Section 168.509o - Qualified voter file; establishment and maintenance; individuals considered registered voters; signed application; development and use of process to update qualified voter file; availability of canceled voter registration information; participation in multistate programs or services; limitations(1) The secretary of state shall direct and supervise the establishment and maintenance of a statewide qualified voter file. The secretary of state shall establish the technology to implement the qualified voter file. The qualified voter file is the official file for the conduct of all elections held in this state. The secretary of state may direct that all or any part of the city or township voter registration files must be used in conjunction with the qualified voter file at the first state primary and election held after the creation of the qualified voter file.(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an individual who appears to vote in an election and whose name appears in the qualified voter file for that city, township, or school district, and who is not designated in the qualified voter file as preregistered to vote as provided under section 496a, is considered a registered elector of that city, township, or school district under this act.(3) The secretary of state, a designated voter registration agency, or a county, city, or township clerk shall not place a name of an individual into the qualified voter file unless that individual signs an application as prescribed in section 509r(3), or is registered to vote or preregistered to vote under section 493a or 493b. The secretary of state or a designated voter registration agency shall not allow an individual to indicate a different address than the address in either the secretary of state's or designated voter registration agency's files to be placed in the qualified voter file.(4) The secretary of state shall develop and utilize a process by which information obtained through the United States Social Security Administration's death master file that is used to cancel an operator's or chauffeur's license issued under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or an official state personal identification card issued under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, of a deceased resident of this state is also used at least once a month to update the qualified voter file to cancel the voter registration of any elector determined to be deceased. The secretary of state shall make the canceled voter registration information under this subsection available to the clerk of each county, city, or township to assist with the clerk's obligations under section 510.(5) Subject to this subsection, the secretary of state shall participate with other states in 1 or more recognized multistate programs or services, if available, to assist in the verification of the current residence and voter registration status of electors. The secretary of state shall not participate in any recognized multistate program or service described in this subsection that requires this state to promote or adopt legislation as a condition of participation in that program or service. In addition, the secretary of state shall not participate in any recognized multistate program or service described in this subsection if the secretary of state determines that data of that program or service are not being adequately secured or protected. The secretary of state shall follow the procedures under section 509aa(5) with regard to any electors affected by information obtained through any multistate program or service.Amended by 2023, Act 258,s 3, eff. 2/13/2024.Amended by 2022, Act 195,s 3, eff. 10/7/2022.Amended by 2018, Act 126,s 1, eff. 5/3/2018.Amended by 2018, Act 125,s 16, eff. 12/31/2018.Add. 1994, Act 441, Imd. Eff. 1/10/1995.