HCR2040 - 561R

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

1. Under the power of the referendum, as vested in the Legislature, the following measure, relating to precinct and absentee voters, is enacted to become valid as a law if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor:

AN ACT

amending sections 16-245, 16-246, 16-343, 16-405, 16-411, 16-461, 16-510, 16-515, 16-541 and 16-542, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing sections 16-544 and 16-545, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending sections 16-547, 16-558.02, 16-1017 and 16-1018, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to elections and electors.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 16-245, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-245. Form and content of ballot

A. Ballots and ballot labels for the presidential preference election shall be printed on different colored paper or white paper with a different colored stripe for each party represented on the presidential preference election ballot. Only one party may be represented on each ballot. At the top shall be printed "official ballot of the ______________ party, presidential preference election (date), county of _______, state of Arizona".

B. The order of the names of certified candidates on the ballot shall be determined by lots drawn at a public meeting called by the secretary of state for that purpose. Rotation of candidate names is prohibited. The certified candidates shall be listed under the title "_______________ party candidates for President of the United States". Immediately below shall be printed "vote for not more than one". The ballot may also contain printed instructions to voters as prescribed for other elections.

C. The officer in charge of elections shall provide a sample ballot proof to the state committee chairman of each qualified candidate's state committee no not later than five days after receipt of receiving the certification from the secretary of state.

D. The officer in charge of elections shall mail one sample ballot of each party represented on the presidential preference election ballot to each household that contains a registered voter of that political party unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. The return address on the sample ballot mailer shall not contain the name of any elected or appointed official, and the name of an appointed or elected official shall not be used to indicate who produced the sample ballot.

E. The mailing face of each sample ballot shall be imprinted with the great seal of the state of Arizona with the words "official voting materials — presidential preference election". The polling place for that household may also be designated on the mailing face of the sample ballot.END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 16-246, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-246. Absentee voting; additional procedures

A. Within ninety-three days before the presidential preference election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh day preceding the election, any elector who is eligible to vote in the presidential preference election may make a verbal or signed, written request for an official early ballot to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections for the county in which the elector is registered to vote. If the request is verbal, the requesting elector shall provide the date of birth and birthplace or other information that if compared to the voter registration records for that elector would confirm the identity of the elector.

B. A. Absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters who are otherwise eligible to vote in the election may vote as prescribed by sections 16-543 and 16-543.02.

C. B. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may establish election day on-site early voting locations at the office of the county recorder or at other locations in the county deemed necessary or appropriate by the recorder. Early voting shall begin within the time limits prescribed in section 16-542 unless otherwise prescribed by this section.

D. C. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall send by nonforwardable mail that is marked with the statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification any early absentee ballots that are requested pursuant to subsections subsection A and B of this section and shall include a preaddressed envelope for the elector to return the completed ballot.

E. D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide to each election board an appropriate alphabetized list of voters who have requested and have been sent an early absentee ballot. Any person who is on that list of voters and who was sent an early absentee ballot shall not vote at the polling place for that election precinct except as prescribed by section 16-579, subsection B.

F. E. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for any of the following special election boards in the same manner prescribed by law for other elections. :

1. Special election boards.

2. Emergency balloting for persons who experience an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the presidential preference election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the presidential preference election. Before receiving a ballot pursuant to this paragraph, a person who experiences an emergency shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing or experienced an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the election that would prevent the person from voting at the polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2.

G. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for emergency balloting pursuant to subsection F, paragraph 2 of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

H. Sections 16-550, 16-551 and 16-552 govern the use of early balloting for the presidential preference election. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 16-343, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-343. Filling vacancy caused by death, incapacity or withdrawal of candidate

A. A vacancy occurring due to death, mental incapacity or voluntary withdrawal of a candidate after the close of petition filing but before a primary or general election shall be filled by the political party with which the candidate was affiliated as follows:

1. In the case of a United States senator or statewide candidate, the state executive committee of the candidate's political party shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements for candidates as stated in section 16-311 in order to fill the vacancy.

