A.R.S. tit. 16 | Title 16 — Elections and Electors

Chapter 1 Qualification and Registration of Electors

Article 1 Qualifications for Registration

§ 16-101 Qualifications of registrant; definition

A. Every resident of this state is qualified to register to vote if the resident:

Is a citizen of the United States and has provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed in section 16-166.
Will be eighteen years of age or more on or before the date of the regular general election next following his registration.
Is a resident of this state twenty-nine days next preceding the election, except as provided in section 16-126.
Is able to write the resident's name or make the resident's mark, unless prevented from so doing by physical disability.
Has not been convicted of treason or a felony, unless restored to civil rights.
Has not been adjudicated an incapacitated person as defined in section 14-5101.

B. For the purposes of this title, "resident" means an individual who has actual physical presence in this state, or for purposes of a political subdivision actual physical presence in the political subdivision, combined with an intent to remain. A temporary absence does not result in a loss of residence if the individual has an intent to return following his absence. An individual has only one residence for purposes of this title.

§ 16-102 Power of attorney; prohibited use

A power of attorney or other form of proxy is not valid for use by a person in any procedure or transaction concerning elections, including voter registration, petition circulation or signature, voter registration cancellation, early ballot requests or voting another person's ballot.

§ 16-103 Qualified person temporarily absent from state; persons in the service of the United States

A. A qualified person temporarily absent from the state may register by filling out an affidavit of registration which shall be furnished upon request of the registrant by the county recorder of the county in which the registrant has residence pursuant to section 16-593. The registrant shall execute the affidavit of registration and administer the oath himself and shall return the affidavit to the county recorder.

B. The county recorder may accept a federal postcard application in lieu of an affidavit of registration from any qualified person covered under the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973).

C. Any other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, registration for any person covered under subsection B of this section may be accomplished at any time prior to 7:00 p.m. of an election day. This subsection applies only to persons temporarily absent from this state.

D. A person who was an overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375), immediately before being domiciled in this state, and who has been discharged or separated from that service or employment in the ninety days before election day may register and is eligible to vote in that election if the registration is received by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before election day.

E. Any United States citizen who has never resided in the United States and whose parent is a United States citizen who is registered to vote in this state is eligible to register to vote and may vote in this state using a federal write-in early ballot as prescribed by section 16-543.02.

§ 16-104 Registration in incorporated cities and towns

A. This chapter, except as it applies to registration of absent electors, is applicable to cities and towns incorporated under a common council government.

B. In the registration of electors other than absent electors in a city or town incorporated under a common council government, the city or town clerk shall have the same duties as to registration as are imposed on the county recorder by this chapter.

§ 16-105 Registration required by city ordinance or charter

The provisions of this chapter do not preclude the registration of electors required by the charter or ordinances of a city or town.

Article 1.1 Driver's License Voter Registration

§ 16-111 Definitions

For the purposes of this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Applicant" means a person who applies for a driver's license.
"Driver's license" means any class of driver's license or a nonoperating identification license issued by the motor vehicle division of the department of transportation.
"Driver's license examiner" means an employee of the motor vehicle division of the department of transportation who is authorized to examine applicants for driver's licenses.

§ 16-112 Driver license voter registration

A. Every person who is applying for a driver license or renewal and who is otherwise qualified to register to vote, at the same time and place, shall be allowed to register to vote by providing the information prescribed by section 16-152. The method used to register voters shall require only the minimum information necessary to prevent duplicate registrations, to enable elections officials to determine voter eligibility and to administer voter registration and election laws. A registration form shall be included for a person who is applying for a driver license renewal by mail. On completing a form that contains at least the information prescribed by section 16-121.01 and that may contain the information prescribed by section 16-152 and on receipt of that form by the county recorder from the department of transportation as prescribed by subsection D of this section, the applicant is presumed to be properly registered to vote. That presumption may be rebutted as provided in section 16-121.01.

B. The director of the department of transportation and the secretary of state shall consult at least every two years regarding voter registration at driver license offices. The director of the department of transportation and the secretary of state, after consultation with all county recorders, shall adopt rules to implement a system allowing driver license applicants to register to vote at the same time and place as they apply for driver licenses. The rules shall:

Bring the license application and voter registration application forms into substantial conformity.
Allow the transfer of driver license applications, including renewal and change of address, and voter registration information from the department of transportation to the voter registration rolls.
Respect all rules and statutes of this state concerning the confidentiality of driver license application information.
Provide for the manual or electronic generation and transmittal of voter registrations and provide for electronic generation of changes in voter registration information, including address, in conformity with the confidentiality requirements of the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77; 52 United States Code sections 20501 through 20511).

C. The department of transportation shall provide to applicants a statement that provides each eligibility requirement for voting, including citizenship, an attestation that the applicant meets each requirement, for the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury and, in print that is identical to that used in the attestation, the following:

A description of the penalties provided by law for the submission of a false voter registration application.
A statement that if an applicant declines to register to vote the fact that the applicant has declined to register will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes.
A statement that if an applicant does register to vote the office at which the applicant submits a voter registration application will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes.

D. The department of transportation shall return or mail completed registrations to the county recorder of the county in which the applicant resides within five days after receipt of a completed registration.

Article 2 Qualifications for Voting

§ 16-120 Eligibility to vote

A. An elector shall not vote in an election called pursuant to the laws of this state unless the elector has been registered to vote as a resident within the boundaries or the proposed boundaries of the election district for which the election is being conducted and the registration has been received by the county recorder or the recorder's designee pursuant to section 16-134 before midnight of the twenty-ninth day preceding the date of the election.

B. If the twenty-ninth day preceding the date of the election falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other legal holiday, voter registrations that are received on the next business day immediately following the Saturday, Sunday or other legal holiday are deemed to have been timely received for purposes of voting in that election.

§ 16-121 Qualified elector; definition

A. A person who is qualified to register to vote pursuant to section 16-101 and who is properly registered to vote, if the person is at least eighteen years of age on or before the date of the election and has provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed in section 16-166, shall be deemed a qualified elector for any purpose for which such qualification is required by law, except as provided in section 16-126. A person continues to be a qualified elector until that person's registration is canceled pursuant to section 16-165 or until that person does not qualify as a resident as defined in section 16-101, subsection B.

B. For purposes of subsection A of this section, a person who does not reside at a fixed, permanent or private structure shall be properly registered to vote if that person is qualified pursuant to section 16-101 and if that person's registration address is any of the following places located in this state:

A homeless shelter to which the registrant regularly returns.
The place at which the registrant is a resident.
The county courthouse in the county in which the registrant resides.
A general delivery address for a post office covering the location where the registrant is a resident.

C. A person who is otherwise qualified to register to vote shall not be refused registration or declared not qualified to vote because the person does not live in a permanent, private or fixed structure.

D. For the purposes of this section, "homeless shelter" means a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations to individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

§ 16-121.01 Requirements for proper registration; violation; classification

A. A person is presumed to be properly registered to vote on completion of a registration form as prescribed by section 16-152 that contains at least the name, the residence address or the location, proof of location of residence as prescribed by section 16-123, the date and place of birth and the signature or other statement of the registrant as prescribed by section 16-152, subsection A, paragraph 20 and a checkmark or other appropriate mark in the "yes" box next to the question regarding citizenship. Any application for registration, including an application on a form prescribed by the United States election assistance commission, must contain a checkmark or other appropriate mark in the "yes" box next to the question regarding citizenship as a condition of being properly registered to vote as either a voter who is eligible to vote a full ballot or a voter who is eligible to vote only with a ballot for federal offices. The completed registration form must also contain the person's Arizona driver license number, the nonoperating identification license number issued pursuant to section 28-3165, the last four digits of the person's social security number or the person's affirmation that if an Arizona driver license number, a nonoperating identification license number or the last four digits of the person's social security number is not provided, the person does not possess a valid Arizona driver or nonoperating identification license or a social security number and the person is hereby requesting that a unique identifying number be assigned by the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-152, subsection A, paragraph 12, subdivision (c). Any application that does not include all of the information required to be on the registration form pursuant to section 16-152 and any application that is not signed is incomplete, and the county recorder shall notify the applicant pursuant to section 16-134, subsection B and shall not register the voter until all of the information is returned.

B. The presumption in subsection A of this section may be rebutted only by clear and convincing evidence of any of the following:

That the registrant is not the person whose name appears on the register.
That the registrant has not resided in this state for twenty-nine days next preceding the election or other event for which the registrant's status as properly registered is in question.
That the registrant is not properly registered at an address permitted by section 16-121.
That the registrant is not a qualified registrant under section 16-101.

C. Except for a form produced by the United States election assistance commission, any application for registration shall be accompanied by satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed in section 16-166, subsection F, and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall reject any application for registration that is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of citizenship. A county recorder or other officer in charge of elections who knowingly fails to reject an application for registration as prescribed by this subsection is guilty of a class 6 felony. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall send a notice to the applicant as prescribed in section 16-134, subsection B.

D. Within ten days after receiving an application for registration on a form produced by the United States election assistance commission that is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of citizenship, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall use all available resources to verify the citizenship status of the applicant and at a minimum shall compare the information available on the application for registration with the following, provided the county has access:

The department of transportation databases of Arizona driver licenses or nonoperating identification licenses.
The social security administration databases.
The United States citizenship and immigration services systematic alien verification for entitlements program, if practicable.
A national association for public health statistics and information systems electronic verification of vital events system.
Any other state, city, town, county or federal database and any other database relating to voter registration to which the county recorder or officer in charge of elections has access, including an electronic registration information center database.

E. After complying with subsection D of this section, if the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections matches the applicant with information that verifies the applicant is a United States citizen, is otherwise qualified as prescribed by section 16-101 and has met the other requirements of this section, the applicant shall be properly registered. If the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections matches the applicant with information that the applicant is not a United States citizen, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall reject the application, notify the applicant that the application was rejected because the applicant is not a United States citizen and forward the application to the county attorney and attorney general for investigation. If the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is unable to match the applicant with appropriate citizenship information, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall notify the applicant that the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections could not verify that the applicant is a United States citizen and that the applicant will not be qualified to vote in a presidential election or by mail with an early ballot in any election until satisfactory evidence of citizenship is provided.

F. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall record the efforts made to verify an applicant's citizenship status as prescribed in subsections D and E of this section. If the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections fails to attempt to verify the citizenship status of an applicant pursuant to subsections D and E of this section and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections knowingly causes the applicant to be registered and it is later determined that the applicant was not a United States citizen at the time of registration, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is guilty of a class 6 felony.

§ 16-122 Registration and records prerequisite to voting

No person shall be permitted to vote unless such person's name appears as a qualified elector in both the general county register and in the precinct register or list of the precinct and election districts or proposed election districts in which such person resides, except as provided in sections 16-125, 16-135 and 16-584.

§ 16-123 Proof of location of residence

Except for persons who register pursuant to section 16-103, a person who registers to vote shall provide an identifying document that establishes proof of location of residence. Any of the identifying documents prescribed in section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1 constitutes satisfactory proof of location of residence. Compliance with this section does not satisfy the residency requirements in section 16-101 or 16-593 and only constitutes confirmation of the address on the applicant's application at the time of registration. A valid and unexpired Arizona driver license or nonoperating identification number that is properly verified by the county recorder satisfies the requirements of this section.

§ 16-124 Public officer residing in county of post of duty

Any public officer of the state, including a judge of the court of appeals, whose post of duty is located in a county other than in the county from which elected or appointed, and who is physically residing where his post of duty is located, shall be deemed a qualified elector and resident of the county from which elected or appointed if he registers, or remains registered, to vote in a precinct in such county. This section shall also apply to the spouse and any dependents of such public officer if otherwise qualified to vote and actually residing with the public officer.

§ 16-125 Change of residence to different county during twenty-nine day period preceding election

A registered elector who moves from one county to another county during the twenty-nine day period preceding either a primary, general or runoff election is deemed to be a resident and registered elector of the county from which the elector moved until the day after the primary, general or runoff election, whichever applies.

§ 16-126 Authority to vote in presidential election after moving from state

A. Each person who is properly registered as an elector in any precinct in this state and who has begun residence in another state after the thirtieth day immediately preceding an election in which presidential electors are chosen shall retain his right to vote for presidential electors to be elected, but for no other offices in such election. Such vote may be cast by early ballot in the precinct from which he has removed, in person at the office of the county recorder or by mail.

B. Ballots cast by early voting procedures pursuant to this section shall be in the form prescribed by the secretary of state.

C. All applicants pursuant to this section shall have their registration canceled promptly following the election.

§ 16-127 Federal only voters; early ballot; eligibility; exemption

A. Notwithstanding any other law:

A person who has registered to vote and who has not provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed by section 16-166 is not eligible to vote in presidential elections.
A person who has not provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship pursuant to section 16-166 and who is eligible to vote only for federal offices is not eligible to receive an early ballot by mail.

