R 168.201 Definitions.

Rule 1. (1) As used in these rules: (a) “Absent voter ballot processing facility” means the location where a single absent voter counting board, multiple absent voter counting boards, a single combined absent voter counting board, or multiple combined absent voter counting boards are conducted. Absent voter ballot processing facilities do not include a clerk’s office or other locations where absent voter ballots are stored, signatures appearing on absent voter ballot envelopes are checked, or other election-related activities are conducted before absent voter ballots being removed from absent voter ballot envelopes and prepared for tabulation. (b) “Act” means the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992. (c) “Challenge” means a challenge made by a challenger credentialed by a credentialing organization. For the purposes of these rules, a challenged ballot issued to a voter for a reason other than a challenge made by a challenger is not a challenge and does not require any of the reporting or other requirements created by a challenge made by a credentialed challenger. (d) “Challenger” means an individual credentialed as the representative of a credentialing organization to observe election-related activities at an early voting site, a polling place on Election Day, an absent voter ballot processing facility, or a clerk’s office at any time the applicable location is open to the public. An individual shall not serve as a challenger if the individual is serving as an election inspector or individual is running for nomination or election at the same election, except that candidates for precinct delegate can serve as challengers so long as the candidates do not serve at the precinct where the candidates are running for office. (e) “Clerk’s office” means any location where a clerk or an employee of the clerk is issuing absent voter ballots to voters who appear in person and accepting completed absent voter ballots from voters who appear in person. This definition includes satellite offices or other locations established on a temporary or permanent basis to issue absent voter ballots to voters appearing in person or receive absent voter ballots from voters appearing in person. (f) “Combined absent voter counting board” is an absent voter counting board established under section 764d(1) of the act, MCL 168.764d, or an absent voter counting board established to process each ballot form containing identical offices and names in a jurisdiction with more than 250 precincts under section 569a(2) of the act, MCL 168.569a. (g) “Credential card” is the card required to be included in an application to become a credentialing organization under section 731(1) of the act, MCL 168.731, and the authority required to be signed by the individual identified under section 732 of the act, MCL 168.732. The authority must be in a form prescribed by the secretary of state and be known as the Michigan challenger credential card. (h) “Credentialing organization” means an organization that is eligible to appoint and credential challengers in this state. A credentialing organization is an entity described in section 730 of the act, MCL 168.730. A credentialing organization other than a political party committee shall have satisfied the requirements of section 731 of the act, MCL 168.731. (i) “Election staff” includes the clerk of a jurisdiction, employees and authorized assistants of that clerk, the secretary of state, any member of the secretary of state staff, the director of elections, and any member of the bureau of elections staff. (j) “Pollbook” refers to either a physical or electronic pollbook. (k) “Poll watcher” is a member of the public who is observing election processes and is not credentialed as a challenger. A candidate shall not serve as a poll watcher at a location where the candidate appears on the ballot. (l) “Team of election inspectors” refers to the set of election inspectors assigned to process ballots at an individual absent voter count board or a combined absent voter count board. (2) Unless otherwise defined in these rules, a term defined in the act has the same meaning when used in these rules.