2. In the case of a vacancy for the office of United States representative or the legislature, the party precinct committeemen of that congressional or legislative district shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements of section 16-311.

3. In the case of a vacancy for a county or precinct office, the party county committee of counties with a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand persons according to the most recent United States decennial census, and, in counties with a population of two hundred fifty thousand persons or more according to the most recent United States decennial census the county officers of the party together with the chairman of the party precinct committeemen in each legislative district of the county, shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements of section 16-311 to fill such vacancy.

4. If the vacancy occurs in a candidate race for partisan nomination in which at least one candidate of the vacating candidate's political party remains on the ballot for the vacating candidate's office, the vacancy shall not be filled. For an office to which more than one candidate will be elected, the vacancy shall not be filled if at least one candidate of the vacating candidate's political party remains on the ballot for each of the multiple seats for the office sought by the vacating candidate.

B. The nomination paper and declaration required in subsection A of this section shall be filed with the office with which nomination petitions were to be filed at any time before the official ballots are printed.

C. Any meetings for the purpose of filing a nomination paper and declaration provided for in this section shall be called by the chairman of such committee or legislative district, except that in the case of multicounty legislative or congressional districts the party county chairman of the county having the largest geographic area within such district shall call such meeting. The chairman or in his absence the vice chairman calling such meeting shall preside. The call to such meeting shall be mailed or given in person to each person entitled to participate no not later than one day before such meeting. A majority of those present and voting shall be required to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section.

D. A vacancy that is due to voluntary or involuntary withdrawal of the candidate and that occurs following the printing of official ballots shall not be filled in accordance with this section, however, prospective candidates shall comply with section 16-312. A candidate running as a write-in candidate under this subsection shall file the nomination paper no not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election.

E. Candidates nominated pursuant to subsection A of this section or a candidate running as a write-in candidate under subsection D of this section may be a candidate who ran in the immediately preceding primary election for the office and failed to be nominated.

F. If a vacancy occurs as described in subsection A of this section for a state office, the secretary of state shall notify the various boards of supervisors as to the vacancy. The boards of supervisors shall notify the inspectors of the various precinct election boards in the county, district or precinct where a vacancy occurs. In the case of a city or town election, the city or town clerk shall notify the appropriate inspectors. A vacancy that occurs as prescribed in subsection D of this section due to the death or incapacity of the candidate shall not be filled, and the secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county board of supervisors to post a notice of the death or incapacity of the candidate in each polling place along with notice that any votes cast for that candidate will be tabulated.

G. The inspectors shall post the notice of vacancy in the same manner as posting official write-in candidates. In the case of a withdrawal of a candidate that occurs after the printing of official ballots, the inspectors shall post the notice of withdrawal in a conspicuous location in each polling place. Notice of withdrawal shall also be posted at all early voting locations and shall be made available to early absentee voters by providing with the early absentee ballot instructions a website address at which prompt updates to information regarding write-in and withdrawn candidates are available. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 16-405, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-405. Preparation for elections

The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall provide voting or marking devices, voting booths, ballots, early ballots as prescribed by section 16-545, ballot boxes and other supplies as required. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 16-411, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-411. Designation of election precincts and polling places; voting centers; electioneering; wait times

A. The board of supervisors of each county, on or before October 1 of each year preceding the year of a general election, by an order, shall establish a convenient number of election precincts in the county and define the boundaries of the precincts as follows:

1. The election precinct boundaries shall be established so as to be included within election districts prescribed by law for elected officers of the state and its political subdivisions, including community college district precincts, except those elected officers provided for in titles 30 and 48. The board of supervisors may not establish an election precinct that contains more THAN one thousand registered voters on the date the election precinct's BOUNDARIES are ESTABLISHED.

2. If after October 1 of the year preceding the year of a general election the board of supervisors must further adjust precinct boundaries due to the redistricting of election districts as prescribed by law and to comply with this subsection, the board of supervisors shall adjust these precinct boundaries as soon as is practicable.

B. At least twenty days before a general or primary election, and at least ten days before a special election, the board shall designate one polling place within each precinct where the election shall be held, except that:

1. On a specific finding of the board, included in the order or resolution designating polling places pursuant to this subsection, that no suitable polling place is available within a precinct, a polling place for that precinct may be designated within an adjacent precinct.

