The method of reporting election returns by municipalities

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Currently, the voters of each ward vote at the same polling place, which is generally separate from other polling places in a municipality. Election returns are reported by ward unless otherwise authorized by law. Currently, no later than 60 days before each September primary and general election, and no later than 30 days before each other election, the governing body of a municipality may combine two or more wards for voting purposes to permit the use of a common polling place. In municipalities with a population of 35,000 or more, a municipality must continue to report all election returns by ward even where wards are combined for voting purposes at a single location. Other municipalities may report returns for combined wards together unless a separate ballot is required in a partisan election, in which case separate returns must be reported for the offices listed on each separate ballot so that the results of the various elections may be determined.

This bill permits any municipality that combines wards for voting purposes, regardless of population, to report returns only for combined wards unless a separate ballot is required in a partisan or nonpartisan election, in which case the municipality must report separate results for the offices listed on each separate ballot.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its authors⁠. All 2 are Republicans.

2 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.