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House committee considers removing 10‑day 'acceptance of office' form for school and community college boards
Summary
The House Committee on Election Integrity heard testimony on HB 47 93–95 to eliminate a separate 10‑day "acceptance of office" form for school board and community college board winners, after a former lawmaker said he lost his seat when he missed the filing deadline; supporters argued the oath of office is sufficient.
Representative Sara Hoadley, sponsor of a three‑bill package, told the House Committee on Election Integrity that HB 47 93–95 would remove a Michigan statutory requirement obliging school board and community college board winners to sign a separate "acceptance of office" form within a short post‑election window.
Hoadley said the requirement is redundant with the oath of office that successful candidates sign before taking office and that the separate form can create avoidable consequences for winners. "The goal of this package is to remove the section of Michigan law that concerns an acceptance of office of a school board candidate or a community college board member," Hoadley said in opening remarks.
Former State Representative Steve Johnson testified that he ran for school board, received the most votes and, after certification, learned he had not signed a required acceptance form within the statutory time frame. Johnson recounted receiving notice that his seat would be vacated and the board had appointed another person: "They actually appointed the person we beat, which is just kind of a direct attack on the voters," he said.
Committee members pressed about the origin and purpose of the requirement and reported being unable to find a historical justification. "We can't seem to find where it came from," said Johnson, summarizing the committee's review during drafting. Several members said the oath of office, which all officials sign before taking the seat on Jan. 1, should be the controlling acceptance mechanism.
The clerk read support for the bills into the record from Melanie Macey of Promote the Vote, Sherry Richey of Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, Erin Shore of the Michigan Department of State and Katie Wojcowski of the Michigan Community College Association; those individuals did not speak on the record. Lisa Capitina appeared as a neutral witness and limited her remarks to the bill package after the chair asked her to do so.
Chair Smith closed the item by thanking witnesses and said the committee would continue working the bills through its process; no final committee vote on HB 47 93–95 was recorded during the hearing.