2. Adjacent precincts may be combined if boundaries so established are included in election districts prescribed by law for state elected officials and political subdivisions including community college districts but not including elected officials prescribed by titles 30 and 48. The officer in charge of elections may also split a precinct for administrative purposes. The polling places shall be listed in separate sections of the order or resolution.

3. On a specific finding of the board that the number of persons who are listed as early voters pursuant to section 16-544 and who are not expected to have their ballots tabulated at the polling place as prescribed in section 16-579.02 is likely to substantially reduce the number of voters appearing at one or more specific polling places at that election, adjacent precincts may be consolidated by combining polling places and precinct boards for that election. The board of supervisors shall ensure that a reasonable and adequate number of polling places in each precinct will be designated for that election. Any consolidated polling places shall be listed in separate sections of the order or resolution of the board.

4. On a specific resolution of the board, The board may not authorize the use of voting centers in place of or in addition to specifically designated polling places. A voting center shall allow any voter in that county to receive the appropriate ballot for that voter on election day after presenting identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and to lawfully cast the ballot. Voting centers may be established in coordination and consultation with the county recorder, at other county offices or at other locations in the county deemed appropriate.

5. On a specific resolution of the board of supervisors that is limited to a specific election date and that is voted on by a recorded vote, the board may authorize the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to use emergency voting centers as follows:

(a) The board shall specify in the resolution the location and the hours of operation of the emergency voting centers.

(b) A qualified elector voting at an emergency voting center shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579, except that notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for any voting at an emergency voting center, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

(c) If an emergency voting center established pursuant to this section becomes unavailable and there is not sufficient time for the board of supervisors to convene to approve an alternate location for that emergency voting center, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may make changes to the approved emergency voting center location and shall notify the public and the board of supervisors regarding that change as soon as practicable. The alternate emergency voting center shall be as close in proximity to the approved emergency voting center location as possible.

C. If the board fails to designate the place for holding the election, or if it cannot be held at or about the place designated, the justice of the peace in the precinct, two days before the election, by an order, copies of which the justice of the peace shall immediately post in three public places in the precinct, shall designate the place within the precinct for holding the election. If there is no justice of the peace in the precinct, or if the justice of the peace fails to do so, the election board of the precinct shall designate and give notice of the place within the precinct of holding the election. For any election in which there are no candidates for elected office appearing on the ballot, the board may consolidate polling places and precinct boards and may consolidate the tabulation of results for that election if all of the following apply:

1. All affected voters are notified by mail of the change at least thirty-three days before the election.

2. Notice of the change in polling places includes notice of the new voting location, notice of the hours for voting on election day and notice of the telephone number to call for voter assistance.

3. All affected voters receive information on early voting that includes the application used to request an early voting ballot.

D. The board is not required to designate a polling place for special district mail ballot elections held pursuant to article 8.1 of this chapter, but the board may designate one or more sites for voters to deposit marked ballots until 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.

E. D. Except as provided in subsection F E of this section, a public school shall provide sufficient space for use as a polling place for any city, county or state election when requested by the officer in charge of elections.

F. E. The principal of the school may deny a request to provide space for use as a polling place for any city, county or state election if, within two weeks after a request has been made, the principal provides a written statement indicating a reason the election cannot be held in the school, including any of the following:

1. Space is not available at the school.

2. The safety or welfare of the children would be jeopardized.

G. F. The board shall make available to the public as a public record a list of the polling places for all precincts in which the election is to be held.

