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House Engrossed
early ballots; signatures; guidelines; challenges |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session 2023
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HOUSE BILL 2322 |
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An Act
amending section 16-550, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2022, chapter 271, section 2; relating to conduct of elections.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 16-550, Arizona Revised Status, as amended by Laws 2022, chapter 271, section 2, is amended to read:
16-550. Receipt of voter's ballot; cure period; signature verification
A. Except for early ballots tabulated as prescribed in section 16-579.02, on receipt of the envelope containing the early ballot and the ballot affidavit, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall compare the signatures thereon signature on the envelope with the signature of the elector on the elector's registration record. If the signature is inconsistent with the elector's signature on the elector's registration record, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall make reasonable efforts to contact the voter, advise the voter of the inconsistent signature and allow the voter to correct or the county to confirm the inconsistent signature. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall allow signatures to be corrected not later than the fifth business day after a primary, general or special election that includes a federal office or the third business day after any other election. If the signature is missing, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall make reasonable efforts to contact the elector, advise the elector of the missing signature and allow the elector to add the elector's signature not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. If satisfied that the signatures correspond, the recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall hold the envelope containing the early ballot and the completed affidavit unopened in accordance with the rules of the secretary of state.
B. The secretary of state's July 2020 signature verification guide constitutes the minimum requirements for comparison of signatures. Signatures that cannot be verified shall be rejected except as prescribed in subsection A of this section.
B. C. The recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall thereafter safely keep the affidavits and early ballots in the recorder's or other officer's office and may deliver them for tallying pursuant to section 16-551. Tallying of ballots may begin immediately after the envelope and completed affidavit are processed pursuant to this section and delivered to the early election board.
C. D. The county recorder shall send a list of all voters who were issued early ballots to the election board of the precinct in which the voter is registered.
D. E. This section does not apply to:
1. A special taxing district that is authorized pursuant to section 16-191 to conduct its own elections.
2. A special district mail ballot election that is conducted pursuant to article 8.1 of this chapter.