ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

HB 2241: early ballot drop off; identification

Sponsor: Representative Hoffman, LD 12

Committee on Government & Elections

Overview

Instructs a voter or voter's agent who delivers a ballot to a voting center or emergency voting center to attest to, in writing, prescribed requirements and identification.

History

The county Board of Supervisors (Board), on a specific resolution of the Board, may authorize the use of voting centers in addition to or in place of designated polling places. A voting center allows a voter on election day to receive the proper ballot for that voter and to lawfully cast the ballot. Additionally, the Board may also authorize the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to use emergency voting centers as prescribed in statute (A.R.S. § 16-411).

Any election called pursuant to state law must provide for early voting where any qualified elector may vote by early ballot (A.R.S. § 16-541). An early voter must make and sign the affidavit and then mark the ballot so that the vote cannot be seen. The early voter is required to fold the ballot to conceal the vote and deposit the voted ballot in the envelope for such purpose. Together with the affidavit, the voted early ballot must then be delivered to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections (A.R.S. § 16-548).

Statute defines household member as a person who resides at the same residence as the voter and a family member as a person who is related to the voter by blood, adoption, marriage or legal guardianship. A caregiver is a person who provides health care or medical assistance to the voter in a residence or other specified facilities (A.R.S. § 16-1005).

Provisions

1. Requires the election board and the voter or voter's agent at any voting center or emergency voting center that accepts voted early ballots to comply with attestation and identification requirements. (Sec. 1)

2. Directs the election board, for any voter or voter's agent who delivers one or more voted early ballots in affidavit envelopes to a polling place in the county, to require the voter or voter's agent to attest to in writing and provide identification as follows:

a) For a voter who delivers the voter's own early ballot, present a form of identification on which the voter's name reasonably appears to be the same as on the ballot affidavit; and

b) For a voter's agent who delivers another person's early ballot, present a form of identification that contains the name of the voter's agent and attest in writing that the voter's agent is the voter's household member, family member or caregiver as defined in statute. (Sec. 2)

3. Stipulates that a person who knowingly violates the attestation and identification requirements related to delivering a ballot is guilty of a class 6 felony. (Sec. 2)

4. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 2)

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