H. G. Except in the case of an emergency, any facility that is used as a polling place on election day or that is used as an early voting site during the period of early voting shall allow persons to electioneer and engage in other political activity outside of the seventy-five foot limit prescribed by section 16-515 in public areas and parking lots used by voters. This subsection does not allow the temporary or permanent construction of structures in public areas and parking lots or the blocking or other impairment of access to parking spaces for voters. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall post on its website at least two weeks before election day a list of those polling places in which emergency conditions prevent electioneering and shall specify the reason the emergency designation was granted and the number of attempts that were made to find a polling place before granting an emergency designation. If the polling place is not on the website list of polling places with emergency designations, electioneering and other political activity shall be allowed outside of the seventy-five foot limit. If an emergency arises after the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections' initial website posting, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall update the website as soon as is practicable to include any new polling places, shall highlight the polling place location on the website and shall specify the reason the emergency designation was granted and the number of attempts that were made to find a polling place before granting an emergency designation.

I. H. For the purposes of this section, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall designate a polling place as an emergency polling place and thus prohibit persons from electioneering and engaging in other political activity outside of the seventy-five foot limit prescribed by section 16-515 but inside the property of the facility that is hosting the polling place if any of the following occurs:

1. An act of God renders a previously set polling place as unusable.

2. A county recorder or other officer in charge of elections has exhausted all options and there are no suitable facilities in a precinct that are willing to be a polling place unless a facility can be given an emergency designation.

J. I. The secretary of state shall provide through the instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452 the maximum allowable wait time for any election that is subject to section 16-204 and provide for a method to reduce voter wait time at the polls in the primary and general elections. The method shall consider at least all both of the following for primary and general elections in each precinct:

1. The number of ballots voted in the prior primary and general elections.

2. The number of registered voters who voted early in the prior primary and general elections.

3. The number of registered voters and the number of registered voters who cast an early ballot for the current primary or general election.

4. The number of registered voters whose early ballots were tabulated on-site as prescribed in section 16-579.02 in the prior primary and general elections.

5. 2. The number of election board members and clerks and the number of rosters that will reduce voter wait time at the polls.END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Section 16-461, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-461. Sample primary election ballots; submission to party chairmen for examination; preparation, printing and distribution of ballot

A. At least forty-five days before a primary election, the officer in charge of that election shall:

1. Prepare a proof of a sample ballot.

2. Submit the sample ballot proof of each party to the county chairman or in city or town primaries to the city or town chairman.

3. Mail a sample ballot proof to each candidate for whom a nomination paper and petitions have been filed.

B. Within five days after receipt of the sample ballot, the county chairman of each political party shall suggest to the election officer any change the chairman considers should be made in the chairman's party ballot, and if on examination the election officer finds an error or omission in the ballot the officer shall correct it. The election officer shall cause print and distribute the sample ballots to be printed and distributed as required by law, shall maintain a copy of each sample ballot and shall post a notice indicating that sample ballots are available on request. The official sample ballot shall be printed on colored paper or white paper with a different colored stripe for each party that is represented on that ballot. For voters who are not registered with a party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the election officer may print and distribute the required sample ballots in an alternative format, including a reduced size format.

C. Not later than forty days before a primary election, the county chairman of a political party may request one sample primary election ballot of the chairman's party for each election precinct.

D. The board of supervisors shall have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election and shall mail at least eleven days before the election one sample ballot of a political party to each household containing a registered voter of that political party unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. Each sample ballot shall contain the following statement: "This is a sample ballot and cannot be used as an official ballot under any circumstances". A certified claim shall be presented to the secretary of state by the board of supervisors for the actual cost of printing, labeling and postage of each sample ballot actually mailed, and the secretary of state shall direct payment of the authenticated claim from funds of the secretary of state's office.

E. For city and town elections, the governing body of a city or town may have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election. If the city or town has printed such sample ballots, the city or town shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing of such sample ballots.

F. The return address on the mailer-type sample ballots shall not contain the name of an appointed or elected public officer, nor may and the name of an appointed or elected public officer may not be used to indicate who produced the sample ballot.

G. The great seal of the state of Arizona shall be imprinted along with the words "official voting materials" on the mailing face of each sample ballot. In county, city or town elections the seal of such jurisdiction shall be substituted for the state seal. END_STATUTE

Sec. 7. Section 16-510, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-510. Sample ballots; preparation and distribution

A. Before printing the sample ballots for the general election, the board of supervisors shall send to each candidate whose name did not appear on the preceding primary election ballot a ballot proof of the sample ballot for the candidate's review.

