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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
voting registrations; ballot requests; source
Purpose
Prohibits a county recorder from using the signature on a request to amend a voter's registration or a request for an early ballot that is not on an official form printed by the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), county recorder or other officer in charge of elections as the sole exemplar for subsequent signature comparison. Removes the ability for a candidate, political committee or other organization to distribute early ballot request forms or Active Early Voter List (AEVL) request forms to voters.
Background
The Secretary of State and a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must supply voter registration forms to any qualified person requesting registration information. A county recorder may provide voter registration forms to groups and individuals that request forms for conducting voter registration drives (A.R.S. §§ 16-131 and 16-151). A voter may also request to be placed on the AEVL and receive a ballot-by-mail for each election the voter is eligible. Each county recorder must maintain the AEVL as a part of the voter registration roll (A.R.S. § 16-542).
A candidate, political committee or other organization may distribute early ballot request forms or AEVL request forms to voters. If a candidate, political committee or organization collects an early ballot request form or AEVL request form, the candidate, political committee or organization must return any completed request forms to the appropriate county recorder within 6 business days of receipt or 11 days before the election, whichever is earlier (A.R.S. §§ 16-542 and 16-544). On receipt of the envelope containing the early ballot and the ballot affidavit, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must compare the signature on an envelope containing an elector's early ballot and ballot affidavit with the signature on the elector's registration record. If the signature is inconsistent with the elector's signature on the elector'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 the signature within the prescribed time frame. If satisfied that the signatures correspond, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must hold the envelope containing the early ballot and completed affidavit unopened and may deliver the early ballot and affidavit for tallying (A.R.S. § 16-550).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Prohibits a county recorder, for any signed and preprinted request to amend a voter's registration or request an early ballot on a form that is not on an official form printed by the MVD, county recorder or other officer in charge of elections, from using the signature of the voter on the request as the sole exemplar for subsequent comparison.
2. Removes the ability of a candidate, political committee or other organization to distribute an early ballot or AEVL request form to a voter.
3. Allows only a political party, county recorder or election official to distribute early ballot request forms or AEVL request forms to voters.
4. Exempts, from the prohibition relating to distributing early ballot request forms, an election that is held by a statutorily authorized special taxing district for the purpose of protecting and providing services to agricultural lands or crops.
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Additional Committee of the Whole
1. Specifies that a printed document, card or other form from the MVD may be used for signature comparison.
Senate Action
ELEC 2/6/23 DP 5-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 1, 2023
AN/slp