B. This section does not apply to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 100 Stat. 924; 52 United States Code section 20310), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375).

§ 16-128 Clerk of the court; secretary of state; county recorder; notice of conviction

Each month the clerk of the superior court shall transmit to the secretary of state without charge a record of every felony conviction in that county within the preceding month. This record shall include only the name of the person convicted and the person's date of birth, social security number, if available, usual legal residence and, if available, father's name or mother's maiden name. The secretary of state shall use the record for the sole purpose of canceling the names of convicted felons from the statewide voter registration database and shall notify the appropriate county recorder, and that county recorder shall cancel the voter registration of the convicted felon.

Article 3 Registration Officers and Procedures

§ 16-131 Registration of electors; deputy registrars

A. The county recorder, a justice of the peace or a deputy registrar shall supply, without charge, a registration form to any qualified person requesting registration information.

B. The county recorder shall distribute state mail in registration forms at locations throughout the county such as government offices, fire stations, public libraries and other locations open to the general public.

C. Information regarding the qualifications necessary to register to vote, registration deadlines for qualifying to vote at an election, penalties for false registration and locations where additional voter registration information may be obtained shall be attached to or distributed with the state mail in registration form.

D. A county recorder may appoint deputy registrars to assist in distributing registration forms, to assist in registering voters and to accept completed registration forms. A deputy registrar shall be a qualified elector and shall serve without pay.

E. The county recorder may provide voter registration forms in quantity to groups and individuals that request forms for conducting voter registration drives.

§ 16-132 Voter registration assistance; hunting, fishing, trapping licenses; definitions

A. The department shall provide assistance with voter registration when accepting applications for a license. The department shall provide to the applicant with any online applications for a license a link to the department of transportation's voter registration webpage. Each department office that accepts applications for a license in person shall provide a voter registration form to the applicant.

B. The secretary of state shall provide to the department voter registration forms and instructions to applicants to mail completed voter registration forms to the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall forward the completed voter registration forms to the appropriate county recorder to determine the eligibility of the applicant and, if found eligible, to add the applicant's name to the voter registration rolls.

C. Voter registration information that is generated pursuant to this section and that is public information as otherwise provided by law shall not provide any public indication of the source of these registrations.

D. Persons who act pursuant to this section are not considered to be deputy registrars under this title or any rules adopted under its authority.

E. For the purposes of this section:

"Department" means the Arizona game and fish department.
"License" means a hunting, fishing or trapping license issued by the Arizona game and fish department pursuant to title 17, chapter 3.

§ 16-133 Voter registration events; website posting

(L21, Ch. 405, sec. 4)

The secretary of state and each county recorder shall post on their public website a list of each event that the office of the secretary of state or the county recorder attends and provides voter registration services. Each event shall be posted on the public website within twenty-four hours after the secretary's or recorder's attendance at the event.

§ 16-134 Return of registrations made outside office of county recorder; incomplete or illegible forms

A. A county recorder shall authorize persons to accept registration forms, shall designate places for receipt of registration forms and shall designate additional locations for distribution of voter registration forms. Public assistance agencies and disabilities agencies as defined in section 16-140 shall return or mail completed voter registrations to the county recorder of the county in which the applicant resides within five days after receipt of those registrations.

B. If the information on the registration form is incomplete or illegible and the county recorder is not able to process the registration form, the county recorder shall notify the applicant within ten business days of receipt of the registration form, shall specify the missing or illegible information and, if the missing or illegible information includes any of the information prescribed by section 16-121.01, subsection A or C, shall state that the registration cannot be completed until the information is supplied. If the missing or illegible information is supplied before 7:00 p.m. on election day, that person is deemed to have been registered on the date the registration was first received.

C. In the case of registration by mail, a voter registration is valid for an election if it complies with either of the following:

The form is postmarked twenty-nine days or more before an election and is received by the county recorder by 7:00 p.m. on the day of that election.
The registration is dated twenty-nine days or more before an election and is received by the county recorder by first class mail within five days after the last day to register to vote in that election.

D. The date of registration entered for registration forms that are received by the county recorder from persons, groups or agencies that are not authorized to accept registrations pursuant to subsection A of this section and that do not bear a legible postmark date or an otherwise reliable date shall be the date that those forms are received by the county recorder.

§ 16-135 Change of residence from one address to another

A. An elector who is correcting the residence address shown on the elector's voter registration record shall reregister with the new residence address or correct the voter registration record as prescribed by this section.

B. An elector who moves from the address at which the elector is registered to another address within the same county and who fails to notify the county recorder of the change of address before the date of an election shall be allowed to correct the voter registration records at the appropriate polling place for the voter's new address. The voter shall present a form of identification that includes the voter's given name and surname and the voter's complete residence address that is located within the precinct for the voter's new residence address. The voter shall affirm in writing the new residence address and shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot.

C. When an elector completes voting a provisional ballot, the election official shall place the ballot in an envelope for provisional ballots and shall deposit the envelope in the ballot box designated for provisional ballots.

D. Within ten calendar days after a general election that includes an election for a federal office and within five business days after any other election, a provisional ballot shall be compared to the signature roster for the precinct in which the voter was listed and if the voter's signature does not appear on the signature roster for that election and if there is no record of that voter having voted early for that election, the provisional ballot shall be processed. If the signature roster or early ballot information indicates that the person did vote in that election, the provisional ballot for that person shall remain unopened and shall not be counted.

E. An elector may also correct the residence address on the elector's voter registration record by requesting the address change on a written request for an early ballot that is submitted pursuant to section 16-542 and that contains all of the following:

A request to change the voter registration record.
The elector's new residence address.
An affirmation that the information is true and correct.
The elector's signature.

§ 16-136 Change of political party

An elector desiring to state a preference for a political party or organization other than the one indicated by the record of his registration shall reregister.

§ 16-137 Change of name

An elector desiring to register under a new name, resulting either from a court order or marriage, shall reregister and shall state on the new affidavit of registration the elector's former legal name. An elector may also correct the voter registration record by providing the new name while voting a provisional ballot pursuant to section 16-584 at the appropriate polling place.

§ 16-138 Voter registration database; federal only voters; analysis; annual report; investigation

(L21, Ch. 405, sec. 4)

A. The secretary of state shall provide access to the statewide voter registration database to a person or entity that is designated by the legislature and to the election integrity unit of the attorney general's office for the purposes of determining whether the secretary of state's voter registration list maintenance procedures comply with federal law with respect to voters who are registered as voters eligible to vote only for federal offices.

B. The person or entity that is designated by the legislature must be qualified in more than one state to analyze a state's voter registration rolls for compliance with federal law regarding voter registration list maintenance procedures. After completing its analysis, the person or entity shall report its findings to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the attorney general and the secretary of state. If the analysis determines that there are persons registered to vote who are not eligible to register to vote, the secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county recorder and the county recorder shall remove those persons from the voter registration rolls.

C. Each county recorder shall submit an annual report to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate that contains the following regarding voters who are eligible to vote only for federal offices:

A description of the county recorder's procedures regarding registering those voters who are eligible to vote only for federal offices.
The number of voters in that county who are eligible to vote only for federal offices.
The number of those voters whose citizenship has been otherwise subsequently verified and whose status has changed to voters who are eligible to vote a full ballot.
A comprehensive description of the obstacles to obtaining voter registrants' documentary proof of citizenship that complies with this state's voter registration requirements and to changing their status to voters who are eligible to vote a full ballot.
The number of those voters who have been subsequently determined to be ineligible to vote in this state and who have been removed from the voter registration rolls.

D. The attorney general and the county attorney shall investigate and prosecute, as appropriate, any person who is ineligible to register to vote and who knowingly registers to vote.

§ 16-139 Registration expenses as county charge

Necessary expenses incurred by the county recorder in carrying out the provisions of this title relating to the registration of electors shall be a county charge.

§ 16-140 Voter registration assistance agencies; definitions

A. All public assistance agencies and disabilities agencies in this state shall provide the opportunity to register to vote for those persons who apply for benefits or appear at the agency to renew, recertify or change address information. The voter registration form shall be accompanied by a statement form that includes substantially the following:

The statement "If you are not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply to register to vote here today?

{ } Yes { } No

If you do not check either box, you will be considered to have decided not to register to vote at this time."

If the agency provides public assistance, the statement "Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by this agency."
The statement "If you would like help in filling out the voter registration application form, we will help you. The decision to seek or accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in private."
The statement "If you believe that someone has interfered with your right to register or to decline to register to vote, or your right to choose your own political party or other political preference, you may file a complaint with the secretary of state." This statement shall be followed by the name, address and telephone number of the secretary of state.

B. Each public assistance agency or disabilities agency shall provide to each person who applies for that agency's services the same degree of assistance for voter registration that it provides for the completion of the agency's own forms, unless that person refuses assistance. Each public assistance or disabilities agency shall accept completed registration forms from persons who receive a registration form from that office.

C. If a person indicates "no" or fails to indicate either "yes" or "no" on the form prescribed by subsection A, the form shall be deemed to indicate a declination to register to vote. All declination forms shall be preserved as a confidential record and shall be forwarded periodically to the Arizona state library, archives and public records for retention for two years. Declination forms are exempt from title 39, chapter 1 and may be disclosed only for voter registration purposes.

D. Voter registration information that is generated pursuant to this section and that is public information as otherwise provided by law shall not provide any public indication of the source of these registrations. Registration forms may bear a unique, coded marking that does not publicly or readily disclose the voter registration agency or additional voter registration volunteer that was the source of the registration. The coded markings for a form may be translated or otherwise read only by election officials and only for purposes permitted by the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77; 42 United States Code section 394).

E. A county recorder may designate additional voter registration volunteers. These additional voter registration volunteers may provide state mail in registration forms to persons who wish to register to vote.

F. For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Additional voter registration volunteer" means a person, group or entity that is not a public assistance or disabilities agency and that is designated by a county recorder as another voter registration provider pursuant to section 7(a)(3)(A) of the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77; 42 United States Code section 394) and may include governmental, nonprofit or other private organizations.
"Disabilities agency" means all offices of an agency in this state that provide state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities.
"Public assistance agency" means all offices of an agency in this state that provide public assistance.

§ 16-141 Armed forces recruiting offices; voter registration assistance

Armed forces recruiting offices shall provide each person who applies to enter the armed forces the opportunity to register to vote. The county recorder for the county in which the office is located shall provide the office with state mail in voter registration forms. The recruiting office shall mail or deliver to the county recorder within five days all completed voter registrations. The chief state election officer, the county recorder and the federal voting assistance office shall coordinate voter registration training of armed forces recruiting office personnel.

§ 16-142 Secretary of state; national voter registration act; uniformed and overseas citizens; voter fraud hotline

A. The secretary of state or the secretary's designee is:

The chief state election officer who is responsible for coordination of state responsibilities under the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77; 42 United States Code section 394) and under the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (42 United States Code section 1973).
Responsible for providing information on registration and absentee or early ballot procedures to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters who wish to register to vote or vote in any jurisdiction in this state.

B. Not later than ninety days after the date of each regularly scheduled general election at which an election is held for federal office, the secretary of state shall submit a report to the election assistance commission established pursuant to the help America vote act of 2002 (P.L. 107-252) that includes information on the number of ballots transmitted to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters and the number of ballots returned and cast in the election. The secretary of state shall prepare the report in cooperation and in conjunction with the county recorders and county officers in charge of elections. The report shall be made available to the public.

C. The secretary of state shall provide for a toll free telephone number for the use of the public to report incidents of voter fraud. To the extent permitted by federal law, the secretary of state may use monies received from the United States government pursuant to the help America vote act of 2002 (P.L. 107-252) to establish, staff and maintain the toll free telephone number and may also use those monies to defray the costs of any investigations arising from any reports received on the toll free telephone number.

§ 16-143 Federal only voters; attorney general; investigation; report

A. The secretary of state and each county recorder shall make available to the attorney general a list of all individuals who are registered to vote and who have not provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship pursuant to section 16-166 and shall provide, on or before October 31, 2022, the applications of individuals who are registered to vote and who have not provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship pursuant to section 16-166.

B. The attorney general shall use all available resources to verify the citizenship status of the applicant and at a minimum shall compare the information available on the application for registration with the following:

The department of transportation databases of Arizona driver licenses or nonoperating identification licenses.
The social security administration databases.
The United States citizenship and immigration services systematic alien verification for entitlements program, if practicable.
A national association for public health statistics and information systems electronic verification of vital events system.
Any other state, city, town, county or federal database and any other database relating to voter registration to which the county recorder or officer in charge of elections has access, including an electronic registration information center database.