B. The board of supervisors shall print and distribute, for the information of voters at each polling place, a number of sample ballots as it deems necessary.

C. The board of supervisors shall have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a general election and shall mail at least eleven days before the election one such sample ballot to each household in the county containing a registered voter unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. Each sample ballot shall contain the following statement: "This is a sample ballot and cannot be used as an official ballot under any circumstances". A certified claim shall be presented to the secretary of state by the board of supervisors for the actual cost of printing, labeling and postage of each sample ballot actually mailed, and the secretary of state shall direct payment of the authenticated claim from funds of the secretary of state's office.

D. For city and town elections, the governing body of a city or town may have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a general election. If the city or town has printed such sample ballots, the city or town shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing such sample ballots.

E. For special district elections, the governing body of a special district may have printed mailer-type sample ballots. If the special district has printed such sample ballots, the special district shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing such sample ballots. END_STATUTE

Sec. 8. Section 16-515, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-515. "Seventy-five foot limit" notices; posting; violation; classification

A. Except as prescribed in this section and section 16-580, a person shall not be allowed to remain inside the seventy-five foot limit while the polls are open, except for the purpose of voting, and except the election officials, one representative at any one time of each political party represented on the ballot who has been appointed by the county chairman of that political party and the challengers allowed by law, and no electioneering may not occur within the seventy-five foot limit. Voters having cast their ballots shall promptly move outside the seventy-five foot limit.

B. The board of supervisors shall furnish, with the ballots for each polling place, three notices, printed in letters not less than two inches high, with the heading: "Seventy-five foot limit" and underneath that heading the following:

No person shall be allowed to remain inside these limits while the polls are open, except for the purpose of voting, and except the election officials, one representative at any one time of each political party represented on the ballot who has been appointed by the county chairman of such political party, and the challengers allowed by law. Voters having cast their ballots shall at once retire without the seventy-five foot limit. A person violating any provision of this notice is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

C. A minor voting in a simulated election at a polling place is subject to the same seventy-five foot limit restrictions prescribed for a voter. Persons supervising or working in a simulated election in which minors vote may remain within the seventy-five foot limit of the polling place. The inspector for the polling place shall exercise authority over all election and simulated election related activities at the polling place.

D. For an election that is held by an Indian tribe and that is held at a polling place at the same time and on the same date as any other election, the following apply:

1. A person who is voting is subject to the same seventy-five foot limit restrictions prescribed for other voters.

2. An election official for the tribal election may remain within the seventy-five foot limit for the polling place.

E. With the permission of the voter, a minor may enter and remain within the seventy-five foot limit in order to accompany a voter into a polling place, an election day on-site early voting facility and a voting booth while the voter is voting.

F. Notwithstanding any other law, an election official, a representative of a political party who has been appointed by the county chairman of that political party or a challenger who is authorized by law to be within the seventy-five foot limit as prescribed by this section shall not wear, carry or display materials that identify or express support for or opposition to a candidate, a political party or organization, a ballot question or any other political issue and shall not electioneer within the seventy-five foot limit of a polling place.

G. Notwithstanding section 16-1018, a person may not take photographs or videos while within the seventy-five foot limit.

H. Any A person violating who violates this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

I. For the purposes of this section, electioneering occurs when an individual knowingly, intentionally, by verbal expression and in order to induce or compel another person to vote in a particular manner or to refrain from voting expresses support for or opposition to a candidate who appears on the ballot in that election, a ballot question that appears on the ballot in that election or a political party with one or more candidates who appear on the ballot in that election. END_STATUTE

Sec. 9. Heading change

The article heading of title 16, chapter 4, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from "EARLY VOTING" to "ABSENTEE VOTING".

Sec. 10. Section 16-541, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-541. Absentee voting; voter eligibility

A. Any election called pursuant to the laws of this state shall provide for early absentee voting, including voting by the use of an accessible vote by United States mail option for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment. Any qualified elector who meets the CRITERIA ESTABLISHED by this section may vote by early absentee ballot.

