin Building, 1st Floor, 430 West Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan 48918. Statewide nominating petitions To expedite the petition sampling process for statewide, partisan nominating petitions, petitioners should sort petitions by the number of valid signatures on a sheet. As an example: A box will contain sheets with only one valid signature, another box will contain sheets with two valid signatures, etc. Boxes should have labels indicating the number of valid signatures on the petitions within them. Additionally, petitioners of statewide nominating petitions should provide a separate sample of petitions demonstrating signatures of at least 100 registered voters in each of at least seven congressional districts in the state. Petition sheets should not be pre-numbered. The Bureau of Elections will apply its own sheet numbers in accordance with the process approved by the Board of State Canvassers. Petitions may contain unique identifiers placed at the bottom of each petition sheet. Do not place any unique identifier in the top right corner of the petition sheets, and do not cover any mandatory elements. Legislative districts wholly contained within a county Nominating petitions for the office of U.S. House of Representative, State Senate, and State House candidates whose districts are wholly contained within a county file their petitions at that county office. Districts that cross a county line file at the state level as previously described. Review the districts that file at the county level for more information. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 21 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections V. Board of State Canvassers petition review Nominating petitions must be timely filed with the filing official designated by law to accept filings for the elective office sought. Petitions are canvassed by the designated filing official or, in the case of many federal, state and judicial offices, under the authority of the Board of State Canvassers. A. Requesting copies of the petition Copies of a petition may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq. In 2023, the BSC approved an electronic scanning and numbering plan that makes the sampling process more efficient and facilitates the fulfillment of FOIA requests quickly and at lower expense for the requestor. A request should be submitted through the Department’s FOIA portal at Payment can be made through the portal. Petitions requested will be provided through the portal or via thumb drive. B. Submitting the challenge Under the current practice of the Board of State Canvassers, challenges are due 7 days after the release of the sample. Rebuttals are due as soon as possible after challenges are received. To be considered at a board meeting, the Board must receive material at least 48 hours before the meeting. A sworn complaint (challenge) alleging that the nominating or qualifying petition contains an insufficient number of valid signatures or is otherwise defective may be submitted to the appropriate filing official within 7 days of the filing deadline. Challenges are resolved by the filing official or in the case of many federal, state and judicial offices, are decided by the Board of State Canvassers. Signature challenges must be presented in a notarized document and submitted to the Bureau of Elections. It is strongly encouraged that challenges be submitted by sending a scanned notarized document by email to [EMAIL REDACTED]. The challenge must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the date of the deadline, irrespective of postmark. Therefore, the Bureau strongly ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 22 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections recommends that challenges submitted close to the deadline be submitted by email or overnight or hand delivery rather than mail. Best Practice: Challengers should serve a copy of any challenge upon the party being challenged at the same time the challenge is submitted to the Board of State Canvassers. C. Challenge procedure The challenge must specify each signature being challenged and the reason why the validity of the signature is being questioned. To specify a signature, indicate the sheet number (stamped or written on each sheet) and the line number bearing the signature. To expedite processing, the Bureau of Elections asks that challenges be organized in sheet number order as opposed to an alphabetical listing of the signers’ names or any other organizational format and be contained in an excel or csv file. Best Practice: The challenge submission should contain rows and columns that refer to the codes used by the Board of State Canvassers, contained in Appendix D, as well as a column to track the total number of signatures challenged. The submission should be submitted as an excel spreadsheet to facilitate review. For example: # of Signatures challenged Sheet Number Line Number Challenge Reason Explanation 1 1 4 NR Voter not registered 2 56 9 IA Invalid address listed 3 72 1 Date Voter signed with date of birth To challenge anything other than specific signatures, a full written description of what is being challenged must be submitted. A challenge must specify the sheet numbers appearing on the petition sheets involved. