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REFERENCE TITLE: presidential candidates; electors; tax returns |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session 2020
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SB 1257 |
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Introduced by Senators Mendez: Dalessandro, Gonzales, Quezada, Rios; Representative Salman
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AN ACT
amending sections 16-242 and 16-344, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to candidates for public office.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 16-242, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
16-242. Qualifications for ballot; nomination paper and petition
A. A person seeking nomination as a candidate for the office of president of the United States shall sign and cause to be filed with the secretary of state a nomination paper that contains the following information:
1. The name, residence address and mailing address of the candidate.
2. The name of the recognized political party from which the person seeks nomination.
3. The name and address of the chairman of the candidate's state committee.
4. The exact manner for printing the candidate's name on the presidential preference ballot pursuant to section 16‑311.
B. The nomination paper shall be filed not less than one hundred days nor more than one hundred thirty days before the presidential preference election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing. If the last day for filing falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the nomination paper shall be filed not later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.
C. A candidate for the office of president of the United States shall file with the secretary of state nomination petitions signed by at least five hundred qualified electors who are qualified to vote for the candidate whose nomination petition they are signing for that election or, for recognized parties with fewer than fifty thousand registered voters, nomination petitions signed by at least five hundred qualified electors of any political party affiliation who, at the time they sign, are registered voters. The nomination petitions shall be filed within the time period prescribed by subsection B of this section.
D. Nomination petitions shall conform to the requirements of section 16‑314.
E. In lieu of the petition requirements of this section, a candidate may qualify to appear on the presidential preference election ballot of the candidate's political party by filing with the secretary of state during the time period prescribed by subsection B of this section a notice of candidacy signed by the candidate and evidence that by the filing deadline the candidate's name is qualified to appear on the presidential preference election ballot of the candidate's political party in at least two other states.
F. Within seventy‑two hours after the close of filing the secretary of state shall certify to the officer in charge of elections the names of the candidates who are qualified for the presidential preference election ballot.
G. In addition to a nomination paper and petition or notice of candidacy filed pursuant to this section, a candidate for president shall SUBMIT to the SECRETARY of state a copy of the candidate's federal and state income tax returns for the immediately preceding five years. The copies shall be submitted not later than September 15 immediately preceding the general election. A candidate for president who fails to provide copies of the candidate's income tax returns is ineligible to appear on the general election ballot and the candidates for presidential elector for that presidential candidate's political party are INELIGIBLE to appear on the general election ballot.
Sec. 2. Section 16-344, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
16-344. Office of presidential elector; appointment by state committee chairman; ineligibility
A. The chairman of the state committee of a political party that is qualified for representation on an official party ballot at the primary election and accorded a column on the general election ballot shall appoint candidates for the office of presidential elector equal to the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state and shall file for each candidate with the secretary of state, not more than ten days after the primary election, by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing:
1. A nomination paper giving the candidate's actual residence address or description of place of residence and post office address, naming the party of which the candidate desires to become a candidate, stating his candidacy for the office of presidential elector, stating the exact manner in which the candidate desires to have his name printed on the official ballot pursuant to section 16‑311, subsection G, and stating the date of the general election at which he desires to become a candidate.
2. An affidavit including facts sufficient to show that the candidate resides in this state and will be qualified at the time of the election to hold the office of presidential elector.
B. The nomination paper and affidavit of qualification pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be printed in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.
C. Candidates for the office of presidential elector are ineligible to appear on the general election ballot if the presidential candidate for that political party fails to submit to the secretary of state copies of income tax returns as prescribed by section 16-242.