C. The secretary of state shall provide the attorney general access to the United States citizenship and immigration services systematic alien verification for entitlements program for the purposes of this section.

D. The attorney general shall prosecute individuals who are found to not be United States citizens pursuant to section 16-182.

E. The attorney general shall submit a report to the secretary of state, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives on or before March 31, 2023 detailing all findings relating to the citizenship status of individuals who are registered to vote and who have not provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship pursuant to section 16-166.

§ 16-144 Same day voter registration prohibited; violation; classification

A. Except for a person who properly registers to vote as prescribed by section 16-103 or 16-543.02, an agency, department or division of this state or any person acting on its behalf and any political subdivision of this state or any person acting on its behalf may not register a person to vote on an election day and deem that person eligible to vote in that election.

B. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 6 felony.

§ 16-145 Automatic voter registration prohibited

Unless otherwise provided by law, an agency, department or division of this state or any person acting on its behalf and any political subdivision of this state or any person acting on its behalf may not register a person to vote unless the person affirmatively requests to register to vote.

Article 4 Forms

§ 16-151 Forms for registration supplied by county recorder and secretary of state

A. Blank state voter registration forms for registration of electors shall be supplied by the county recorder.

B. The secretary of state shall make available for distribution through governmental and private entities the voter registration forms that are prescribed by the election assistance commission.

§ 16-152 Registration form

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The form used for the registration of electors shall contain:

The date the registrant signed the form.
The registrant's given name, middle name, if any, and surname.
The complete address of the registrant's actual place of residence, including street name and number, apartment or space number, city or town and zip code, or such description of the location of the residence that it can be readily ascertained or identified.
The registrant's complete mailing address, if different from the residence address, including post office address, city or town, zip code or other designation used by the registrant for receiving mail. The form shall also include a line for the registrant's e-mail address (optional to registrant).
The registrant's party preference. The two largest political parties that are entitled to continued representation on the ballot shall be listed on the form in the order determined by calculating which party has the highest number of registered voters at the close of registration for the most recent general election for governor, then the second highest. The form shall allow the registrant to circle, check or otherwise mark the party preference and shall include a blank line for other party preference options.
The registrant's telephone number, unless unlisted.
The registrant's state or country of birth.
The registrant's date of birth.
The registrant's occupation.
The registrant's Indian census number (optional to registrant).
The registrant's father's name or mother's maiden name.
One of the following identifiers for each registrant:

(a) The Arizona driver license number of the registrant or nonoperating identification license number of the registrant that is issued pursuant to section 28-3165.

(b) If the registrant does not have an Arizona driver license or nonoperating identification license, the last four digits of the registrant's social security number.

(c) If the registrant does not have an Arizona driver license or nonoperating identification license or a social security number and the registrant attests to that, a unique identifying number consisting of the registrant's unique identification number to be assigned by the secretary of state in the statewide electronic voter registration database.

A statement as to whether or not the registrant is currently registered in another state, county or precinct, and if so, the name, address, county and state of previous registration.
The question to the registrant "Are you a citizen of the United States of America?", appropriate boxes for the registrant to check "yes" or "no" and a statement instructing the registrant not to complete the form if the registrant checked "no".
The question to the registrant "Will you be eighteen years of age on or before election day?", appropriate boxes for the registrant to check "yes" or "no" and a statement instructing the registrant not to complete the form if the registrant checked "no".
A statement that the registrant has not been convicted of treason or a felony, or if so, that the registrant's civil rights have been restored.
A statement that the registrant is a resident of this state and of the county in which the registrant is registering.
A statement that executing a false registration is a class 6 felony.
The signature of the registrant.
If the registrant is unable to sign the form, a statement that the affidavit was completed according to the registrant's direction.
A statement that if an applicant declines to register to vote, the fact that the applicant has declined to register will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes.
A statement that if an applicant does register to vote, the office at which the applicant submits a voter registration application will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes.
A statement that the applicant shall submit evidence of United States citizenship with the application and that the registrar shall reject the application if no evidence of citizenship is attached.
A statement that if the registrant permanently moves to another state after registering to vote in this state, the registrant's voter registration will be canceled.

B. A duplicate voter receipt shall be provided with the form that provides space for the name, street address and city of residence of the applicant, party preference and the date of signing. The voter receipt is evidence of valid registration for the purpose of casting a provisional ballot as prescribed in section 16-584, subsection B.

C. The state voter registration form shall be printed in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.

D. The county recorder may establish procedures to verify whether a registrant has successfully petitioned the court for an injunction against harassment pursuant to section 12-1809 or an order of protection pursuant to section 13-3602 and, if verified, to protect the registrant's residence address, telephone number or voting precinct number, if appropriate, from public disclosure.

E. Subsection A of this section does not apply to registrations received from the department of transportation pursuant to section 16-112.

§ 16-153 Voter registration; confidentiality; definitions

A. Eligible persons, and any other registered voter who resides at the same residence address as the eligible person, may request that the general public be prohibited from accessing the eligible person's identifying information, including any of the following:

That person's documents and voting precinct number contained in that person's voter registration record.
If the person is a public official, the address of a property held in trust by the public official.

B. Eligible persons may request this action by filing an affidavit that states all of the following on an application form developed by the administrative office of the courts in agreement with an association of counties and an organization of peace officers:

The person's full legal name, residential address and date of birth.
Unless the person is the spouse of a peace officer or the spouse or minor child of a deceased peace officer or the person is a former public official or former judge, the position the person currently holds and a description of the person's duties, except that an eligible person who is protected under an order of protection or injunction against harassment shall instead attach a copy of the order of protection or injunction against harassment.
The reasons for reasonably believing that the person's life or safety or that of another person is in danger and that sealing the identifying information and voting precinct number of the person's voting record will serve to reduce the danger.

C. The affidavit shall be filed with the presiding judge of the superior court in the county in which the affiant resides. To prevent multiple filings, an eligible person who is a peace officer, prosecutor, public defender, code enforcement officer, corrections or detention officer, corrections support staff member or law enforcement support staff member shall deliver the affidavit to the peace officer's commanding officer, or to the head of the prosecuting, public defender, code enforcement, law enforcement, corrections or detention agency, as applicable, or that person's designee, who shall file the affidavits at one time. In the absence of an affidavit that contains a request for immediate action and is supported by facts justifying an earlier presentation, the commanding officer, or the head of the prosecuting, public defender, code enforcement, law enforcement, corrections or detention agency, as applicable, or that person's designee, shall not file affidavits more often than quarterly.

D. On receipt of an affidavit or affidavits, the presiding judge of the superior court shall file with the clerk of the superior court a petition on behalf of all requesting affiants. The petition shall have attached each affidavit presented. In the absence of an affidavit that contains a request for immediate action and that is supported by facts justifying an earlier consideration, the presiding judge may accumulate affidavits and file a petition at the end of each quarter.

E. The presiding judge of the superior court shall review the petition and each attached affidavit to determine whether the action requested by each affiant should be granted. The presiding judge of the superior court shall order the sealing for five years of the information contained in the voter record of the affiant and, on request, any other registered voter who resides at the same residence address if the presiding judge concludes that this action will reduce a danger to the life or safety of the affiant.

F. The recorder shall remove the restrictions on all voter records submitted pursuant to subsection E of this section by January 5 in the year after the court order expires. The county recorder shall send by mail one notice to either the health professional, election officer, public official, former public official, peace officer, spouse of a peace officer, spouse or minor child of a deceased peace officer, public defender, prosecutor, code enforcement officer, corrections or detention officer, corrections support staff member, law enforcement support staff member, employee of the department of child safety or employee of adult protective services who has direct contact with families in the course of employment or the employing agency of the peace officer, public defender, prosecutor, code enforcement officer, corrections or detention officer, corrections support staff member or law enforcement support staff member who was granted an order pursuant to this section of the order's expiration date at least six months before the January 5 removal date. If the notice is sent to the employing agency, the employing agency shall immediately notify the person who was granted the order of the upcoming expiration date. The county recorder may coordinate with the county assessor and county treasurer to prevent multiple notices from being sent to the same person.

G. On entry of the court order, the clerk of the superior court shall file the court order with the county recorder. On receipt of the court order the county recorder shall seal the voter registration of the persons listed in the court order not later than one hundred twenty days from the date of receipt of the court order. To include a subsequent voter registration in the court order, a person listed in the court order shall present to the county recorder at the time of registration a certified copy of the court order or shall provide the county recorder the recording number of the court order. The information in the registration shall not be disclosed and is not a public record.

H. If the court denies an affiant's requested sealing of the voter registration record, the affiant may request a court hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by the court where the petition was filed.

I. On motion to the court, if the presiding judge of the superior court concludes that a voter registration record has been sealed in error or that the cause for the original affidavit no longer exists, the presiding judge may vacate the court order prohibiting public access to the voter registration record.

J. On request by a person who is protected under an order of protection or injunction against harassment and presentation of an order of protection issued pursuant to section 13-3602, an injunction against harassment issued pursuant to section 12-1809 or an order of protection or injunction against harassment issued by a court in another state or a program participant in the address confidentiality program pursuant to title 41, chapter 1, article 3, the county recorder shall seal the voter registration record of the person who is protected and, on request, any other registered voter who resides at the residence address of the protected person. The record shall be sealed not later than one hundred twenty days from the date of receipt of the court order. The information in the registration shall not be disclosed and is not a public record.

K. For the purposes of this section:

"Code enforcement officer" means a person who is employed by a state or local government and whose duties include performing field inspections of buildings, structures or property to ensure compliance with and enforce national, state and local laws, ordinances and codes.
"Commissioner" means a commissioner of the superior court or municipal court.
"Corrections support staff member" means an adult or juvenile corrections employee who has direct contact with inmates.
"Election officer" means a state, county or municipal employee who holds an election officer's certificate issued pursuant to section 16-407.
"Eligible person" means a health professional, election officer, public official, former public official, peace officer, spouse of a peace officer, spouse or minor child of a deceased peace officer, justice, judge, commissioner, hearing officer, public defender, prosecutor, member of the commission on appellate court appointments, code enforcement officer, adult or juvenile corrections officer, corrections support staff member, probation officer, member of the board of executive clemency, law enforcement support staff member, employee of the department of child safety or employee of adult protective services who has direct contact with families in the course of employment, national guard member who is acting in support of a law enforcement agency, person who is protected under an order of protection or injunction against harassment or firefighter who is assigned to the Arizona counter terrorism information center in the department of public safety.
"Former public official" means a person who was duly elected or appointed to Congress, the legislature or a statewide office, who ceased serving in that capacity and who was the victim of a dangerous offense as defined in section 13-105 while in office.
"Health professional" means an individual who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13, 15, 17, 19.1, 25 or 33.
"Hearing officer" means a hearing officer who is appointed pursuant to section 28-1553.
"Judge" means a judge or former judge of the United States district court, the United States court of appeals, the United States magistrate court, the United States bankruptcy court, the United States immigration court, the Arizona court of appeals, the superior court or a municipal court.
"Justice" means a justice of the United States or Arizona supreme court or a justice of the peace.
"Law enforcement support staff member" means a person who serves in the role of an investigator or prosecutorial assistant in an agency that investigates or prosecutes crimes, who is integral to the investigation or prosecution of crimes and whose name or identity will be revealed in the course of public proceedings.
"Peace officer":

(a) Has the same meaning prescribed in section 1-215.

(b) Includes a federal law enforcement officer or agent who resides in this state and who has the power to make arrests pursuant to federal law.

"Prosecutor" means a current or former United States attorney, county attorney, municipal prosecutor or attorney general and includes a current or former assistant or deputy United States attorney, county attorney, municipal prosecutor or attorney general.
"Public defender" means a federal public defender, county public defender, county legal defender or county contract indigent defense counsel and includes an assistant or deputy federal public defender, county public defender or county legal defender.
"Public official" means a person who is duly elected or appointed to Congress, the legislature, a statewide office or a county, city or town office.

Article 5 Registration Rolls

§ 16-161 Official record of registration; federal form; reporting

A. When the registration form is filled out, signed by the elector and received by the county recorder, it shall constitute an official public record of the registration of the elector.

B. On the dates prescribed by section 16-168, subsection G, the county recorder shall report to the secretary of state and shall prominently post on the recorder's website the number of persons who are registered to vote using the federal or state voter registration form and who have not provided proof of citizenship to the county recorder and, after each general election, shall post on the recorder's website the number of ballots cast by those persons who were eligible to vote a ballot containing federal offices only.

§ 16-162 Retention of registration forms and record of cancellation

The county recorder shall provide a means of retaining registration forms and records of cancellation of registration. The records shall be retained as prescribed by sections 41-151.15 and 41-151.19.

