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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
early ballots; visually impaired voters
Purpose
Requires any Arizona election to provide for voting by the use of an accessible vote by U.S. mail option for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment. Delays the effective date of Laws 2022, Chapter 99, relating to voter registration verification and satisfactory evidence of citizenship of a voter, from the general effective date to January 1, 2023.
Background
The Secretary of State (SOS) must appoint a three-member Committee to investigate and test various types of vote recording and tabulating machines or devices that may be used for elections. The Committee must submit its recommendations to the SOS, who makes final adoption of the types, makes and models of elections machines and devices to be certified for use in Arizona (A.R.S. § 16-442).
On completion of
the certification process, the SOS must require voting systems used by
jurisdictions subject to consolidated election requirements, except for cities
or towns with a population of fewer than 20,000 persons, to provide persons who
are blind or visually impaired with access to voting that is equivalent to that
provided to persons who are not blind or visually impaired. The SOS must
consult with and obtain recommendations from: 1) nonprofit organizations that
represent persons who are blind or visually impaired; 2) persons with expertise
in accessible software, hardware or other technology; 3) county and local
election officials; and
4) other appropriate persons. After receiving recommendations, the SOS must
submit one or more voting systems that provide equivalent access to the
Committee (A.R.S.
§ 16-442.01).
Laws 2022, Chapter 99 requires a person to provide satisfactory evidence of citizenship in order to be deemed a qualified elector and provide proof of location of residence in order to be presumed to be properly registered to vote. In addition, Laws 2022, Chapter 99 outlines requirements for verification of citizenship by a county recorder and the Attorney General.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires any Arizona election to provide for voting by the use of an accessible vote by U.S. mail option for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment.
2. Requires the SOS to require voting systems used by jurisdictions subject to consolidated election requirements, except for cities or towns with a population of fewer than 20,000 persons, to provide an accessible vote by U.S. mail option.
3. Delays the effective date of Laws 2022, Chapter 99 from the general effective date to January 1, 2023.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Requires any Arizona election to provide for an accessible vote by mail option, rather than accessible vote by mail system.
2. Specifies that the remote accessible vote by mail option that a jurisdiction must provide is for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
1. Delays the effective date of Laws 2022, Chapter 99 from the general effective date to January 1, 2023.
2. Requires Arizona elections to provide for voting by use of an accessible vote by U.S. mail option, rather than a remote accessible vote by mail option.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action House Action
GOV 2/14/22 DP 5-2-0 GE 3/23/22 DPA 11-0-1-1
3rd Read 3/9/22 28-0-2 3rd Read 4/11/22 32-25-3
Prepared by Senate Research
April 11, 2022
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