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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
voter registration; updates; internet address
Purpose
Allows county recorders to include an internet address for revising voter registration information in specified notices.
Background
Current statute
requires a county recorder to mail voting material to any elector by
non-forwardable first class mail marked with a statement required by the U.S.
Postal Service (USPS) to receive an address correction notification. If the
mail is returned undelivered, the county recorder must send a follow-up notice
to the elector within three weeks with the following: 1) a registration form;
2) information regarding the qualifications necessary to register to vote,
registration deadlines for qualifying to vote in an election, penalties for false
registration and locations where additional voter registration information may
be obtained; and 3) a statement that the elector's registration status will be
changed from active to inactive if the elector does not complete and return a
new registration form with current information to the county recorder within 35
days (A.R.S. §§ 16-131
and 16-166).
The county recorder may use the change of address information supplied by USPS to identify registrants whose addresses may have changed. If a registrant has moved to a different residence address in the same county, the county recorder must: 1) change the registrant's records to reflect the new address; and 2) send the registrant a notice of the change by forwardable mail and a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct the registrant's information. If the registrant fails to return the form postmarked within 35 days, the elector's registration status is changed from active to inactive (A.R.S. § 16-166).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows a county recorder to provide, in a follow-up notice for mail that is returned undeliverable, the following:
a) an appropriate internet address for revising voter registration information; and
b) a statement that the elector's registration status will be changed from active to inactive if the elector does not revise the elector's voter registration information within 35 days.
2. Allows a county recorder to send, in a notice of change of address, an appropriate internet address for revising voter registration information and stipulates that the elector's registration status becomes inactive if the information is not revised within 35 days.
3. Requires a county recorder to update the general register with an elector's revised voter registration information.
4. Requires a county recorder to forward an elector's revised voter registration information to the county recorder in which the elector's address is located if the address is in a new county.
5. Makes conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ELECT 2/12/19 DP 9-0-0-1
3rd Read 2/27/19 58-1-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 5, 2019
JA/AB/kja