§ 16-163 Assignment of registrations to general county register; exception; notification to elector; electronic storage of registration forms

A. The county recorder, on receipt of a registration in proper form, shall assign the registration record to its proper precinct and alphabetical arrangement in the general county register. The general county register shall be preserved permanently to reflect the registration as of each general election. After the general county register is revised to reflect the valid registrations for the general election, the county recorder shall provide the Arizona state library, archives and public records with a copy of the revised county register.

B. After placing the record of registration in the county general register, the county recorder shall notify the elector within thirty days in writing that the elector's name appears in the general register.

C. If the notice that is sent is returned undeliverable, the county recorder may send an additional notice as prescribed by section 16-166, subsection A and that notice shall indicate that the elector must respond not later than thirty-five days after the mailing of the notice.

D. Images of original registration forms shall be stored electronically in the voter registration database. All original registration forms that are canceled, and all original applications for cancellation of registration received since the preceding general election, also shall be maintained in the voter registration database. Computer output microfilm, listings or other electronic format media containing the information from the general county register after each general election shall be provided to the Arizona state library, archives and public records and shall serve to fulfill the requirements of this section and section 16-164, subsection A.

E. When the county recorder makes a change to the information prescribed by section 16-152 for an existing registered voter:

The county recorder shall notify the elector of any changes made to the information prescribed by section 16-152 for the elector by sending a text message or email alert within twenty-four hours after making the change as requested by the elector's subscription preferences.
If the elector has not subscribed to the voter registration alert system, the county recorder shall notify the elector in writing within ten days after the change in the information prescribed by section 16-152 for the elector. The notice shall include instructions on how the elector may check the elector's voter registration status, make any revisions to the elector's voter registration information and notify the county recorder if the elector did not request or authorize the change to the information prescribed by section 16-152 for the elector's voter registration.

§ 16-164 Change of registration on new registration form effecting change of precinct, party, address or name

A. On receipt of a new registration form that effects a change of precinct, political party, address or name, the county recorder shall indicate electronically in the county voter registration database that the registration has been canceled and the date and reason for cancellation. The county recorder may modify the record of registration to reflect any changes of address, name or party on receipt of a registration form reflecting such changes.

B. All records of cancelled registration shall be arranged and retained electronically in the voter registration database in like manner as voter registrations.

§ 16-165 Causes for cancellation; report

A. The county recorder shall cancel a registration:

At the request of the person registered.
When the county recorder is informed and confirms that the person registered is dead.
If the person has been adjudicated an incapacitated person as defined in section 14-5101.
When the person registered has been convicted of a felony, and the judgment of conviction has not been reversed or set aside. The county recorder shall cancel the registration on receipt of notice of a felony conviction from the court or from the secretary of state or when reported by the elector on a signed juror questionnaire that is completed pursuant to section 21-314.
On production of a certified copy of a judgment directing a cancellation to be made.
Promptly after the election if the person registered has applied for a ballot pursuant to section 16-126.
When a person has been on the inactive voter list and has not voted during the time periods prescribed in section 16-166, subsection C.
When the county recorder receives written information from the person registered that the person has a change of residence within the county and the person does not complete and return a new registration form within twenty-nine days after the county recorder mails notification of the need to complete and return a new registration form with current information.
When the county recorder receives written information from the person registered that the person has a change of address outside the county, including when the county recorder either:

(a) Receives a form from the person pursuant to subsection E of this section on which the person has confirmed that the person is not a resident of this state.

(b) Receives a summary report from the jury commissioner or jury manager pursuant to section 21-314 indicating that the person has stated that the person is not a resident of the county. Before the county recorder cancels a registration pursuant to this subdivision, the county recorder shall send the person notice by forwardable mail and a postage prepaid preaddressed return form requesting the person confirm by signing under penalty of perjury that the person is a resident of the county and is not knowingly registered to vote in another county or another state. The notice shall inform the person that failure to return the form within thirty-five days will result in the person's registration being canceled. If the person fails to return the notice within thirty-five days the county recorder shall cancel the person's registration.

When the county recorder obtains information pursuant to this section and confirms that the person registered is not a United States citizen, including when the county recorder receives a summary report from the jury commissioner or jury manager pursuant to section 21-314 indicating that a person who is registered to vote has stated that the person is not a United States citizen. Before the county recorder cancels a registration pursuant to this paragraph, the county recorder shall send the person notice by forwardable mail that the person's registration will be canceled in thirty-five days unless the person provides satisfactory evidence of United States citizenship pursuant to section 16-166. The notice shall include a list of documents the person may provide and a postage prepaid preaddressed return envelope. If the person registered does not provide satisfactory evidence within thirty-five days, the county recorder shall cancel the registration and notify the county attorney and attorney general for possible investigation.
When the county recorder receives confirmation from another county recorder that the person registered has registered to vote in that other county.

B. If the county recorder receives credible information that a person has registered to vote in a different county, the county recorder shall confirm the person's voter registration with that other county and, on confirmation, shall cancel the person's registration pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 11 of this section.

C. If the county recorder cancels a registration pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 8 of this section, the county recorder shall send the person notice that the registration has been canceled and a registration form with the information described in section 16-131, subsection C attached to the form.

D. When proceedings in the superior court or the United States district court result in a person being declared incapable of taking care of himself and managing his property, and for whom a guardian of the person and estate is appointed, result in such person being committed as an insane person or result in a person being convicted of a felony, the clerk of the superior court in the county in which those proceedings occurred shall file with the secretary of state an official notice of that fact. The secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county recorder and the recorder shall cancel the name of the person on the register. Such a notice shall name the person covered, shall give the person's date and place of birth if available, the person's social security number, if available, the person's usual place of residence, the person's address and the date of the notice, and shall be filed with the recorder of the county where the person last resided.

E. Each month the department of health services shall transmit to the secretary of state without charge a record of the death of every resident of the state reported to the department within the preceding month. This record shall include only the name of the decedent, the decedent's date of birth, the decedent's date of death, the decedent's social security number, if available, the decedent's usual legal residence at the time of death and, if available, the decedent's father's name or mother's maiden name. The secretary of state shall use the record for the sole purpose of canceling the names of deceased persons from the statewide voter registration database. In addition, the department of health services shall annually provide to the secretary of state from the statewide electronic death registration system without charge a record of all deaths of residents of this state that are reported to the department of health services. The records transmitted by the department of health services shall include only the name of the decedent, the decedent's date of birth, the decedent's social security number, if available, the decedent's usual legal residence at the time of death and, if available, the decedent's father's name or mother's maiden name. The secretary of state shall compare the records of deaths with the statewide voter registration database. Public access to the records is prohibited. Use of information from the records for purposes other than those required by this section is prohibited. The name of each deceased person shall promptly be canceled from the statewide voter registration database and the secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county recorder and the recorder shall cancel the name of the person from the register.

F. Each month the department of transportation shall furnish to the secretary of state without charge a list of persons who the department has been notified have been issued a driver license or the equivalent of an Arizona nonoperating identification license in another state. Within ten days after receiving the list of persons from the department of transportation, the secretary of state shall provide to the appropriate county recorder a list of registered voters in that county who have been issued a driver license or the equivalent of an Arizona nonoperating identification license in another state. The county recorder shall promptly send notice by forwardable mail to each person who has obtained a driver license or the equivalent of an Arizona nonoperating identification license in another state and a postage prepaid preaddressed return form requesting the person confirm by signing under penalty of perjury that the person is a resident of this state and is not knowingly registered to vote in another state or confirm that the person is not a resident of this state. The notice shall inform the person that failure to return the form within ninety days will result in the person's registration being placed in inactive status. If the person returns the form within ninety days confirming that the person is a resident of this state, the county recorder shall maintain the registration in active status. If the person fails to return the form within ninety days, the county recorder shall place the person's registration in inactive status.

G. Each month the secretary of state shall compare the statewide voter registration database to the driver license database maintained by the department of transportation. The secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county recorder if a person who is registered to vote in that county has changed the person's residence address or is not a United States citizen.

H. To the extent practicable, each month the county recorder shall compare the county's voter registration database to the social security administration database.

I. To the extent practicable, each month the county recorder shall compare persons who are registered to vote in that county and who the county recorder has reason to believe are not United States citizens and persons who are registered to vote without satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed by section 16-166 with the systematic alien verification for entitlements program maintained by the United States citizenship and immigration services to verify the citizenship status of the persons registered.

J. For persons who are registered to vote without satisfactory evidence of citizenship as prescribed in section 16-166, the county recorder shall compare the electronic verification of vital events system maintained by a national association for public health statistics and information systems, if accessible, with the information on the person's voter registration file.

K. To the extent practicable, the county recorder shall review relevant city, town, county, state and federal databases to which the county recorder has access to confirm information obtained that requires cancellation of registrations pursuant to this section.

L. After canceling a registration pursuant to this section, the county recorder shall send a notice by forwardable mail informing the person that the person's registration has been canceled, the reason for cancellation, the qualifications of electors pursuant to section 16-101 and instructions on registering to vote if the person is qualified.

M. The secretary of state shall report the following information to the legislature at the end of each quarter:

The number of deaths reported to the secretary of state by the department of health services, the number of voter registration cancellation notices issued by the secretary of state to the county recorders as a result of those reports and the number of registrations canceled as a result of those notices.
The number of persons reported to the secretary of state who have been issued a driver license or the equivalent of an Arizona nonoperating identification license in another state, the number of notices sent pursuant to subsection E of this section and the number of voter registrations that have been placed in inactive status and the number of voter registrations that have been canceled as a result of those notices.
The number of persons who have stated on a jury questionnaire that the person is not a United States citizen, the number of notices sent pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 10 of this section and the number of registrations that have been canceled as a result of those notices.
The number of persons who have stated on a jury questionnaire that the person is not a resident of the county, the number of notices sent pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 9, subdivision (b) of this section and the number of registrations that have been canceled as a result of those notices.
The number of registrations on the inactive voter list that have been canceled pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 7 of this section.

§ 16-166 Verification of registration

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Except for the mailing of sample ballots, a county recorder who mails an item to any elector shall send the mailing by nonforwardable first class mail marked with the statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification. If the item is returned undelivered, the county recorder shall send a follow-up notice to that elector within three weeks of receipt of the returned notice. The county recorder shall send the follow-up notice to the address that appears in the general county register or to the forwarding address provided by the United States postal service. The follow-up notice shall include an appropriate internet address for revising voter registration information or a registration form and the information prescribed by section 16-131, subsection C and shall state that if the elector does not complete and return a new registration form with current information to the county recorder or make changes to the elector's voter registration information that is maintained online within thirty-five days, the elector's registration status shall be changed from active to inactive.

B. If the elector provides the county recorder with a new registration form or otherwise revises the elector's information, the county recorder shall change the general register to reflect the changes indicated on the new registration. If the elector indicates a new residence address outside that county, the county recorder shall forward the voter registration form or revised information to the county recorder of the county in which the elector's address is located. If the elector provides a new residence address that is located outside this state, the county recorder shall cancel the elector's registration.

C. The county recorder shall maintain on the inactive voter list the names of electors who have been removed from the general register pursuant to subsection A or E of this section for a period of four years or through the date of the second general election for federal office following the date of the notice from the county recorder that is sent pursuant to subsection E of this section.

D. On notice that a government agency has changed the name of any street, route number, post office box number or other address designation, the county recorder shall revise the registration records and shall send a new verification of registration notice to the electors whose records were changed.

E. The county recorder on or before May 1 of each year preceding a state primary and general election or more frequently as the recorder deems necessary may use the change of address information supplied by the postal service through its licensees and the information provided by an electronic voter registration information center to identify registrants whose addresses may have changed. If it appears from information provided by the postal service or an electronic voter registration information center that a registrant has moved to a different residence address, the county recorder shall send the registrant a notice of the change by forwardable mail and a postage prepaid preaddressed return form or an appropriate internet address for revising voter registration information by which the registrant may verify or correct the registration information. If the registrant fails to revise the information or return the form postmarked not later than thirty-five days after the mailing of the notice, the elector's registration status shall be changed from active to inactive. If the notice sent by the recorder is not returned, the registrant may be required to provide affirmation or confirmation of the registrant's address in order to vote. If the registrant does not vote in an election during the period after the date of the notice from the recorder through the date of the second general election for federal office following the date of that notice, the registrant's name shall be removed from the list of inactive voters. If the registrant has changed residence to a new county, the county recorder shall provide information on how the registrant can continue to be eligible to vote.

