Assigned to JUD FOR
COMMITTEE
Assigned to JUD FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session
voting centers; board of supervisors
Purpose
Grants a county board of supervisors (BOS) the authority to designate early voting centers and early voting drop-off centers.
Background
Statute requires the BOS of each county to establish a convenient number of election precincts in the county and define the boundaries of the precincts by December 1 of each year preceding the year of a general election (A.R.S. § 16-411).
Statute permits a county recorder to establish on-site early voting locations at the recorder's office, which shall be open and available for use beginning the same day that a county begins to send out the early ballots. Early ballot distribution must occur at least 27 days before the election. The county recorder may also establish any other early voting locations in the county the recorder deems necessary (A.R.S. § 16-542).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Grants a BOS the sole authority to authorize, by specific resolution, a county recorder to determine the use and location of early voting centers and early voting drop-off centers.
2. Requires a BOS to specify the method and manner of voting in polling places, including whether voting equipment used in polling places must tabulate ballots at the polling place.
3. Requires a BOS to specify the location, hours and manner of operation of additional voting locations.
4. Defines an early voting center as a facility in which any voter in that county receives and may lawfully cast the appropriate ballot for that voter during the time period for distribution of early ballots.
5. Defines an early voting drop-off center as a facility in which any voter in that county may deliver a voted early ballot to a lawful custodian during the time period for distribution of early ballots.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 13, 2018
JA/VR/lat