Assigned to ELEC                                                                                                                   FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1201

early ballots; signatures; electronic pollbooks

Purpose

Prohibits a county recorder or officer in charge of elections from comparing the signatures on the voter's early ballot affidavit with the signatures from the electronic pollbook (e-pollbook).

Background

Any election called pursuant to Arizona law must provide for any qualified elector to vote by early ballot (A.R.S. § 16-541). An early ballot must be accompanied by an envelope containing a printed affidavit, which requires the voter to declare under penalty of perjury that the voter: 1) is registered in the applicable county; 2) has not and will not vote in any other county or state;
3) understands that knowingly voting more than once in any election is a class 5 felony; and
4) voted the enclosed ballot and signed the affidavit personally, unless the voter was assisted by another person marking the ballot (A.R.S. § 16-547).

On receipt of an envelope containing an early ballot and ballot affidavit, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must compare the affidavit signature with the signature on the elector's registration record. Additionally, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must verify the signature and attempt to cure the ballot in the case of mismatching signatures. If satisfied that the signatures correspond, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must safely keep 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).

An e-pollbook is an electronic system in which a voter is checked in and through which a voter's signature is recorded to indicate that the voter has voted (A.R.S. § 16-444).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Prohibits a county recorder or officer in charge of elections from comparing the signatures on the voter's early ballot affidavit with the signatures from the e-pollbook.

2. Makes a technical change.

3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 2, 2023

AN/CS/slp