ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session
	House: GOV DP 10-0-0-0

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HB 2306: elections; counting center; electronic adjudication.

Sponsor:  Representative Townsend, LD 16

Committee on Elections

Overview

Outlines the conditions that apply when the Board of Supervisors authorizes the use of an electronic vote adjudication feature.

History

The county Board of Supervisors (BOS) or other officer in charge of elections is responsible for all proceedings at the counting center and must conduct such proceedings in accordance with the approved Elections Procedures Manual prescribed in statute.

Current statute requires all persons that are involved in the processing and counting of ballots to be qualified electors, be deputized in writing and take an oath that they will faithfully perform their assigned duties.  If any ballot is damaged or defective and cannot be properly counted by the automatic tabulating equipment, a true duplicate copy must be made with a clear label of "duplicate" along with a serial number that is recorded on the damaged or defective ballot.

The officer in charge of elections may authorize the manual counting of ballots if for any reason it becomes impracticable to count all or a part of the ballots with tabulating equipment (A.R.S. § 16-621).

Provisions

1. Specifies that a duplicate copy of a defective ballot must be made and clearly labeled "duplicate." (Sec. 2)

2. Stipulates that certain conditions apply if the counting center automatic tabulating equipment includes an electronic vote adjudication feature that has been certified according to statute and authorized for use by the BOS or officer in charge of elections. (Sec. 2)

3. Requires the electronic vote adjudication feature to be included in the tabulation system logic and accuracy testing prescribed by statute. (Sec. 2)

4. Directs the BOS or officer in charge of elections to appoint an electronic vote adjudication board that is made up of two judges equally divided between the two largest political parties and who are overseen by an inspector. (Sec. 2)

5. Asserts that the electronic vote adjudication board must adjudicate and submit for tabulation the following:

a) A ballot that is read as blank by the tabulation machine in order to determine if voter intent is clear on all or a portion of the ballot;

b) A ballot that has more names than there are persons to be elected for that office on any portion or all of the ballot; or

c) To tally write-in choices as prescribed in statute. (Sec. 2)

6. States that the electronic vote adjudication process used by the electronic vote adjudication board must provide for the following:

a) A method to track and account for the original ballot and the digital duplicate of the ballot that includes a serial number on the digital image that can be used to track the actions of the electronic vote adjudication board;

b) The creation and retention of comprehensive logs of all digital duplication and adjudication actions performed; and

c) The retention of the original and digital duplicate of the ballot. (Sec. 2)

7. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

8. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 3)

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12. Initials SJ              Caucus & COW

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