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REFERENCE TITLE: write-in candidates; filing date |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session 2022
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HB 2801 |
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Introduced by Representatives Diaz: Blackman, Bolick, Carroll, Fillmore, Finchem, Martinez, Parker, Wilmeth
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AN ACT
amending section 16-312, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to nominating procedures.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 16-312, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
16-312. Filing of nomination papers for write-in candidates
A. Any person desiring to become a write-in candidate for an elective office in any election shall be at the time of filing a qualified elector of the county or district the person proposes to represent and shall have been a resident of that county or district for one hundred twenty days before the date of the election, except that for a city or town office, section 9-232 applies with respect to residency for the candidate. The person shall file a nomination paper, signed by the candidate, giving the person's actual residence address or, if the person does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's district, precinct or municipality, as applicable for the district, precinct or municipal office that the person proposes to represent, and the person's age, length of residence in the state and date of birth.
B. A write-in candidate shall file the nomination paper not earlier than one hundred fifty days before the election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fortieth seventy-sixth day before the election, except that:
1. A candidate running as a write-in candidate as provided in section 16-343, subsection D shall file the nomination paper not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election.
2. A candidate running as a write-in candidate for an election that may be canceled pursuant to section 16-410 shall file the nomination paper not later than 5:00 p.m. on the one hundred sixth day before the election.
C. The write-in filing procedure shall be in the same manner as prescribed in section 16-311. Any person who does not file a timely nomination paper shall not be counted in the tally of ballots. The filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office unless the candidate provides or has provided the financial disclosure statement as prescribed for candidates for that office.
D. Except in cases where the liability is being appealed, the filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a write-in candidate for state or local office if the person is liable for an aggregation of $1,000 or more in fines, penalties, late fees or administrative or civil judgments, including any interest or costs, in any combination, that have not been fully satisfied at the time of the attempted filing of the nomination paper and the liability arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of chapter 6 of this title.
E. The secretary of state shall notify the various boards of supervisors as to write-in candidates filing with the secretary of state's office. The county school superintendent shall notify the appropriate board of supervisors as to write-in candidates filing with the superintendent's office. The board of supervisors shall notify the appropriate election board inspector of all candidates who have properly filed such statements. In the case of a city or town election, the city or town clerk shall notify the appropriate election board inspector of candidates properly filed. No other write-ins shall be counted. The election board inspector shall post the notice of official write-in candidates in a conspicuous location within the polling place.
F. Except as provided in section 16-343, subsection E, a candidate may not file pursuant to this section if any of the following applies:
1. For a candidate in the general election, the candidate ran in the immediately preceding primary election and failed to be nominated to the office sought in the current election.
2. For a candidate in the general election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for the immediately preceding primary election for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-322.
3. For a candidate in the primary election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for the current primary election for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-322, withdrew from the primary election after a challenge was filed or was removed from or otherwise determined by court order to be ineligible for the primary election ballot.
4. For a candidate in the general election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for nomination other than by primary for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-341.
G. A person who files a nomination paper pursuant to this section for the office of president of the United States shall designate in writing to the secretary of state at the time of filing the name of the candidate's vice-presidential running mate, the names of presidential electors who will represent that candidate and a statement signed by the vice-presidential running mate and designated presidential electors that indicates their consent to be designated. A nomination paper for each presidential elector designated shall be filed with the candidate's nomination paper. The number of presidential electors shall equal the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state.