Section 168.731 - Challengers; statement of appointment by organization; contents; authorization; appointment without authorization; penalty(1) Not less than 20 and not more than 30 days before an election, an incorporated organization or organized committee of interested citizens other than political party committees authorized by this act intending to appoint challengers at the election shall file with the clerk of the county, city, village or township in which the election is to be held, a statement setting forth the intention of the organization or committee to appoint challengers. The statement shall set forth the reason why the organization or committee claims the right to appoint challengers, with a facsimile of the card to be used, and shall be signed and sworn to by the chief presiding officer, the secretary, or some other officer of the organization or committee. The clerk or secretary of state, as applicable under subsection (2), may deny an organization or committee the authorization to appoint challengers if that organization or committee fails to furnish evidence satisfactory to the clerk or secretary of state that the organization or committee is devoted to the purposes enumerated in section 730.(2) Not later than 2 business days after receipt of a statement of intent to appoint challengers under subsection (1), a clerk shall approve or deny the organization's or committee's authorization to appoint challengers and notify the organization or committee of that approval or denial. If authorization is denied under this subsection, an organization or committee may appeal the denial with the secretary of state not later than 2 business days after receipt of the denial. Not later than 2 business days after receipt of an appeal of a denial under this subsection, the secretary of state shall review the clerk's denial and approve or deny the organization's or committee's authorization to appoint challengers and notify the organization or committee and the clerk of that decision.(3) Before the opening of the polls, the clerk shall certify in writing to the board of election inspectors in a county, city, village, or township in which the election will be conducted the names of organizations and committees that are authorized under this section to appoint and keep challengers at the polling places in the county, city, village, or township.(4) A person who files a statement under this section on behalf of an organization or committee that is not authorized by this act to appoint challengers or a clerk who knowingly fails to perform the duties required by this section is guilty of a felony, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both.1954, Act 116, Eff. 6/1/1955 ;--Am. 1995, Act 261, Eff. 3/28/1996 .