F. The county recorder shall reject any application for registration that is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of United States citizenship. Satisfactory evidence of citizenship shall include any of the following:

The number of the applicant's driver license or nonoperating identification license issued after October 1, 1996 by the department of transportation or the equivalent governmental agency of another state within the United States if the agency indicates on the applicant's driver license or nonoperating identification license that the person has provided satisfactory proof of United States citizenship.
A legible photocopy of the applicant's birth certificate that verifies citizenship to the satisfaction of the county recorder.
A legible photocopy of pertinent pages of the applicant's United States passport identifying the applicant and the applicant's passport number or presentation to the county recorder of the applicant's United States passport.
A presentation to the county recorder of the applicant's United States naturalization documents or the number of the certificate of naturalization. If only the number of the certificate of naturalization is provided, the applicant shall not be included in the registration rolls until the number of the certificate of naturalization is verified with the United States immigration and naturalization service by the county recorder.
Other documents or methods of proof that are established pursuant to the immigration reform and control act of 1986.
The applicant's bureau of Indian affairs card number, tribal treaty card number or tribal enrollment number.

G. Notwithstanding subsection F of this section, any person who is registered in this state on the effective date of this amendment to this section is deemed to have provided satisfactory evidence of citizenship and shall not be required to resubmit evidence of citizenship unless the person is changing voter registration from one county to another.

H. For the purposes of this section, proof of voter registration from another state or county is not satisfactory evidence of citizenship.

I. A person who modifies voter registration records with a new residence ballot shall not be required to submit evidence of citizenship. After citizenship has been demonstrated to the county recorder, the person is not required to resubmit satisfactory evidence of citizenship in that county.

J. After a person has submitted satisfactory evidence of citizenship, the county recorder shall indicate this information in the person's permanent voter file. After two years the county recorder may destroy all documents that were submitted as evidence of citizenship.

§ 16-168 Precinct registers; date of preparation; contents; copies; reports; statewide database; violation; classification

A. By the tenth day preceding the primary and general elections the county recorder shall prepare from the original registration forms or from electronic media at least four lists that are printed or typed on paper, or at least two electronic media poll lists, or any combination of both, of all qualified electors in each precinct in the county, and the lists shall be the official precinct registers.

B. The official precinct registers for use at the polling place shall contain at least the names in full, party preference, date of registration and residence address of each qualified elector in the respective precincts. The names shall be in alphabetical order and, in a column to the left of the names, shall be numbered consecutively beginning with number 1 in each precinct register.

C. For the purposes of transmitting voter registration information as prescribed by this subsection, electronic media shall be the principal media. A county or state chairman who is eligible to receive copies of precinct lists as prescribed by this subsection may request that the recorder provide a paper copy of the precinct lists. In addition to preparing the official precinct lists, the county recorder shall provide a means for electronically reproducing the precinct lists. Unless otherwise agreed, the county recorder shall deliver one electronic media copy of each precinct list in the county without charge and on the same day within eight days after the close of registration for the primary and general elections to the county chairman and one electronic media copy to the state chairman of each party that has at least four candidates other than presidential electors appearing on the ballot in that county at the current election. The secretary of state shall establish a single format that prescribes the manner and template in which all county recorders provide this data to the secretary of state to ensure that the submissions are uniform from all counties in this state, that all submissions are identical in format, including the level of detail for voting history, and that information may readily be combined from two or more counties. The electronic media copies of the precinct lists that are delivered to the party chairmen shall include for each elector the following information:

Name in full and appropriate title.
Party preference.
Date of registration.
Residence address.
Mailing address, if different from residence address.
Zip code.
Telephone number if given.
Birth year.
Occupation if given.
Voting history for all elections in the prior four years and any other information regarding registered voters that the county recorder or city or town clerk maintains electronically and that is public information.
All data relating to early voters, including ballot requests and ballot returns.

D. The names on the precinct lists shall be in alphabetical order and the precinct lists in their entirety, unless otherwise agreed, shall be delivered to each county chairman and each state chairman within ten business days of the close of each date for counting registered voters prescribed by subsection G of this section other than the primary and general election registered voter counts in the same format and media as prescribed by subsection C of this section. During the thirty-three days immediately preceding an election and on request from a county or state chairman, the county recorder shall provide at no cost a daily list of persons who have requested an early ballot and shall provide at no cost a weekly listing of persons who have returned their early ballots. The recorder shall provide the daily and weekly information through the Friday preceding the election. On request from a county chairman or state chairman, the county recorder of a county with a population of more than eight hundred thousand persons shall provide at no cost a daily listing of persons who have returned their early ballots. The daily listing shall be provided Mondays through Fridays, beginning with the first Monday following the start of early voting and ending on the Monday before the election.

E. Precinct registers and other lists and information derived from registration forms may be used only for purposes relating to a political or political party activity, a political campaign or an election, for revising election district boundaries or for any other purpose specifically authorized by law and may not be used for a commercial purpose as defined in section 39-121.03. The sale of registers, lists and information derived from registration forms to a candidate or a registered political committee for a use specifically authorized by this subsection does not constitute use for a commercial purpose. The county recorder, the secretary of state and other officers in charge of elections, on a request for an authorized use and within thirty days from receipt of the request, shall prepare additional copies of an official precinct list and furnish them to any person requesting them on payment of a fee equal to the following amounts for the following number of voter registration records provided:

For one to one hundred twenty-four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine records, $93.75 plus $0.0005 per record.
For one hundred twenty-five thousand to two hundred forty-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine records, $156.25 plus $0.000375 per record.
For two hundred fifty thousand to four hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine records, $203.13 plus $0.00025 per record.
For five hundred thousand to nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine records, $265.63 plus $0.000125 per record.
For one million or more records, $328.13 plus $0.0000625 per record.

F. Any person in possession of a precinct register or list, in whole or part, or any reproduction of a precinct register or list, shall not permit the register or list to be used, bought, sold or otherwise transferred for any purpose except for uses otherwise authorized by this section. A person in possession of information derived from voter registration forms or precinct registers shall not distribute, post or otherwise provide access to any portion of that information through the internet except as authorized by subsection I of this section. Nothing in this section shall preclude public inspection of voter registration records at the office of the county recorder for the purposes prescribed by this section, except that the month and day of birth date, the social security number or any portion thereof, the driver license number or nonoperating identification license number, the Indian census number, the father's name or mother's maiden name, the state or country of birth and the records containing a voter's signature and a voter's e-mail address shall not be accessible or reproduced by any person other than the voter, by an authorized government official in the scope of the official's duties, for any purpose by an entity designated by the secretary of state as a voter registration agency pursuant to the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77), for signature verification on petitions and candidate filings, for election purposes and for news gathering purposes by a person engaged in newspaper, radio, television or reportorial work, or connected with or employed by a newspaper, radio or television station or pursuant to a court order. Notwithstanding any other law, a voter's e-mail address may not be released for any purpose. A person who violates this subsection or subsection E of this section is guilty of a class 6 felony.

G. The county recorder shall count the registered voters by political party by precinct, legislative district and congressional district as follows:

In even numbered years, the county recorder shall count all persons who are registered to vote as of:

(a) January 2.

(b) April 1.

(d) The last day on which a person may register to be eligible to vote in the next general election.

(e) The last day on which a person may register to be eligible to vote in the next presidential preference election.

In odd numbered years, the county recorder shall count all persons who are registered to vote as of:

(a) January 2.

(b) April 1.

(d) October 1.

H. The county recorder shall report the totals to the secretary of state as soon as is practicable following each of the dates prescribed in subsection G of this section. The report shall include completed registration forms returned in accordance with section 16-134, subsection B. The county recorder shall also provide the report in a uniform electronic computer media format that shall be agreed on between the secretary of state and all county recorders. The secretary of state shall then prepare a summary report for the state and shall maintain that report as a permanent record.

I. The county recorder and the secretary of state shall protect access to voter registration information in an auditable format and method specified in the secretary of state's electronic voting system instructions and procedures manual that is adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

J. The secretary of state shall develop and administer a statewide database of voter registration information that contains the name and registration information of every registered voter in this state. The statewide database is a matter of statewide concern and is not subject to modification or further regulation by a political subdivision. The database shall include an identifier that is unique for each individual voter. The database shall provide for access by voter registration officials and shall allow expedited entry of voter registration information after it is received by county recorders. As a part of the statewide voter registration database, county recorders shall provide for the electronic transmittal of that information to the secretary of state on a real time basis. The secretary of state shall provide for maintenance of the database, including provisions regarding removal of ineligible voters that are consistent with the national voter registration act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31; 107 Stat. 77; 52 United States Code sections 20501 through 20511) and the help America vote act of 2002 (P.L. 107-252; 116 Stat. 1666; 52 United States Code sections 20901 through 21145), provisions regarding removal of duplicate registrations and provisions to ensure that eligible voters are not removed in error. For the purpose of maintaining compliance with the help America vote act of 2002, each county voter registration system is subject to approval by the secretary of state for compatibility with the statewide voter registration database system.

K. Except as provided in subsection L of this section, for requests for the use of registration forms and access to information as provided in subsections E and F of this section, the county recorder shall receive and respond to requests regarding federal, state and county elections.

L. Beginning January 1, 2008, recognized political parties shall request precinct lists and access to information as provided in subsections E and F of this section during the time periods prescribed in subsection C or D of this section and the county recorder shall receive and respond to those requests. If the county recorder does not provide the requested materials within the applicable time prescribed for the county recorder pursuant to subsection C or D of this section, a recognized political party may request that the secretary of state provide precinct lists and access to information as provided in subsections E and F of this section for federal, state and county elections. The secretary of state shall not provide access to precinct lists and information for recognized political parties unless the county recorder has failed or refused to provide the lists and materials as prescribed by this section. The secretary of state may charge the county recorder a fee determined by rule for each name or record produced.

M. For municipal registration information in those municipalities in which the county administers the municipal elections, county and state party chairmen shall request and obtain voter registration information and precinct lists from the city or town clerk during the time periods prescribed in subsection C or D of this section. If the city or town clerk does not provide that information within the same time prescribed for county recorders pursuant to subsection C or D of this section, the county or state party chairman may request and obtain the information from the county recorder. The county recorder shall provide the municipal voter registration and precinct lists within the time prescribed in subsection C or D of this section.

N. The county recorders and the secretary of state shall not prohibit any person or entity prescribed in subsection C of this section from distributing a precinct list to any person or entity that is deemed to be using the precinct list in a lawful manner as prescribed in subsections E and F of this section.

§ 16-168.01 County contributions to the voter registration system fund; exemption

The county contributions to the voter registration system fund is established consisting of monies transferred from counties to the secretary of state pursuant to an agreement between a county and the secretary of state relating to developing and administering the statewide database of voter registration information required by section 16-168. The secretary of state shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated to the secretary of state to develop and administer the statewide database of voter registration information.

§ 16-169 Disposition and use of precinct registers; signature roster; form

A. Upon completion of the precinct registers, the county recorder shall certify to their completeness and correctness and shall transmit them to the election boards. A copy shall be retained by the county recorder in either print or electronic media for verification purposes on election day, and then that copy shall be delivered by the recorder to the early election boards. The board of election shall use the original of the precinct register, which shall be known as the "signature roster", for identifying the electors qualified to vote in the precinct and may use the remaining copies to process voters or may place them in a convenient place outside the poll limits for use by the electors.

B. If paper signature rosters are used, the signature roster shall be bound with suitable covers and shall bear on the outside front cover the title, "signature roster ____________ precinct, ________________ county, Arizona." On the cover shall appear, printed or typed, a certificate to be signed by the inspector substantially as follows:

I, , inspector of the board of election of _______ precinct, ________ county, Arizona hereby certify that the foregoing (excepting signatures in red) are true and correct signatures of all electors who voted in precinct on .

(date)

(inspector)

C. If electronic media poll book systems are used for signature rosters, a separate affidavit shall be supplied for the inspector's signature that is in substantially the same format as prescribed in subsection B of this section.

§ 16-170 Transmittal of signature roster to county recorder; comparison of names by recorder

Upon return of the signature rosters to the board of supervisors after the election, the board shall immediately return them to the county recorder, who may compare the names and signatures with the names and signatures in corresponding precincts in the general county register, and if the recorder discovers that any person has voted in violation of any provision of this title he shall report the violation to the county attorney.

§ 16-171 Preservation of signature rosters as permanent records

The signature roster of a precinct register shall be retained permanently, and transfer shall be pursuant to sections 41-151.15 and 41-151.19. Signature rosters may be retained pursuant to this section in an electronic format.

§ 16-172 Use of county registration rolls by political subdivisions

A. Any political subdivision of this state conducting an election pursuant to the laws of this state, which lies within a county, may use the county registration rolls to conduct such an election. The governing body of such a political subdivision shall negotiate a contract with the county recorder to reimburse the county recorder for his actual expenses in preparing the necessary lists for use in the election. In no case shall the county recorder charge more than the actual additional cost that such preparation entails. Such contracts shall be negotiated at least sixty days in advance of the election.