B. An elector shall be allowed to vote by absentee ballot for any one or more of the following reasons:

1. The elector expects to be absent from the elector's precinct at the time of holding the election.

2. The elector is physically unable to go to the polls.

3. The elector has a visual impairment.

4. The elector is a person with a disability.

5. The elector is sixty-five years of age or older.

6. The elector's place of residence is more than fifteen road miles from the polling place for the elector's precinct.

7. The elector cannot attend the polls on the day of the election because of the tenets of the elector's religion.

8. The elector is an absent uniformed services voter or OVERSEAS voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States code section 20310) or the spouse or a HOUSEHOLD member of the absent UNIFORMED services VOTER or overseas voter.

B. C. A qualified elector of a special district organized pursuant to title 48 shall be permitted allowed to vote early absentee in any special district mail ballot election as provided in article 8.1 of this chapter.END_STATUTE

Sec. 11. Section 16-542, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-542. Request for absentee ballot; requirements; violation; classification

A. Within ninety-three days before any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, an eligible elector as prescribed by section 16-541 may make a verbal or signed request to the county recorder, or other officer in charge of elections for the applicable political subdivision of this state in whose jurisdiction the elector is registered to vote, for an official early absentee ballot. In addition to name and address, the requesting elector shall provide the date of birth and state or country of birth or other information that if compared to the voter registration information on file would confirm the identity of the elector and shall specify one of the reasons for voting absentee prescribed by section 16-541. If the request indicates that the elector needs a primary election ballot and a general election ballot, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall honor the request. For any partisan primary election, if the elector is not registered as a member of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the elector shall designate the ballot of only one of the political parties that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot and the elector may receive and vote the ballot of only that one political party, which also shall include any nonpartisan offices and ballot questions, or the elector shall designate the ballot for nonpartisan offices and ballot questions only and the elector may receive and vote the ballot that contains only nonpartisan offices and ballot questions. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall process any request for an early absentee ballot for a municipal election pursuant to this subsection. The county recorder may establish on-site early voting locations at the recorder's office, which shall be open and available for use beginning the same day that a county begins to send out the early ballots. The county recorder may also establish any other early voting locations in the county the recorder deems necessary. Any on-site early voting location or other early voting location shall require each elector to present identification as prescribed in section 16-579 before receiving a ballot. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, at any on-site early voting location or other early voting location the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, a request for an official early ABSENTEE ballot from an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20310) or a voter whose information is protected pursuant to section 16-153 that is received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections more than ninety-three days before the election is valid. If requested by the absent uniformed services or overseas voter, or a voter whose information is protected pursuant to section 16-153, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide to the requesting voter early ballot materials through the next regularly scheduled general election for federal office immediately following receipt of the request unless a different period of time, which does not exceed the next two regularly scheduled general elections for federal office, is designated by the voter.

C. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall mail the early ABSENTEE ballot and the envelope for its return postage prepaid to the address provided by the requesting elector within five days after receipt of the official early ABSENTEE ballots from the officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots pursuant to section 16-545, except that early ABSENTEE ballot distribution shall not begin more than twenty-seven days before the election. If an early ABSENTEE ballot request is received on or before the thirty-first day before the election, the early ABSENTEE ballot shall be distributed not earlier than the twenty-seventh day before the election and not later than the twenty-fourth day before the election.

D. Only the elector may be in possession of that elector's unvoted early ABSENTEE ballot. If a complete and correct request is made by the elector within twenty-seven days before the election, the mailing must be made within forty-eight hours after receipt of the request. Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays are excluded from the computation of the forty-eight hour period prescribed by this subsection. If a complete and correct request is made by an absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter before the election, the regular early ABSENTEE ballot shall be transmitted by mail, by fax or by other electronic format approved by the secretary of state within twenty-four hours after the early ABSENTEE ballots are delivered pursuant to section 16-545, subsection B, excluding Sundays.

