ARIZONA STATE SENATE

MIKE HANS

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

RESEARCH STAFF

TO:                  MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

DATE:            February 18, 2022

SUBJECT:      Strike everything amendment to S.B. 1458, relating to elections

Purpose

Prohibits early ballots from being tallied prior to election day.

Background

On receipt of an early ballot and ballot affidavit, a country recorder or other officer in charge of elections must compare the signature on the affidavit with the signature on the voter's registration record. If the signature is inconsistent with the signature on the voter's registration record, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must make reasonable efforts to contact the voter and allow the voter to correct or the county to confirm the inconsistent signature. If satisfied that the signatures correspond, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must hold the envelope and completed affidavit unopened until the ballots are delivered for tallying. The tallying of ballots may begin immediately after the envelope and completed affidavit are processed and delivered to an early election board (A.R.S. § 16-550). All early ballots received by a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections before 7:00 p.m. on election day must be delivered to an early election board for processing (A.R.S. § 16-551)

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Prohibits early ballots from being tallied prior to election day.

2. Makes a technical change.

3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.