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 23 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections VI. Procedure for evaluating petitions A. Validation of signatures by random sampling, challenge Procedure In 1980, the Board of State Canvassers adopted a petition review and sampling procedure to evaluate the validity of signatures on petitions seeking an initiative, referendum, or state constitutional amendment. That process was reaffirmed in 1990. In 2022, the BOE hired an outside firm to review the 1980 procedure, including the statistical methods and processes. That review found that the sampling process continues to be sound, but several changes could be made to improve efficiency and accuracy. The improvements recommended in the report are summarized in this manual. A complete description of the entire review and sampling procedure is available in the document: Sampling Procedure for Canvassing Petitions. The Board of State Canvassers approved the recommendations in October 2023 and also extended the sampling process for statewide nominating and qualifying candidate petitions. Sampling To canvass a petition, BOE staff utilize a single-stage random sampling process. The selection of random signatures is completed utilizing specially designed software. As soon as it is available, BOE staff post online the randomly generated list of sheets and signatures to be sampled, and the total number of sheets and signatures submitted and in the universe. Additional documents are made available in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The sampled sheets are face reviewed to determine if a circulator error or other issue with the sheet invalidates the entire sheet of signatures. Sample signatures on invalid sheets are considered invalid signatures. Each sampled signature on valid sheets is then examined to confirm that the signatory is a person registered to vote in Michigan, that the signature on the petition sheet matches the signature contained in the Qualified Voter File (QVF), and that the entry does not contain a fatal defect (See Appendix D: Signature Coding for a list of fatal defects.) ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 24 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Signatures found to be invalid are reviewed a second time by another BOE staff member. Signatures challenged during the challenge period are reviewed by BOE staff. BOE staff tally the number of valid/invalid sheets and valid/invalid signatures in the sample. A staff report is drafted for the Board of State Canvassers with statistical analysis and the board makes a recommendation whether to approve or deny the petition for placement on the ballot. The staff report, including the Board-approved statistical analysis, is posted online at least 2 business days before the Board of State Canvassers meets to make a final determination on challenges to and sufficiency of a petition. B. Petition sheet validity Imperfections in the petition sheet heading, certificate of circulator, or body of the petition sheet may jeopardize the validity of signatures appearing on the sheet. Defects in the petition heading which render an entire sheet invalid. If circulating on a countywide form, a petition sheet is invalid if it contains one or more of the following defects in the heading: • The county of circulation is omitted. • Two or more counties or a county not located in Michigan are listed. • Required information concerning candidate or office sought omitted, including the candidate’s name, residence address, party affiliation or indication of no party affiliation, the office sought, and the district served by the office (if any). Note: In addition, candidates seeking judicial offices must follow the instructions for completing the heading that is printed on the reverse side of the Nominating Petition (Countywide Non-partisan) form. Defects in the certificate of circulator which render an entire sheet invalid. A petition sheet is invalid if it contains one or more of the following defects in the circulator’s certificate: • The petition sheet is not signed by the circulator or is signed by more than one circulator. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 25 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections • The circulator’s date of signing is omitted, incomplete or earlier than the date entered by every petition signer. Note: The petition sheet is invalid if the circulator merely prints their name and fails to sign the petition. • The circulator’s residence address is omitted, incomplete or includes a P.O. Box in place of a street address or rural route. Note: The circulator’s failure to include the correct zip code, by itself, is not a fatal defect. • Attention nonresident petition circulators: A petition sheet is invalid if the circulator is not a Michigan resident and fails to mark the nonresident box in the certificate of circulator. Other fatal defects that render an entire petition sheet invalid. • Damaged, mutilated or torn petition sheets where any of the mandatory elements (heading, warning statements, circulator certificate, signer entries) are illegible or