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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
school board candidates; electronic signatures
Purpose
Includes school district governing board candidates on the list of elected offices for which the Secretary of State (SOS) must provide the means for qualified electors to electronically sign nomination petitions using the online signature collection system (E-Qual).
Background
Statute requires the SOS to provide E-Qual for qualified electors to electronically sign a nomination petition for candidates for city or town office, county office and the office of precinct committeeman through a secure internet portal. E-Qual must: 1) allow only qualified electors who are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to sign the petition; 2) provide a method to verify the qualified elector's identity; and 3) provide for the SOS to transmit those filings to the officer in charge of elections for the appropriate office. A candidate for city or town office, county office or office of the precinct committeeman may collect up to 110 percent of the minimum number of required nomination petition signatures by use of the electronic system (A.R.S. § 16-317).
A person is eligible for election to a school
district governing board if the person: 1) is a registered voter of Arizona; 2) has been a resident of the school district for
at least one year immediately preceding the day of election; and 3) is
not subject to registration as a sex offender in Arizona or in any other
jurisdiction. A school district governing board candidate's nomination
petition must be signed by a number of qualified electors equal to: 1) one-half
of one percent of the total voter registration in the school district, if the
board members are elected at large; or
2) one percent of the total voter registration in a single member district, if
governing board members are elected from single member districts. Statute caps
the total number of required signatures for a school district governing board
at 400. A school district governing board
candidate's nomination petition must be filed with the county school
superintendent (A.R.S. §§ 15-421;
15-422;
and 16-322).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds school district governing board candidates to the list of elected offices for which the SOS must provide the means for qualified electors to electronically sign a nomination petition using E-Qual.
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 17, 2025
MH/KK/ci