E. In order to be complete and correct and to receive an early ABSENTEE ballot by mail, an elector's request that an early ABSENTEE ballot be mailed to the elector's residence or temporary address must include all of the information prescribed by subsection A of this section and must be received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections no not later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh day preceding the election. An elector who appears personally no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election at an on-site early voting location that is established by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall be given a ballot after presenting identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall be permitted to vote at the on-site location. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, at any on-site early voting location the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452. If an elector's request to receive an early ABSENTEE ballot is not complete and correct but complies with all other requirements of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall attempt to notify the elector of the deficiency of the request.

F. Unless an elector specifies that the address to which an early ballot is to be sent is a temporary address, the recorder may use the information from an early ballot request form to update voter registration records.

G. F. The county recorder or other officer in charge of early ABSENTEE balloting shall provide an alphabetized list of all voters in the precinct who have requested and have been sent an early ABSENTEE ballot to the election board of the precinct in which the voter is registered not later than the day before the election.

H. As a result of experiencing an emergency between 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election and 5:00 p.m. on the Monday preceding the election, qualified electors may request to vote in the manner prescribed by the board of supervisors of their respective county. Before voting pursuant to this subsection, an elector who experiences an emergency shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing or experienced an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the election that would prevent the person from voting at the polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2. For the purposes of this subsection, "emergency" means any unforeseen circumstances that would prevent the elector from voting at the polls.

I. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for any voting pursuant to subsection H of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

J. A candidate, political committee or other organization may distribute early ballot request forms to voters. If the early ballot request forms include a printed address for return, the addressee shall be the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Failure to use the political subdivision as the return addressee is punishable by a civil penalty of up to three times the cost of the production and distribution of the request.

K. All original and completed early ballot request forms that are received by a candidate, political committee or other organization shall be submitted within six business days after receipt by a candidate, political committee or other organization or eleven days before the election day, whichever is earlier, to the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Any person, political committee or other organization that fails to submit a completed early ballot request form within the prescribed time is subject to a civil penalty of up to $25 per day for each completed form withheld from submittal. Any person who knowingly fails to submit a completed early ballot request form before the submission deadline for the election immediately following the completion of the form is guilty of a class 6 felony.

L. G. Except for a voter who is on the active early voting list prescribed by section 16-544, A voter who requests a onetime early an absentee ballot pursuant to this section 16-542 or for an election conducted pursuant to section 16-409 or article 8.1 of this chapter, a county recorder, city or town clerk or other election officer may not deliver or mail an early ABSENTEE ballot to a person who has not requested an early ABSENTEE ballot for that election. An election officer who knowingly violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.END_STATUTE

Sec. 12. Repeal

Sections 16-544 and 16-545, Arizona Revised Statutes, are repealed.

Sec. 13. Section 16-547, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-547. Absentee ballot; affidavit; form

A. The early ABSENTEE ballot shall be accompanied by an envelope bearing on the front the name, official title and post office address of the recorder or other officer in charge of elections and on the other side a printed affidavit in substantially the following form:

I declare the following under penalty of perjury: I am a registered voter in ___________ county, Arizona, I expect to be absent from my precinct at the time of holding the election or I am physically unable to go to the polls or I have a visual impairment or I am a person with a disability or I am sixty-five years of age or older or my place of residence is more than fifteen road miles from the polling place for my precinct or i cannot attend the polls on the day of the election because of the tenets of my religion or I am an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter or the spouse or a household member of an absent UNIFORMED or overseas voter, I have not voted and will not vote in this election in any other county or state, I understand that knowingly voting more than once in any election is a class 5 felony and I voted the enclosed ballot and signed this affidavit personally unless noted below.

If the voter was assisted by another person in marking the ballot, complete the following:

I declare the following under penalty of perjury: At the registered voter's request I assisted the voter identified in this affidavit with marking the voter's ballot, I marked the ballot as directly instructed by the voter, I provided the assistance because the voter was physically unable to mark the ballot solely due to illness, injury or physical limitation and I understand that there is no power of attorney for voting and that the voter must be able to make the voter's selection even if they the voter cannot physically mark the ballot.

Name of voter assistant:

_____________________________

Address of voter assistant:

_____________________________

B. The face of each envelope in which a ballot is sent to a federal postcard applicant or in which a ballot is returned by the applicant to the recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall be in the form prescribed in accordance with the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20301). Otherwise, the envelopes shall be the same as those used to send ballots to, or receive ballots from, other early ABSENTEE voters.

