Elections

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley has signed bipartisan legislation that clarifies election procedures and protects a voter's personal information.  

Clerks are prohibited from disclosing the last four digits of a voter's Social Security number for Freedom of Information Act requests.

The new law also set rules for certain petition circulators and clarifies candidate filing deadlines for vacant offices. People who sign a candidate's nominating petition also must write the date and their address.

LANSING, MI (AP)--  Republican U.S. Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land says she's submitted enough petition signatures to get a spot on the August primary ballot. 

Land says she collected more than 25,000 signatures from all of Michigan's 83 counties. They were given to state election officials Monday, three weeks before the April 22 deadline.

Land is from the Grand Rapids area. She's a former secretary of state and a former Kent County clerk. She'll likely face Democratic U.S. Rep. Gary Peters in the fall election.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin isn't running for re-election.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Governor Rick Snyder says Michigan’s economic recovery is just starting and he wants four more years to finish the job.  

The governor formally launched his reelection campaign Monday with stops in Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Tuesday he has stops scheduled in Traverse City, Frankenmuth and at Oakland Community College.

Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta reports:

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says time is almost up for residents who want to register to vote in the February 25 election. 

The deadline is Monday for local elections across the state.

To register, applicants must be at least 18 years old by election day and be U.S. citizens. Applicants also must live in Michigan and in the city or township where they wish to register.

Voters may register by mail, at their county, city or township clerk's office or a secretary of state branch office. The mail-in form is available on the Internet.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Michigan abortion foes have collected enough signatures to put a proposal before lawmakers to ban abortion coverage from health plans unless a separate policy is bought.   

The state Bureau of Elections released a review Monday saying the No Taxes for Abortion Insurance group gathered roughly 300,000 valid signatures. They need roughly 258,000.

Michigan's election board meets next week to review the staff recommendation.