B. After July 1, 1985 the county recorder of each county shall prepare, pursuant to the provisions of subsection A, the necessary lists for use in all city and town elections. The county recorder shall prepare such lists by city ward where applicable.

§ 16-173 County recorder to file data processing system or program

In each county in which an electronic data processing system or program is used for voter registration, the county recorder shall prepare a detailed and complete explanation of such data processing system or program and any subsequent revision. The county recorder shall retain one copy of this explanation and shall file one copy with the secretary of state.

Article 6 Penal Provisions

§ 16-181 Return of registration; violation; classification

An intentional failure of an authorized person to return the completed registration materials as provided in this chapter is a class 2 misdemeanor.

§ 16-182 False registration; classification; cancellation of registration

A. A person who knowingly causes, procures or allows himself to be registered as an elector of any county, city, town, district or precinct, knowing that he is not entitled to such registration, or a person who knowingly causes or procures another person to be registered as an elector of any county, city, town, district or precinct, knowing that such other person is not entitled to such registration, or an officer who knowingly enters the name of any person not entitled to registration upon the register or roll of electors, is guilty of a class 6 felony.

B. If on the trial of a person charged with an offense under this section, it appears that the accused is registered as an elector of any county, city, town or precinct, without being qualified for such registration, the court shall order his registration canceled.

§ 16-183 Violations; classification

A county recorder, justice of the peace or other person who is authorized to accept registration forms and who knowingly disregards any provision of this chapter, or a person who knowingly registers more than once, or registers under any name other than his true name, or attempts to vote by personating another who is registered, or knowingly registers in a precinct where he is not a resident at the time of the registration is guilty of a class 6 felony unless another classification is specifically prescribed in this chapter.

§ 16-184 Additional violations; classification

A. Any person who knowingly swears falsely to an affidavit required under the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a class 5 felony unless another classification is specifically prescribed in this chapter.

B. An officer of an election who knowingly fails or refuses to perform any duty required of him under this chapter is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor unless another classification is specifically prescribed in this chapter.

Chapter 1.1 General Provisions

Article 1 Applicability

§ 16-191 Applicability

A. Except as provided by subsection B and except where different election procedures or provisions are set forth by statute, the provisions of this title apply to all elections in this state.

B. The provisions of this title apply to all elections held pursuant to title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10 and 13 through 16, notwithstanding any conflicting election procedures or provisions in such chapters.

§ 16-192 Use of state, special taxing district resources to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalties; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, this state and special taxing districts and any public agency, department, board, commission, committee, council or authority shall not spend or use public resources to influence an election, including the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, materials, equipment, buildings, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages and personnel and any other thing of value of the public entity.

B. The prohibition on the use of public resources to influence the outcome of bond, budget override and other tax-related elections includes the use of special taxing district-focused promotional expenditures that occur after an election is called and through election day. This prohibition does not include routine special taxing district communications.

C. This section does not prohibit:

The use of public resources, including facilities and equipment, for government-sponsored forums or debates if the government sponsor remains impartial and the events are purely informational and provide an equal opportunity to all viewpoints. The rental and use of a public facility by a private person or entity that may lawfully attempt to influence the outcome of an election is permitted if it does not occur at the same time and place as a government-sponsored forum or debate.
The presentation of factual information in a neutral manner for the purposes of educating and informing voters as otherwise provided by law, including information on a bond, budget, override, candidate or other type of election and including publications and activities otherwise prescribed by chapter 6, article 2 of this title for the citizens clean elections commission.

D. The attorney general, the county attorney for the county in which an alleged violation of this section occurs or any resident of the jurisdiction that is alleged to have committed a violation of this section may file an action in the superior court to enforce this section.

E. Any person or public entity that knowingly violates this section or that knowingly aids another person or public entity in violating this section is liable for a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each violation. The court also may order the person or public entity in violation to pay an additional penalty in an amount that equals the value of the public resources unlawfully used. The civil penalties shall be paid as follows:

For civil penalties ordered in an action filed by the attorney general, to the office of the attorney general to defray the costs of enforcement.
For civil penalties ordered in an action filed by the county attorney, to the office of the county treasurer for deposit into the general fund of the county.
For civil penalties ordered in an action filed by a resident of the jurisdiction in violation, to the resident.

F. This section does not deny the civil and political liberties of any person as guaranteed by the United States and Arizona Constitutions.

G. With respect to special taxing districts, this section applies only to those special taxing districts that are organized pursuant to title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

H. For the purposes of this section:

"Government-sponsored forum or debate" means any event, or part of an event or meeting, in which the government is an official sponsor, which is open to the public or to invited members of the public, and whose purpose is to inform the public about an issue or proposition that is before the voters.
"Influence an election" means supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election to public office or the recall of a public officer or supporting or opposing a ballot measure, question or proposition, including any bond, budget or override election and supporting or opposing the circulation of a petition for the recall of a public officer or a petition for a ballot measure, question or proposition in any manner that is not impartial or neutral.
"Routine special taxing district communications" means messages or advertisements that are germane to the functions of the special district and that maintain the frequency, scope and distribution consistent with past practices or are necessary for public safety.

§ 16-193 Active registered voters; applicability

The terms "registered voters", "persons who are registered to vote", "registered electors" and "voters registered" as used in the following sections include only active registered voters for purposes of the following:

Calculating petition signature requirements pursuant to sections 11-133, 16-322, 16-341, 45-415, 45-433, 48-4433 and 48-4832.
Mailing and distributing election-related notices, pamphlets or ballots pursuant to sections 11-137, 15-905.01, 16-245, 16-412, 16-461, 16-510, 19-123, 19-141, 35-454, 41-563.02, 42-6109.01, 42-6109.02, 42-17057, 42-17107, 48-620, 48-4021, 48-4236, 48-5314, 48-6432 and 48-6433.
Furnishing ballots pursuant to sections 16-508 and 48-685.
Determining qualification for political parties' continued representation on the ballot pursuant to sections 16-244 and 16-804.
Choosing political party officers pursuant to sections 16-821 and 16-823.

Chapter 2 Election Dates

Article 1 Primary Election

§ 16-201 Primary elections

A primary election shall be held on the first Tuesday in August in any year in which a general election or special election is held and at which candidates for public office are to be elected.

§ 16-202 Notice of offices for which candidates are to be nominated at primary

At least one hundred twenty days before the date of a regular primary election, the secretary of state shall prepare and transmit to the board of supervisors of each county a notice in writing designating the state and federal offices for which candidates are to be nominated at the primary election.

§ 16-203 Primary election for nomination of candidates in municipalities

A primary election for nominations of candidates entitling the nominated candidates to have their names printed on the official ballots at municipal elections in incorporated cities and towns shall be held not less than thirty days prior to the elections.

§ 16-204 Declaration of statewide concern; consolidated election dates; definition

A. The legislature finds and determines that for the purposes of increasing voter participation and for decreasing the costs to the taxpayers it is a matter of statewide concern that all elections in this state be conducted on a limited number of days and, therefore, the legislature finds and declares that the holding of all elections on certain specific consolidated days is a matter of statewide concern. This section preempts all local laws, ordinances and charter provisions to the contrary.

B. For elections held before 2014 and notwithstanding any other law or any charter or ordinance of any county, city or town to the contrary, an election held for or on behalf of a county, city or town, a school district, a community college district or special districts organized pursuant to title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 through 16 and 33 may only be held on the following dates:

Except for regular elections for candidates in a city or town with a population of one hundred seventy-five thousand or more persons, all elections, including recall elections and special elections to fill vacancies, shall be held on:

(a) The second Tuesday in March.

(b) The third Tuesday in May.

(d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Notwithstanding any other law, an election must be held on this date for the approval of an obligation or other authorization requiring or authorizing the assessment of secondary property taxes by a county, city, town, school district, community college district or special taxing district, except as provided by title 48.

For regular elections that are only for candidates in a city or town with a population of one hundred seventy-five thousand or more persons and not including recall elections and special elections to fill vacancies in those cities or towns, elections shall be held on:

(a) The tenth Tuesday before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

(b) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

C. For elections held before 2014, for any city or town, including a charter city, that holds its regularly scheduled candidate elections in even-numbered years pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 2 of this section, the term of office for a member of the city council or for the office of mayor begins on or after the second Tuesday in January in the year following the election.

D. Subsections B and C of this section do not apply to an election regarding a county or city charter committee or county or city charter proposal that is conducted pursuant to article XIII, section 2 or 3 or article XII, section 5, Constitution of Arizona.

E. Beginning with elections held in 2014 and later and notwithstanding any other law or any charter or ordinance to the contrary, a candidate election held for or on behalf of any political subdivision of this state other than a special election to fill a vacancy or a recall election may only be held on the following dates and only in even-numbered years:

Through 2019, the tenth Tuesday before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Beginning in 2020 and later, the election shall be held on the first Tuesday in August. If the political subdivision holds a primary or first election and a general or runoff election is either required or optional for that political subdivision, the first election shall be held on this date, without regard to whether the political subdivision designates the election a primary election, a first election, a preliminary election or any other descriptive term.
The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. If the political subdivision holds a general election or a runoff election, the second election held shall be held on this date. If the political subdivision holds only a single election and no preliminary or primary or other election is ever held for the purpose of reducing the number of candidates, or receiving a partisan nomination or designation or for any other purpose for that political subdivision, the single election shall be held on this date.

F. Beginning with elections held in 2014 and later that are not candidate elections, an election held for or on behalf of any political subdivision of this state, and including a special election to fill a vacancy or a recall election, may only be held on the following dates:

The second Tuesday in March.
The third Tuesday in May.
Through 2019, the tenth Tuesday before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Beginning in 2020 and later, the election shall be held on the first Tuesday in August.
The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Notwithstanding any other law, an election must be held on this date for the approval of an obligation or other authorization requiring or authorizing the assessment of secondary property taxes by a county, city, town, school district, community college district or special taxing district, except as provided by title 48. Notwithstanding any other law, an election must be held on the date specified in this paragraph and only in even-numbered years for the approval of or authorizing the assessment of transaction privilege taxes by a county, city or town.

G. Notwithstanding any other law, for an election administered by a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections on behalf of a city, town or school district and that is an all mail ballot election for that city, town or school district, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may use a unified ballot format that combines all of the issues applicable to the voters in the city, town or school district requesting the all mail ballot election.

H. For the purposes of this section, "political subdivision" means any governmental entity operating under the authority of this state and governed by an elected body, including a city, town, county, school district or community college district or any other district organized under state law but not including a special taxing district.

§ 16-204.01 Declaration of statewide concern; city, charter city or town; political subdivision consolidated election dates; voter turnout; definitions

A. After consideration of the court's opinion in City of Tucson v. State, 235 Ariz. 434 (Ct. App. 2014), the legislature finds and determines that it is a matter of statewide concern to increase voter participation in elections, including elections for cities, including charter cities, towns and other political subdivisions, and the legislature finds and declares that if cities, including charter cities, towns and other political subdivisions demonstrate low voter turnout in elections that are not held on the consolidated election dates prescribed in section 16-204, the low voter turnout constitutes sufficient factual support for requiring candidate and other elections to be held on certain specific consolidated dates. The legislature further finds and declares that after evidence of low voter turnout in city, including charter city, and town elections and in elections held for other political subdivisions, increasing voter turnout through the use of consolidated election dates for candidate and other elections as prescribed by this section is a matter of statewide concern. This section preempts all local laws, ordinances and charter provisions to the contrary.

B. A political subdivision shall hold its elections on a statewide election date if its previous elections on a nonstatewide election date resulted in a significant decrease in voter turnout in that political subdivision.

C. Beginning with elections in 2018, for each political subdivision's elections, other than special elections or recall elections, if a significant decrease in voter turnout occurs as prescribed in subsection B of this section, the political subdivision shall hold its subsequent elections on the statewide election dates beginning three calendar years after the occurrence of the significant decrease in voter turnout.

D. For the purposes of this section:

"Political subdivision" means any governmental entity operating under the authority of this state and governed by an elected body, including a city, charter city, town, county, school district, community college district or other district organized under state law. Political subdivision does not include a special taxing district.
"Significant decrease in voter turnout" means the voter turnout for the office that received the highest number of votes in the most recent candidate election for a political subdivision in which candidates are elected at large, or portion of a political subdivision if candidates are not elected at large, is at least twenty-five percent less than the voter turnout in that same political subdivision or portion of a political subdivision for the most recent election in which the office of the governor appeared on the ballot.
"Statewide election date" means the date of the regular statewide primary election and the regular statewide general election.
"Voter turnout" means the number of ballots cast in a specific candidate race prescribed by this section divided by the total number of active registered voters in that political subdivision or portion of a political subdivision, as applicable, or if no specific candidate race is prescribed by this section, the number of ballots cast in that political subdivision or portion of a political subdivision, as applicable, divided by the total number of active registered voters in that political subdivision or portion of a political subdivision at the election prescribed by this section.