C. The officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots at any election shall ensure that the early ABSENTEE ballot is sent in an envelope that states substantially the following:

If the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the unopened envelope "return to sender" and deposit it in the United States mail.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall supply printed instructions to early ABSENTEE voters that direct them to sign the affidavit, mark the ballot and return both in the enclosed self-addressed envelope that complies with section 16-545. The instructions shall include the following statement:

In order to be valid and counted, the ballot and affidavit must be delivered to the office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections or may be deposited at any polling place in the county no not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. The ballot will not be counted without the voter's signature on the envelope.

(WARNING — It is a felony to offer or receive any compensation for a ballot.) END_STATUTE

Sec. 14. Section 16-558.02, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-558.02. Replacement absentee ballots

A. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall determine a central location in the district and shall provide for a ballot replacement center that is as near to that location as is practicable for eligible electors to obtain a replacement ABSENTEE ballot. The location shall be open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. of the day of the election. An elector may obtain a replacement absentee ballot until 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election on presenting a signed, sworn statement that the ABSENTEE ballot was lost, spoiled, destroyed or not received.

B. The recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall keep a record of each replacement absentee ballot provided pursuant to this section.

C. If an elector to whom a replacement absentee ballot is issued votes more than once, only the first ballot received shall be counted. END_STATUTE

Sec. 15. Section 16-1017, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-1017. Unlawful acts by voters with respect to voting; classification

A voter who knowingly commits any of the following acts is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor:

1. Makes a false statement as to the voter's inability to mark a ballot.

2. Interferes with a voter within the seventy-five foot limit of the polling place as posted by the election marshal or within seventy-five feet of the main outside entrance to an on-site early voting location established by a county recorder pursuant to section 16-542, subsection A.

3. Endeavors while within the seventy-five foot limit for a polling place or on-site early voting location to induce a voter to vote for or against a particular candidate or issue.

4. Prior to before the close of an election, defaces or destroys a sample ballot posted by election officers, or defaces, tears down, removes or destroys a card of instructions posted for the instruction of voters.

5. Removes or destroys supplies or conveniences furnished to enable a voter to prepare the voter's ballot.

6. Hinders the voting of others.

7. Votes in a county in which the voter no longer resides, except as provided in section 16-125. END_STATUTE

Sec. 16. Section 16-1018, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-1018. Additional unlawful acts by persons with respect to voting; classification

A person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor:

1. Knowingly electioneers on election day within a polling place or in a public manner within seventy-five feet of the main outside entrance of a polling place or on-site early voting location established by a county recorder pursuant to section 16-542, subsection A.

2. Intentionally disables or removes from the polling place, on-site early voting location or custody of an election official a voting machine or a voting record.

3. Knowingly removes an official ballot from a polling place or on-site voting location before closing the polls.

4. Shows another voter's ballot to any person after it is prepared for voting in such a manner as to reveal the contents, except to an authorized person lawfully assisting the voter. A voter who makes available an image of the voter's own ballot by posting on the internet or in some other electronic medium is deemed to have consented to retransmittal of that image, and that retransmittal does not constitute a violation of this section.

5. Knowingly solicits a voter to show the voter's ballot, or receives from a voter a ballot prepared for voting, unless the person is an election official or unless otherwise authorized by law.

6. Knowingly receives an official ballot from a person other than an election official having charge of the ballots.

7. Knowingly delivers an official ballot to a voter, unless the voter is an election official.

8. Except for a completed ballot transmitted by an elector by fax or other electronic format pursuant to section 16-543, knowingly places a mark on the voter's ballot by which it can be identified as the one voted by the voter.

9. After having received a ballot as a voter, knowingly fails to return the ballot to the election official before leaving the polling place or on-site early voting location. END_STATUTE

Sec. 17. Conforming legislation

The legislative council staff shall prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty-seventh legislature, first regular session.

2. The Secretary of State shall submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election as provided by article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona.