 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
precinct committeemen; 2022 election cycle.
Purpose
An emergency measure that repeals the alternate process for the election of precinct committeemen (PCs) in 2022.
Background
Any member of a recognized political party who is a registered voter in a precinct is eligible to seek the office of PC in the precinct. If the persons who file nomination petitions for election to fill PC positions is less than or equal to the number of positions, a county board of supervisors (county BOS) may cancel the election 105 days before the election and appoint the person who filed nomination petitions to fill the position. If the number of persons who filed nomination petitions for election to fill PC positions is more than the number of PC positions for a political party in a precinct, an additional ballot style must be prepared for the political party in the precinct which must include the office of PC. The term of office for a PC is two years, beginning on October 1 after the primary election at which the PC was a candidate (A.R.S. § 16-822).
On March 3, 2022, the Legislature created a process for the election of PCs in 2022. A candidate for PC must submit a nomination paper to the applicable county political party committee by April 18, 2022. The county political party committee must verify a potential PC candidate's eligibility and submit to a county BOS, by May 2, 2022, one PC candidate's name for each election precinct in the county for appointment. The county BOS must appoint the political party PC from the names submitted by the county committee. Any candidate appointed in this manner is deemed elected for all purposes (Laws 2022, Ch. 3).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Repeals the requirement that, for the 2022 election of PCs, a:
a) candidate for PC must submit a nomination paper or other similar written statement of candidacy to the applicable county political party committee by April 18, 2022;
b) county political party committee must verify a potential PC candidates' eligibility based on the April 1 voter registration totals;
c) county political party committee, by May 2, 2022, must submit to the county BOS one PC candidate's name for each election precinct in the county for appointment; and
d) county BOS must appoint the political party PC from the names submitted by the county political party committee.
2. Repeals the prohibition on a candidate for election for PC in 2022 being required to submit a nomination petition or file other documents with a filing officer.
3. Repeals the requirement that, for the 2022 election for PCs, the county political party committee must be the sole determiner of the single political party PC candidate whose name is submitted for appointment for each election precinct in the county.
4. Makes conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted.
Prepared by Senate Research
March 7, 2022
MH/sr