§ 16-204.02 Implementation of consolidated elections; term of office; alternative expenditure limitation

A. Notwithstanding any other law, in order to comply with the consolidation of election dates if required under section 16-204.01 or by voluntary action of the political subdivision, the terms of office for elected officials of the political subdivision shall be lengthened at the time of consolidation to align with the consolidated election dates.

B. For any political subdivision whose alternative expenditure limitation is scheduled to expire at any time after the year in which the political subdivision is required to comply with the election consolidation requirements of section 16-204.01, subsection B, or voluntarily consolidates its elections, the political subdivision's existing voter-approved alternative expenditure limitation shall continue as established before its expiration and the penalties prescribed by section 41-1279.07 do not apply if the political subdivision seeks voter approval of an alternative expenditure limitation at the next eligible regular election following consolidation.

§ 16-205 Election dates; notice; administration

A. At least two hundred ten days before each consolidated election date prescribed by section 16-204, each county board of supervisors shall give notice in writing regarding the consolidated election program to each school district, community college district, city, town and special taxing district organized pursuant to title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 in that county. The notice shall state the date of the election.

B. The board of supervisors may hold elections only on the dates prescribed by section 16-204.

C. The secretary of state shall coordinate the consolidated elections with the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors may enter into an intergovernmental agreement pursuant to title 11, chapter 7, article 3 with each political subdivision that participates in a consolidated election in that county in order to administer those elections. After consultation with the political subdivisions that are participating in a consolidated election, the officer in charge of elections shall administer the appointment of election boards.

D. Within ninety days after a consolidated election conducted pursuant to this section, the board of supervisors shall prepare a report that provides an itemized account of all costs incurred by the county in administering the election, including an itemized account of all charges made to each political subdivision that participated in that election. Political subdivisions that participated in an election conducted pursuant to this section may request and receive a copy of this report from the board.

E. The board of supervisors shall require the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to calculate voter turnout for candidate races as prescribed by section 16-204.01, shall determine whether section 16-204.01 requires a political subdivision to consolidate its election dates and shall announce its determination and the implementation date for consolidation at a public meeting held not more than ninety days after issuance of the official county canvass for an election. After the implementation date, the board of supervisors may not call, authorize the call for or authorize the county to administer an election for that political subdivision except as prescribed by section 16-204.01.

§ 16-206 Election day

A. The biennial primary election day on the first Tuesday in August in the year the general election is held and the biennial general election day on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year are not legal holidays.

B. Every public officer or employee is entitled to absence from service or employment for the purpose of voting pursuant to section 16-402 on the biennial primary and general election days.

Article 2 General Election

§ 16-211 General election

On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year, a general election shall be held for the election of representatives in Congress, members of the legislature, and state, county and precinct officers whose terms expire at the end of the year in which the election is being held or in the following year.

§ 16-212 Election of presidential electors; electoral college votes; vacancy; replacement

A. On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1956, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected a number of presidential electors equal to the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state.

B. After the secretary of state issues the statewide canvass containing the results of a presidential election, the presidential electors of this state shall cast their electoral college votes for the candidate for president and the candidate for vice president who jointly received the highest number of votes in this state as prescribed in the canvass.

C. A presidential elector who knowingly refuses to cast that elector's electoral college vote as prescribed in subsection B of this section is no longer eligible to hold the office of presidential elector and that office is deemed and declared vacant by operation of law. The chairperson of the state committee of the political party represented by that elector shall appoint a person who is otherwise qualified to be a presidential elector. The replacement presidential elector shall cast the elector's electoral college vote as prescribed by this section. Notwithstanding section 16-344 and any other statute, the nomination paper and affidavit of qualification of the replacement presidential elector may be completed and filed with the secretary of state as soon as is practicable after the presidential elector's appointment.

§ 16-213 Election of United States senator

There shall be at each general election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of a United States senator from this state, an election of a United States senator.

§ 16-214 Issuance of proclamation for general election by governor; publication by clerks of boards of supervisors

A. At least thirty days before a general election, the governor shall issue a proclamation containing a statement of the time of election and the offices to be filled.

B. The governor shall transmit a copy of the election proclamation to the officer in charge of elections and the clerk of each board of supervisors of the several counties.

C. The clerk of the board of supervisors shall publish a copy of the proclamation in an official newspaper of the county at least ten days before a general election.

Article 3 Other Elections; Special Provisions Relating to Election of Certain Officers

§ 16-221 Special election to fill vacancy in Congress

Special elections to fill a vacancy in the office of a representative in Congress shall be held only on the proclamation of the governor and for that purpose only.

§ 16-222 Vacancy in the office of United States senator or representative

A. When a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator or representative in Congress by reason of death or resignation, or from any other cause and except as provided in subsection D of this section, the vacancy shall be filled at the next general election. At such an election the person elected shall fill the unexpired term of the vacated office.

B. For a vacancy in the office of representative in Congress, if the next general election is not to be held within six months after the date of the occurrence of the vacancy, the governor shall call a special primary election and a special general election to fill the vacancy. The governor shall call the special primary election and establish its date within seventy-two hours after the office is officially declared vacant. Notwithstanding sections 16-313, 16-351 and 16-542, for a candidate for office at an election held pursuant to this subsection, the following apply:

The special primary election shall be held not less than one hundred twenty nor more than one hundred thirty-three days after the occurrence of the vacancy, and the special general election shall be held not less than seventy nor more than eighty days after the special primary election.
Nomination papers and nomination petitions shall be filed not later than thirty days after the date of the proclamation calling the election.
Any court action challenging the nomination of a candidate shall be filed not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth business day after the last day for filing nomination papers and petitions.
The superior court shall hear and render a decision within five days after the filing of the action.
Beginning fifteen days before the date of the election, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall mail early ballots within forty-eight hours after receipt of a complete and correct early ballot request from persons qualified to vote.

C. For a vacancy in the office of United States senator, the governor shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy. That appointee shall be of the same political party as the person vacating the office and, except as provided in subsection D of this section, shall serve until the person elected at the next general election is qualified and assumes office. If the person vacating the office changed political party affiliation after taking office, the person who is appointed to fill the vacancy shall be of the same political party that the vacating officeholder was when the vacating officeholder was elected or appointed to that office.

D. If a vacancy in the office of United States senator occurs more than one hundred fifty days before the next regular primary election date, the person who is appointed pursuant to subsection C of this section shall continue to serve until the vacancy is filled at the next general election. If a vacancy in the office of United States senator occurs one hundred fifty days or less before the next regular primary election date, the person who is appointed shall serve until the vacancy is filled at the second regular general election held after the vacancy occurs, and the person elected shall fill the remaining unexpired term of the vacated office.

E. For a vacancy in the office of representative in Congress that occurs simultaneously with at least one hundred additional vacancies in the office of representative in Congress as prescribed by 2 United States Code section 8, a special general election to fill the vacancy in this state shall be held not more than forty-nine days after the declaration of the vacancy unless a regularly scheduled general election or previously scheduled special general election is held within seventy-five days after the declaration of the vacancy.

§ 16-223 Issuance of proclamation for special election by governor; publication by clerks of boards of supervisors

A. Within ten days after a vacancy occurs in the office of representative in Congress, if a special primary and special general election are required by section 16-222, the governor shall issue a proclamation containing a statement of the time of the special primary election and the special general election and the offices to be filled.

B. The governor shall transmit a copy of the election proclamation to the officer in charge of elections and the clerk of each board of supervisors of each county that is required to participate in the special election.

C. The clerk of the board of supervisors of each county that is required to participate in the special election, within five days after receiving the proclamation prescribed in subsection B of this section, shall publish a copy of the election proclamation in an official newspaper of the county at least five days before the special primary election and at least five days before the special general election and shall post on a county-operated website a notice stating the dates of the special primary election and the special general election.

§ 16-224 Proclamation by governor; time for electing delegates to convention for ratification of amendment to the Constitution of the United States

A. When Congress proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and proposes that it be ratified by conventions in the several states, the governor shall fix by proclamation the date of an election for the purpose of electing delegates to the convention to be held in this state.

B. The election may be a special election, or it may be held at the same time as a general election, but the election shall be held at least as soon as the next special or general election occurring more than three months after the amendment has been proposed by Congress.

§ 16-225 Special district election dates

A. Special districts as described in title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10 and 13 through 16 shall not hold any election except on a date prescribed by section 16-204.

B. The board of supervisors of the county in which the special district or greater portion of the assessed valuation of the property in the district is located shall call the election for the formation of special districts in accordance with subsection A of this section.

C. The governing body of a special district shall call all other elections for the district in accordance with subsection A of this section and shall notify the board of supervisors and the officer in charge of elections of the county in which the special district or greater portion of the assessed valuation of the property in the district is located of the purpose of the election.

D. On notification of the officer in charge of elections and approval of the county board of supervisors, the governing body of a special district may authorize any special district election that is not held on a date prescribed by section 16-204 to be conducted by mail pursuant to chapter 4, article 8.1 of this title.

§ 16-226 Nonpartisan elections; local elections; time of calling; definition

A. Nonpartisan elections and elections held by a school district, a city or a town that are not held concurrently with a general election shall be called not later than one hundred eighty days before the date of holding the election. This subsection does not apply to an election called pursuant to section 19-209 or 35-453.

B. For the purposes of this article, "nonpartisan" means an election that is held by a special district established pursuant to title 48 and that is not held concurrently with the general election.

§ 16-227 Publication or posting of call of election for nonpartisan elections

A. The governing body shall publish a call of election at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the election district in which a nonpartisan election is being held not less than one week apart during the six calendar weeks preceding one hundred fifty days before the election. If there is not a newspaper of general circulation in the election district, the governing body shall post the notice of election on the governing body's public website and at other locations at which the governing body customarily posts public notice of the governing body's public meetings. The call of election shall contain:

The purpose of the election.
The date of holding the election.
The last date and place for filing nomination petitions, if applicable.
The last date to register to vote in the election.
The name of the election district conducting the election.
The proposed boundaries of the election district, if for establishment or annexation.
If the election is a special district mail ballot election as described in chapter 4, article 8.1 of this title, the date the mail ballots will be mailed to qualified electors of the district.

B. In lieu of publishing the call described in subsection A of this section, the governing body may mail a call of election to each household in the district containing a qualified elector. The call shall contain the same information described in subsection A of this section and be mailed not later than one hundred fifty days before the election.

§ 16-228 Notice of election for nonpartisan elections

A. The governing body shall publish a notice of election at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the election district in which a nonpartisan election is being held not less than one week apart during the six calendar weeks preceding twenty days before the election. If there is not a newspaper of general circulation in the election district, the governing body shall post the call of election on the governing body's public website and at other locations at which the governing body customarily posts public notice of the governing body's public meetings. This notice shall contain at least:

The date of the election.
The location of the polls.
The hours the polls will be open.
The purpose of the election.
The election district conducting the election.

B. In lieu of publishing the notice described in subsection A of this section, the governing body may, and for a nonresident qualified elector of any special district shall, mail a notice of election to each household containing a qualified elector of the district. The notice shall contain the same information described in subsection A, paragraphs 1, 4 and 5 of this section and the polling place for that household's qualified electors and the times it is open. Mailings may be made over a period of days but shall be mailed in order to be delivered to households before the earliest date of mailing to registered voters of any requested early ballots for that election.

C. In mail ballot elections, the governing body shall publish a notice of election at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the special district in which the election is being held once a week during each of the two weeks immediately preceding the thirty days before the election. This notice shall contain at least:

The date of the election.
The date ballots will be mailed.
The deadline and location for return of the ballots.
The method for obtaining a replacement if a ballot is destroyed, lost, spoiled or not received.
A statement that no polling place will be provided.
The name of the district that is conducting the election.
The qualifications of electors.

D. In lieu of publishing the notice described in subsection C of this section, the governing body may, and for a nonresident qualified elector of any special district shall, mail a notice of election to each household containing a qualified elector of the district. The notice shall contain the same information described in subsection C of this section and shall be mailed not later than forty-five days before the election.

§ 16-229 Affidavit of compliance

The governing body of a special district as described in title 48 shall submit to the board of supervisors an affidavit certifying compliance with the applicable federal and state election laws not later than five days before the nonpartisan election.

