Assigned to JUDE FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
county candidates; clean elections pamphlet
Purpose
Adds candidates for countywide offices to the list of names that must be included in the Voter Education Guide published by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission (Commission). Contains requirements for enactment for initiatives and referendums (Proposition 105).
Background
The Commission consists of five members, no more than two of which can be
of the same political party or residents of the same county. Commissioners
serve five-year terms and are appointed by either the Governor or the
highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is not a member of the
same political party as the Governor on an alternating basis (A.R.S.
§ 16-955).
The Commission has a variety of statutory responsibilities including the
requirement to:
1) develop a procedure for publishing a document that is delivered before the
primary or general election that includes the names of every candidate for
every statewide and legislative district office in that election, along with a
message chosen by each candidate, or the words "no statement
submitted" for candidates who do submit a message; 2) sponsor debates
among candidates; and
3) produce a yearly report describing the Commission's activities and any
recommendations for changes of the law, administration or funding amounts and
accounting for monies in the Citizens Clean Election Fund (A.R.S.
§ 16-956).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds candidates for countywide offices to the list of names that must be included in the Voter Education Guide published by the Commission before the primary election and the general election.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Requires for enactment the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the Legislature (Proposition 105).
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
FMAE 1/29/25 DP 7-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/3/25 55-0-5
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2025
ZD/AW/ci