omitted. • Sheets where any of the mandatory elements (heading, warning statements, circulator certificate, signer entries) are obscured or covered by white-out, permanent marker, stickers or other opaque material. Acceptable sheet variations The following variations will not cause an entire petition sheet to be rejected: • For all offices except certain judicial offices, the failure to include the “Term Expiration Date” does not render a petition sheet invalid if the filing official can ascertain which position the candidate is seeking. For example, if a candidate is seeking nomination or election to the office of County Clerk, the candidate is not required to include the “Term Expiration Date” because there is only one position to be elected. If there are multiple positions available with different term ending dates, the candidate must include the “Term Expiration Date.” • The circulator’s signature is illegible. • The circulator prints their name in space provided for the signature and signs in the space for printed name. • The circulator omits their printed name. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 26 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections • The circulator enters their cursive signature in space provided for printed name. • The circulator omits their zip code or enters an incorrect zip code. • An out-of-state circulator omits the county of registration. • The circulator is a resident of Michigan and inadvertently checks the out-of-state circulator checkbox and/or writes the name of the Michigan county where he or she is registered to vote. C. Validity of individual signatures A signature entry is valid if the voter signs the petition and prints their street address or rural route, city or township where registered to vote, and date of signing. (The signer’s omission of their printed name or zip code is an acceptable variation.) Filing officials use the code (registered) for valid entries. A signature is invalid if it contains one or more of the defects or omissions identified by the codes used to mark defects and omissions on petition sheets, shown in Appendix D. Acceptable signature entries The following variations are acceptable and will not result in the rejection of an individual signature: • The signature includes one or more of the signer’s initials plus their last name. Acceptable entries include but are not limited to: J. Smith; J.B. Smith; Mrs. J. Jones; A. John Doe. • The signature is illegible. • All of the following variations are acceptable: The signer prints their name in the space provided for the signature and signs in the space for printed name; signer omits their printed name; signer enters their cursive signature in the space provided for printed name. Note: A signature is invalid if the signer merely prints their name in the space provided for printed name yet fails to sign the petition, and the signature on file is a cursive signature. See Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples for examples of valid and invalid signatures. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 27 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections • The signer is unable to sign their name and uses a signature stamp (instead of a pen-and-ink signature). • The signer enters ditto marks in the space(s) provided for address, city or township, zip code or date of signing. • On the date of signing, the signer was registered to vote in the city or township indicated but at a different street address within the same city or township. • The signer writes the community’s name appearing in their “postal address”2 in the space for city or township of registration. • The signer omits their zip code or enters an incorrect zip code. • The signer writes the name of a village or unincorporated place in the space for city or township of registration. Example 1: Individuals who are registered to vote in Genesee Township, Richfield Township and Vienna Township have a Mt. Morris postal address. When signing a countywide petition, these voters may write the name of the township where they are registered to vote or Mt. Morris in the “City or Township” column of the petition sheet, and either entry is valid. Example 2: Parts of Texas Township are served by the Kalamazoo post office (zip code 49001) while other parts of the township are served by the Mattawan post office (zip code 49071). If a Texas Township registrant writes “Kalamazoo” in the city or township column but his or her postal address is Mattawan, the entry is invalid. Example 3: A signature is valid if the signer provides the name of an unincorporated place in the place for city or township of registration, and the signer is registered to vote in the township containing that unincorporated place. Examples of unincorporated places include but are not limited to: Hemlock (Saginaw County), Kincheloe (Chippewa County), Lambertville (Monroe County), Okemos (Ingham County), Union Lake (Oakland County), and Walloon Lake (Charlevoix County). 2 The term “postal address” refers to the name of the local post office. In some instances, the post office name will correspond to the name of the person’s city or township, but in other cases, the post office name differs. As a result, the jurisdiction written on the petition may not always correspond to the name of the city or township where the signer is registered to vote. See Usps.com for a list of local post offices by state. