117.27a Apportionment of wards; definitions.

440 words·~2 min read·/mi/chapter-117/117-27a

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Sec. 27a.

(1)For the purposes of this section:

(a)"Local legislative body" means the council, common council or commission of a city.

(b)"Ward" means a district comprising less than all of the area of a city which constitutes the political unit from which 1 or more members of the local legislative body is nominated, elected or nominated and elected.

(2)The population of each city subject to the provisions of this section shall, in the first instance, be determined from the most recent official United States decennial census. Other governmental census figures of total city population may be used if taken subsequent to the latest decennial United States census and the last decennial United States census figures are inadequate for the purposes of this section. Each city shall have the power to conduct its own census for this purpose.

(3)This section shall be applicable to all cities that do not elect all the members of their local legislative body at large. This section shall not repeal any charter provisions meeting the standards established herein but shall be applicable to all charters that fail in whole or in part, to meet the standards herein, or the constitutional requirements of this state or United States constitution.

(4)In each such city subject to the provisions of this section the local legislative body, not later than December 1, 1967, shall apportion the wards of the city in accord with this section. In subsequent years, the local legislative body, prior to the next general municipal election occurring not earlier than 4 months following the date of the official release of the census figures of each United States decennial census, shall apportion the wards of the city in accord with this section.

(5)The local legislative body shall file the apportionment plan with the city clerk and make copies available at cost to any registered voter of the city. Such plan shall provide for wards which are as nearly of equal population as is practicable and contiguous and compact. Residents of state institutions who cannot by law register in the city as electors shall be excluded from population computations where the number of such persons is identifiable in the census figures available.

(6)Any registered voter of the city within 30 days after the filing of the apportionment plan for his city, or within 30 days after such apportionment plan shall be submitted, may petition the circuit court to determine if the plan meets the requirements of the laws and constitution of this state and the United States.

History: Add. 1966, Act 182, Eff. July 1, 1966