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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
justices of the peace; online signature
Purpose
Adds justice of the peace to the list of offices for which the Secretary of State (SOS) must provide the means for qualified electors to electronically sign nomination petitions by 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: 1) statewide and legislative offices; 2) city or town elected office, county office and the office of the precinct committeeman; 3) the office of U.S. Senator and Representative in U.S. Congress; and 4) judge of the superior court, judge of the court of appeals, justice of the Arizona Supreme Court and the office of the clerk of the superior court (A.R.S. §§ 16-316; 16-317; 16-318; 16-319; and 16-333).
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.R.S. § 16-317).
A qualified elector is a person who is qualified to register to vote and who is properly registered to vote, if the person is at least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election and has provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship. Nomination petition means the form or forms used for obtaining the required number of signatures of qualified electors, which is circulated by or on behalf of the person wishing to become a candidate for a political office (A.R.S. §§ 16-121 and 16-314).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds justice of the peace to the list of offices for which the SOS must provide the means for qualified electors to electronically sign nomination petitions by using E-Qual.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
FMAE 1/29/25 DP 6-1-0-0
3rd Read 2/12/25 59-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2025
ZD/AW/ci