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 28 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections D. Jurisdiction name variations Abbreviations for jurisdiction names are acceptable if the abbreviation reasonably corresponds to the name of the appropriate city, township, local post office, unincorporated place, or village. Examples of some commonly used abbreviations are listed in Appendix F. E. Signature verification Circulators should encourage voters to sign petitions in a way that reasonably resembles the signature given for driver’s license/state ID or voter registration purposes, but it is not necessary for the voter’s signature to perfectly match the signature on file. When performing their signature verification duties, filing officials should keep in mind that there are numerous legitimate reasons that may explain an apparent mismatch: • Petition signatures are often written on a clipboard, which may cause the signature to appear more slanted or less precise than the signature on file, or cause breaks or pauses in a cursive signature. • Petition signatures (or voter registration or pin-pad signatures collected during the driver’s license/state ID application process) could have been written in haste. • A medical condition or advancing age may cause the signature to be different. • The electronic signature on file may be smaller or larger than the signature given on a petition sheet. • The signature may have been written using a pen with a finer tip or one with fading ink as compared to the signature on file. None of these differences will result in the invalidation of the petition signature. If there are redeeming qualities in the petition signature as compared to the signature on file, the filing official should treat the signature as valid. Redeeming qualities may include but are not limited to similar distinctive flourishes, more matching features than nonmatching features, and the examples in numbers 1-5 in Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples. A voter’s signature should be considered questionable only if it differs in significant and obvious respects from the signature on file; see the examples in numbers 6-7 in Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples. Slight dissimilarities should be resolved in favor of the voter whenever possible. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 29 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections If a voter signs nominating petitions for multiple candidates for the same office when only one person will be elected to that office, only the earliest dated signature will be counted, unless otherwise invalidated. Later signatures will be considered invalid. This rule applies even when the candidates are members of different parties. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 30 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix A: Election dates and filing deadlines Democratic and Republican Party candidate filing table 1 This office does not occur in the current election cycle. 2 For any Congressional or State legislative district that is composed of two or more counties, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petitions or filing fee must be filed with the Secretary of State. If a Congressional or state legislative district is wholly contained within a single county, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petition are filed with the County Clerk. 2026 Election Dates Primary Election Tuesday, August 4, 2026 General Election Tuesday, November 3, 2026 Office Type of Petition/Nomination Signatures Needed Filing Location Filing Deadline Withdrawal Deadline Governor Partisan Nominating 15,000 - 30,000 SOS 4/21/2026, 4 p.m. 4/24/2026, 4 p.m. Lt. Governor Convention N/A SOS N/A N/A Secretary of State Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after convention 4 business days after convention Attorney General Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after convention 4 business days after convention US Senator Partisan Nominating 15,000- 30,000 SOS 4/21/2026, 4 p.m. 4/24/2026, 4 p.m. US Representative Partisan Nominating 1,000- 2,000 SOS or County Clerk2 4/21/2026, 4p.m. 4/24/2026, 4 p.m. State Senator Partisan Nominating Or $100 filing fee 500-1,000 Or $100 filing fee SOS or County Clerk2 4/21/2026, 4 p.m. 4/24/2026, 4 p.m. State Representative Partisan Nominating Or $100 filing fee 200-400 Or $100 filing fee SOS or County Clerk2 4/21/2026, 4p.m. 4/24/2026, 4 p.m. State Board of Ed U of M Regent MSU Trustee WSU Governor Convention N/A SOS 1 business day following convention 4 business days following convention at 4:00 p.m. Precinct Delegate Affidavit N/A County Clerk 5/5/2026, 4 p.m. 5/8/2026, 4 p.m. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 31 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Minor party candidate filing table 1 Michigan statute does not provide a withdrawal option for certain minor party candidates. 