Assigned to JUDE                                                                                                             AS PASSED BY COW

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2391

 

JPs; constables; signatures

Purpose

Requires a nomination petition for a candidate for justice of the peace or constable, in a county with a population of fewer than 1,000,000 persons, to receive either 300 signatures or at least one percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct, rather than requiring the candidates to receive at least one percent of qualified signers in the precinct.

Background

Statute requires nomination petitions to be signed by a number of qualified signers equal to a prescribed percentage of the population of qualified signers within a county, district or precinct, or a predetermined number of signatures, based on the office the candidate seeks as follows: 1) a candidate for the office of member of the Legislature requires at least one-half of one percent but not more than three percent; 2) a candidate for a county office or superior court judge requires at least one percent but not more than ten percent, except that if for a candidate from a county with a population of 200,000 persons or more, at least one-fourth of one percent but not more than ten percent; 3) a candidate for county precinct committeeman, requires at least two percent but not more than ten percent of the party voter registration in the precinct or ten signatures, whichever is less; and 4) a candidate for justice of the peace or constable requires at least one percent but not more than ten percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct (A.R.S.
§ 16-322) .

Qualified signer means any of the following: 1) a qualified elector who is a registered member of the party from which the candidate is seeking nomination; 2) a qualified elector who is a registered member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot; or 3) a qualified elector who is registered as independent or no party preferred. 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 (A.R.S. § 16-121 and 16-321).

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

Provisions

1.   Requires a nomination petition for a candidate for justice of the peace or constable, in a county with a population of fewer than 1,000,000 persons, to be signed by at least 1 percent but not more than 10 percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct, or 300 signatures, whichever is less.

2.   Specifies that a candidate for justice of the peace or constable in a county with a population of 1,000,000 persons or more must still have a nomination petition signed by at least 1 percent but not more than 10 percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct.

3.   Requires the filing officer for candidates for county offices, in a county with a population of less than 1,000,000 persons to:

a)   publicize the revised petition signature requirements for candidates for justice of the peace and constable for 2026; and

b)   provide notice of the revised petition signature requirement to every candidate who files, or has filed, a statement of interest for justice of the peace or constable for 2026 and to every person who requests or has requested a candidate information packet for justice or the peace or constable for 2026.

4.   Makes conforming changes.

5.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

1.   Requires the filing officer for candidates for county offices, in a county with a population of less than 1,000,000 persons to:

a)   publicize the revised petition signature requirements for candidates for justice of the peace and constable for 2026; and

b)   provide notice of the revised petition signature requirement to every candidate who files, or has filed, a statement of interest for justice of the peace or constable for 2026 and to every person who requests or has requested a candidate information packet for justice or the peace or constable for 2026.

House Action                                                           Senate Action

FMAE             2/23/25      DP       4-2-1-0               JUDE              3/5/25        DP              7-0-0                         

3rd Read          2/20/25                  33-25-2

 

Prepared by Senate Research

April 10, 2025

ZD/AW/ci