2 For the office of Governor and any Congressional or State legislative district that is composed of two or more counties, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petitions or filing fee must be filed with the Secretary of State. If a Congressional or state legislative district is wholly contained within a single county, the Affidavit of Identity and Partisan Nominating Petition are filed with the County Clerk. 3The following minor parties currently have ballot access in Michigan: Libertarian, US Taxpayers, Green, Natural Law and Working-Class Parties. 2026 Election Dates Primary Election Tuesday, August 4, 2026 General Election Tuesday, November 3, 2026 Office Type of Petition/Nomination Signatures Needed Filing Location Filing Deadline Withdrawal Deadline Governor Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention N/A1 Lt. Governor Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention N/A2 Secretary of State Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention N/A1 Attorney General Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention N/A1 US Senator Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention N/A1 US Representative In Congress Convention N/A SOS or County Clerk2 1 business day after Convention N/A1 State Senator Convention N/A SOS or County Clerk2 1 business day after Convention N/A1 State Rep Convention N/A SOS or County Clerk2 1 business day after Convention N/A1 State Board of Ed U of M Regent MSU Trustee WSU Governor Convention N/A SOS 1 business day after Convention 4 business days after convention ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 32 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples # Petition Signature Verification Examples Recommended Result 1. Signature appears as if voter’s hand is trembling or shaking, possibly due to a health condition or advancing age: Catherine Metzger versus Valid signature 2. Only part of the signature matches the signature on file such as only the first letters of the first and last name match, but rest of signature does not match: versus Jane Doe J. Doe versus Jane Doe Valid signature 3. Signature is partially printed but at the same time, partially matches the signature on file: A lice Robinson versus Alice Robinson Valid signature 4. Signature is a recognized diminutive of the voter’s full legal name: Bill Smith versus William Smith Valid signature 5. Signature style has changed over time: Lucinda Jones versus Lucinda Jones Valid signature 6. Signature is entirely printed but signature on file is entirely written in cursive: JAMES DAVIS versus James Davis Questionable signature 7. Signature differs in multiple, significant and obvious respects: John Hancock vs Questionable signature vs. Questionable signature ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 33 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix C: Circulator best practices A: Circulators Train your petition circulators, whether they are paid or volunteer circulators. Informing petition circulators of the requirements described in this publication can minimize the likelihood that whole petition sheets and individual signatures are rejected. Errors may be averted if circulators take the following actions: • Write the name of the county of circulation in the heading of the petition and verify the signers are registered to vote in the county listed. • Ask potential signers whether they are registered to vote. • Instruct signers to provide their street address or rural route where indicated; a P.O. Box is invalid. • Remind signers to write the date of signing, not their date of birth. • Review each signer’s entry for completeness. If information is omitted, ask the signer to fill in the blank(s). • Encourage signers to sign in a way that reasonably resembles the signature given for driver’s license or voter registration purposes. It is not necessary for the signer’s petition signature to be a perfect match with the signature on file. See Appendix B: Signature Verification Examples. • Once circulation of a petition sheet is complete, ensure that the circulator signs and dates the certificate of circulator and provides the required information. If the circulator is not a Michigan resident, they must also check the nonresident box in the bottom left corner of the petition sheet and write the name of the county where registered to vote, if any. If hiring paid circulators, petition sponsors and candidates should research circulator companies and check their work. Candidates and petition sponsors should be sure they are hiring reputable companies or circulators that will collect and submit valid signatures as required by law. Petition sponsors and circulators should review petition sheets collected by ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 34 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections circulators periodically during the collection period to ensure valid signatures are being collected and all required components are accurately completed to maintain signature and petition sheet validity. B: Crossing county lines Exercise care when circulating in or near cities and villages that cross county lines. Several cities and villages in Michigan overlap county boundary lines. When obtaining a signature from a voter who is registered in a city or village that crosses county boundaries, make sure the voter signs the petition sheet that aligns with the signer’s county of registration. C: Quality control Implement a quality control process before filing the petition. Candidates are strongly encouraged to obtain a copy of the Qualified Voter File (QVF) for pre-filing verification purposes. Any petition signatures found to be invalid during the quality control process because the street address or date is omitted) can be crossed out prior to filing; crossed out signatures are excluded when determining the maximum number of signatures filed. Review all petition sheets prior to filing for completeness, especially the name of the county of circulation and the certificate of circulator. File enough signatures. Candidates are strongly encouraged to gather and file substantially more signatures than the minimum number required. The number of excess signatures needed will vary depending on the vigorousness of the candidate’s quality control process. Even if the petition has been verified by a professional signature gathering firm prior to filing, note that A challenge may be filed against the sufficiency of the nominating or qualifying petition, and There is a likelihood that some signatures or whole petition sheets may be found to be invalid during the canvass process. However, note that there is an upper limit on the maximum number of signatures that may be filed; see MCL 168.544f for further information. Note: This information is offered as a summary of the provisions governing the validity of petition signatures; it is not a complete description or interpretation of all pertinent laws. Questions may be addressed to: File- [EMAIL REDACTED]. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 35 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections D: Facilitating efficient review The Michigan Board of State Canvassers is responsible for canvassing petitions to determine whether a petition has sufficient valid signatures for placement on the ballot. The Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) supports the Board in this responsibility by reviewing petition signatures and producing a staff report for the Board’s review. The thorough review of petition signatures is a labor intensive and time-consuming process requiring as many as 1,900 personnel hours to sort, review, number, count and review the sample for a single petition. The guidance below is offered to aid petition filers in submitting petition signatures to streamline the review process for placement before the BSC for determination. • All petition sheets should be unfolded, flattened, and neatly organized. • If petition sheets contain tear-off sections, tear-off sections must be completely removed prior to submission. • All petition sheets should be sorted by number of valid signatures per sheet. • All petition sheets should be sorted into bundles, with consistent numbers of sheets per bundle easily combined into a bundle of 100; for example, 25 or 50 per bundle. • For statewide drives, filers should separate out 100 signatures from at least half of the congressional districts. • All bundles should be sorted into boxes, with a consistent number of bundles per box. • Each box should include cover sheets containing estimates of the number of signatures and sheets per box. • Petition filers should cross out signatures (using a single strikethrough line with a ballpoint pen) and remove wholly invalid signature sheets it has identified prior to submission. Note: The BOE cannot provide a specific estimate on how long it will take complete each canvass. These timelines are also affected by staff availability and other responsibilities. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 36 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix D: Signature coding ENTRY CODE CODE NAME EXPLANATION SIGNATURE ERRORS CO Crossed off Signature was crossed out prior to filing. DUP Duplicate Voter signed petition multiple times, or signed nominating petitions for more candidates than there are persons to be elected to the office (e.g. 3 judicial candidates when there are 2 vacant positions). IS Invalid Signature The petition signature is omitted or does not sufficiently agree with the signature on file. NR Not Registered On the date of signing, the signer was not registered to vote anywhere in the city or township indicated. Note: If a signer is registered to vote at a different address within the same city or township as written on the petition, the signature is valid. See examples below: Petition Address Registration Address Result 456 Maple St., Flint 456 Maple St., Mt. Morris Invalid [NR] 123 Main St., Mason 987 Maple St., Mason Valid ADDRESS AND JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES IA Invalid Address Address is blank, missing house number or street name, or PO Box listed. IC Invalid City or Township There is no city or township by that name located within the county listed at the top or the city or township field was left blank. NC Nonexistent County County listed does not exist (misspelled county is not OD Outside District The address given is located within the city or township listed, but outside of the electoral district for the office sought. R Registered/Registered at Other Address in Jurisdiction Registered at address provided on petition or registered at another address within city/township listed on the petition. DATE ERRORS ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 37 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections DATE Invalid Date • Signature is dated before the first date signatures may be circulated. For example, the signor provides the date of birth. Note: For partisan petitions only, signatures may be gathered beginning the day following the last election where the office appeared on the ballot. • Signer's signature is dated after the circulator dated their signature. • Date is incomplete, illegible or missing. HEAD Invalid Heading Entries • Failure to include candidate name, address, name of office, party affiliation (if applicable), and date of primary. • Failure to include whether incumbent, non-incumbent, or new position, or incorrect designation as such. • Font size deviates from requirements (Certain items are 24-point or 12-point font; everything else is 8-point font.) FORM ISSUES DMG Damaged Damaged, mutilated or torn petitions sheets that are damaged in a way that interferes with the presence of any of the mandatory elements (heading, warning statements, circulator certificate, signer entries). FORM Form Error Incorrect form used or incorrect petition submitted with filing. MRE Missing Required Element Missing a required element, e.g., warning cut off when printed, illegible words (crossed out with marker). CIRCULATOR ISSUES CIRC Circulator Information Missing • Failure to include the circulator name, complete residential address (street or rural route number (PO Box is invalid), city or township and state). • Not signed by circulator. • Circulator date is omitted or illegible. OS Out-of-State Box Blank Out-of-state circulator failed to check non-residency box in the Certificate of Circulator. PV Paid/Volunteer Box Blank Circulator did not mark paid/volunteer box. MISCELLANEOUS ERRORS IL Illegible Unable to read enough information provided by the signer(s) to identify the signer. MC Miscellaneous Miscellaneous errors identified not provided above. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 38 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix E: Offices that file with the county clerk County U.S. House Districts State Senate Districts State House Districts Bay 96 Calhoun 44 Eaton 76 Genesee 27 69, 70 Ingham 73, 74 Kalamazoo 40, 41 Kent 29 80-84, 90 Lenawee 34 Livingston 50 Macomb 11, 24 13, 58-62 Muskegon 87 Oakland 11 7, 13 6, 18-21, 51-56 Ottawa 85 Saginaw 94 Washtenaw 32, 33 Wayne 13 1-6 1-4, 7, 9, 10, 15-17, 22, 24-27 ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 39 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix F: Jurisdiction name variations Abbreviation Corresponds to … County AA, A2 Ann Arbor city, Ann Arbor Township Washtenaw BC Battle Creek Calhoun BH Benton Harbor Berrien BH, Blfd Hlls Bloomfield Hills Oakland D’born Dearborn Wayne D’born Hts Dearborn Heights Wayne Det Detroit Wayne EL, E Lan East Lansing Ingham Farm Farmington Oakland FH, Farm Hlls Farmington Hills Oakland Fnt Flint city, Flint Township Genesee GR Grand Rapids Kent GP Grosse Pointe Wayne GPF Grosse Pointe Farms Wayne GPP Grosse Pointe Park Wayne GPS Grosse Pointe Shores Wayne GPW Grosse Pointe Woods Wayne HP Highland Park Wayne Kal, K’zoo Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Lan Lansing Ingham Musk Muskegon Muskegon Sag Saginaw city, Saginaw Township Saginaw SSM Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa SH Shelby Township Macomb SH, Ster Hgts Sterling Heights Macomb S’fld Southfield Oakland SCS St. Clair Shores Macomb St. Joe St. Joseph Berrien TC Traverse City Grand Traverse WB West Bloomfield Oakland Ypsi Ypsilanti Washtenaw ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 40 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix G: Petition size requirements ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 41 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections Appendix H: Invalid sheet examples All the following examples are considered fully invalid sheets, where no signature will be considered valid. 1. The out of state circulator box is blank when the circulator’s address is out of state. 2. Circulator did not sign the petition. This box must be checked ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 42 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections 3. Circulator dated petition before the date of all the petitioners on the sheet. 4. Circulator fails to date the petition. 5. Circulator’s address missing or incomplete. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 43 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections 6. Signor put their date of birth rather than the date of signing. 7. Stickers are covering up mandatory elements in the heading. ---PAGE BREAK--- Partisan Petition ManualI 44 July 2025 Michigan Bureau of Elections 8. Warning statements or other elements on the side of the petition are omitted or cut off. 9. County of circulation is omitted or lists a nonexistent county, such as a city.