§ 16-230 Vacancy in certain state or county offices; election

A. Notwithstanding any other statute and except as prescribed by subsection C of this section, for state and county offices that provide for a four-year term of office, the following applies if there is a vacancy in office due to death, disability, resignation or any other cause:

If a state office becomes vacant, the governor shall appoint a person of the same political party as the person vacating the office to fill the portion of the term until the next regular general election. If the person vacating the office changed political party affiliations after taking office, the person who is appointed to fill the vacancy shall be of the same political party that the vacating officeholder was when the vacating officeholder was elected or appointed to that office. If the vacancy occurs within the first two years of the term, and before the date on which a nomination paper is required to be filed as prescribed by section 16-311, a primary election shall be held as otherwise provided by law to determine candidates to fill the unexpired term. At the next regular general election, the person elected shall fill the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacant office.
If a county office becomes vacant, the board of supervisors shall appoint a person of the same political party as the person vacating the office to fill the portion of the term until the next regular general election. If the person vacating the office changed political party affiliations after taking office, the person who is appointed to fill the vacancy shall be of the same political party that the vacating officeholder was when the vacating officeholder was elected or appointed to that office. If the vacancy occurs within the first two years of the term, and before the date on which a nomination paper is required to be filed as prescribed by section 16-311, a primary election shall be held as otherwise provided by law to determine candidates to fill the unexpired term. At the next regular general election, the person elected shall fill the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacant office.

B. A person who is elected to fill the remainder of an unexpired term of a vacant office pursuant to subsection A of this section may take the oath of office and begin the remainder of the term of office at any time within ninety days after the canvass of the election. A person who is appointed pursuant to subsection A of this section shall remain in office until the person elected pursuant to this subsection takes the oath of office.

C. This section does not apply to the office of governor.

Article 4 Presidential Preference Election

§ 16-241 Presidential preference election; conduct of election

A. A presidential preference election shall be held on the Tuesday immediately following March 15 of each year in which the President of the United States is elected to give qualified electors the opportunity to express their preference for the presidential candidate of the political party indicated as their preference by the record of their registration. No other election may appear on the same ballot as the presidential preference election.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the governor may issue a proclamation that the presidential preference election is to be held on a date later than the date prescribed in subsection A of this section. The proclamation shall be issued no later than one hundred eighty days before the date of the election as set forth in the proclamation. The governor shall transmit a copy of the election proclamation to the clerks of the county boards of supervisors.

C. Except as otherwise provided in this article, the presidential preference election shall be conducted and canvassed in the same manner as prescribed in this title for the primary election held pursuant to section 16-201. All provisions of other laws that govern elections and that are not in conflict with this article apply to a presidential preference election, including laws relating to registration and qualifications of electors.

D. Unless otherwise specifically prescribed by this article, the powers and duties conferred by law on boards of supervisors, officers in charge of elections, county recorders, precinct boards and central counting boards in connection with a primary election are conferred on those persons for purposes of a presidential preference election and shall be exercised by them for a presidential preference election.

E. Every act that is an offense pursuant to the election laws of this state is an offense for purposes of a presidential preference election, and a person is subject to the penalties prescribed by those laws.

§ 16-242 Qualifications for ballot; nomination paper

A. A person seeking nomination as a candidate for the office of president of the United States shall sign and cause to be filed with the secretary of state a nomination paper that contains the following information:

The name, residence address and mailing address of the candidate.
The name of the recognized political party from which the person seeks nomination.
The name and address of the chairman of the candidate's state committee.
The exact manner for printing the candidate's name on the presidential preference ballot pursuant to section 16-311.

B. The nomination paper shall be filed not less than one hundred days nor more than one hundred thirty days before the presidential preference election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing. If the last day for filing falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the nomination paper shall be filed not later than 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.

C. A candidate for the office of president of the United States shall file with the secretary of state nomination petitions signed by at least five hundred qualified electors who are qualified to vote for the candidate whose nomination petition they are signing for that election or, for recognized parties with fewer than fifty thousand registered voters, nomination petitions signed by at least five hundred qualified electors of any political party affiliation who, at the time they sign, are registered voters. The nomination petitions shall be filed within the time period prescribed by subsection B of this section.

D. Nomination petitions shall conform to the requirements of section 16-314.

E. In lieu of the petition requirements of this section, a candidate may qualify to appear on the presidential preference election ballot of the candidate's political party by filing with the secretary of state during the time period prescribed by subsection B of this section a notice of candidacy signed by the candidate and evidence that by the filing deadline the candidate's name is qualified to appear on the presidential preference election ballot of the candidate's political party in at least two other states.

F. Within seventy-two hours after the close of filing the secretary of state shall certify to the officer in charge of elections the names of the candidates who are qualified for the presidential preference election ballot.

§ 16-243 National convention delegates; vote for candidates

A. The selection of delegates to the political party national conventions shall be as provided in the bylaws of each state party.

B. At the political party national convention, each delegate to the national convention shall vote for the party's presidential nominee candidate who received the greatest number of votes in the presidential preference election until the candidate is nominated for the office of President of the United States by the convention, until the candidate releases the delegate from the delegate's obligation, until a candidate withdraws from the race or until one convention nominating ballot has been taken. After a candidate is nominated, withdraws from the race, delegates are released or one ballot is taken, each delegate is free to vote as the delegate chooses, and no rule may be adopted by a delegation requiring the delegation to vote as a body or causing the vote of any delegate to go uncounted or unreported.

§ 16-244 Representation on ballot

A. To be eligible to participate in the presidential preference election, a political party shall be either of the following:

A political party that is entitled to continued representation on the state ballot pursuant to section 16-804.
A new political party that has become eligible for recognition and that will be represented by an official party ballot pursuant to section 16-801. A petition for recognition of a new political party shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than one hundred fifty nor more than one hundred eighty days before the presidential preference election, and in the same manner as prescribed in section 16-801. The petition shall be processed and verified as prescribed in section 16-803. A political party that is eligible for the presidential preference election ballot shall be represented on the subsequent primary and general election ballots in the year of the presidential election.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 16-804, subsection A, the secretary of state shall determine the political parties entitled to continued representation on the state ballot pursuant to section 16-804, subsection B if, on October 1 of the year immediately preceding the presidential preference election, that party has registered voters equal to at least two-thirds of one per cent of the total number of registered voters in this state. Each county recorder shall furnish the secretary of state with the number of registered voters as prescribed by section 16-168, subsection G, paragraph 2, subdivision (d).

§ 16-245 Form and content of ballot

A. Ballots and ballot labels for the presidential preference election shall be printed on different colored paper or white paper with a different colored stripe for each party represented on the presidential preference election ballot. Only one party may be represented on each ballot. At the top shall be printed "official ballot of the ______________ party, presidential preference election (date), county of _______, state of Arizona".

B. The order of the names of certified candidates on the ballot shall be determined by lots drawn at a public meeting called by the secretary of state for that purpose. Rotation of candidate names is prohibited. The certified candidates shall be listed under the title "_______________ party candidates for President of the United States". Immediately below shall be printed "vote for not more than one". The ballot may also contain printed instructions to voters as prescribed for other elections.

C. The officer in charge of elections shall provide a sample ballot proof to the state committee chairman of each qualified candidate's state committee no later than five days after receipt of the certification from the secretary of state.

D. The officer in charge of elections shall mail one sample ballot of each party represented on the presidential preference election ballot to each household that contains a registered voter of that political party unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. The return address on the sample ballot mailer shall not contain the name of any elected or appointed official, and the name of an appointed or elected official shall not be used to indicate who produced the sample ballot.

E. The mailing face of each sample ballot shall be imprinted with the great seal of the state of Arizona with the words "official voting materials — presidential preference election". The polling place for that household may also be designated on the mailing face of the sample ballot.

§ 16-246 Early balloting; satellite locations; additional procedures

A. Within ninety-three days before the presidential preference election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh day preceding the election, any elector who is eligible to vote in the presidential preference election may make a verbal or signed, written request for an official early ballot to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections for the county in which the elector is registered to vote. If the request is verbal, the requesting elector shall provide the date of birth and birthplace or other information that if compared to the voter registration records for that elector would confirm the identity of the elector.

B. Absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters who are otherwise eligible to vote in the election may vote as prescribed by sections 16-543 and 16-543.02.

C. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may establish on-site early voting locations at the office of the county recorder or at other locations in the county deemed necessary or appropriate by the recorder. Early voting shall begin within the time limits prescribed in section 16-542 unless otherwise prescribed by this section.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall send by nonforwardable mail that is marked with the statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification any early ballots that are requested pursuant to subsections A and B of this section and shall include a preaddressed envelope for the elector to return the completed ballot.

E. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide to each election board an appropriate alphabetized list of voters who have requested and have been sent an early ballot. Any person who is on that list of voters and who was sent an early ballot shall not vote at the polling place for that election precinct except as prescribed by section 16-579, subsection B.

F. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for any of the following in the same manner prescribed by law for other elections:

Special election boards.
Emergency balloting for persons who experience an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the presidential preference election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the presidential preference election. Before receiving a ballot pursuant to this paragraph, a person who experiences an emergency shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing or experienced an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the election that would prevent the person from voting at the polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2.

G. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for emergency balloting pursuant to subsection F, paragraph 2 of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

H. Sections 16-550, 16-551 and 16-552 govern the use of early balloting for the presidential preference election.

§ 16-247 Write-in candidates prohibited

Votes shall be counted and canvassed only for those candidates whose names appear on the presidential preference election ballot and write-in candidates are prohibited.

§ 16-248 Designation of polling places

A. Not less than twenty days before a presidential preference election, the board of supervisors shall designate a reasonable and adequate number of polling places where the election shall be held.

B. The number of polling places for the presidential preference election is to be determined according to the number of active registered voters as of January 1 of the year of the presidential preference election.

C. Each county with two hundred thousand or more active registered voters shall determine the number of polling places for the presidential preference election by using no more than one-half of the number of precincts as of January 1 of the year of the presidential preference election.

D. Each county with less than two hundred thousand active registered voters but ten thousand or more active registered voters shall determine the number of polling places for the presidential preference election by using no more than one polling place for every two thousand active registered voters as of January 1 of the year of the presidential preference primary.

E. Each county with less than ten thousand active registered voters shall determine the number of polling places for the presidential preference election by using no more than one polling place for every one thousand active registered voters as of January 1 of the year of the presidential preference election.

F. If it is determined by the secretary of state that compliance with state and federal regulations would be jeopardized, the secretary of state has the authority to release a county from the number of polling places prescribed by this section.

G. This section does not apply to land located on an Indian reservation.

H. In precincts that contain fewer than three hundred active registered voters, the officer in charge of elections may conduct a presidential preference election by mail.

§ 16-249 Certification of election to parties; automatic recount inapplicable; tabulation

A. The secretary of state shall certify the election results to the state party committee chairmen of the parties that have candidates on the presidential preference ballot on or before the second Monday following the election.

B. Section 16-661, relating to automatic recount, does not apply to an election held pursuant to this article.

C. The presidential preference election shall be tabulated by congressional districts.

§ 16-250 Expenses of election

A. The secretary of state in consultation with the county recorders and the county officers in charge of elections shall include in the budget request for the department of state sufficient monies from the state general fund to conduct the presidential preference election prescribed by this article.

B. Reimbursement of charges incurred by the counties for the presidential preference election shall be made in the amount of $1.25 for each active registered voter in the county on January 2 of the year of the presidential preference election as evidenced by a proper claim submitted to the secretary of state. If the secretary of state determines that reimbursement at the rate prescribed by this subsection would jeopardize the ability of a county to comply with federal and state laws and regulations, the secretary of state may release the county from that rate of reimbursement.

Chapter 3 Nominating Procedures

Article 1 Party Nomination Requirements

§ 16-301 Nomination of candidates for printing on official ballot of general or special election

A. At a primary election, each political party entitled and intending to make nominations for the ensuing general or special election, if it desires to have the names of its candidates printed on the official ballot at that general or special election, shall nominate its candidates for all elective, senatorial, congressional, state, judicial, county and precinct offices to be filled at such election except as provided in section 16-344.

B. Not later than sixty days before the date of the general election, a candidate for governor shall submit to the secretary of state the name of the person who will be the joint candidate for lieutenant governor with that gubernatorial candidate and whose name will appear on the general election ballot jointly with the candidate for governor.

§ 16-302 Failure to nominate candidate in primary election

If no candidate is nominated in the primary election for a particular office, then no candidate for that office for that party may appear on the general or special election ballot except as provided in section 16-344.

Article 2 Filing and Forms

§ 16-311 Nomination papers; statement of interest; filing; definitions

A. Any person desiring to become a candidate at a primary election for a political party and to have the person's name printed on the official ballot shall be a qualified elector of the party and, not less than one hundred twenty nor more than one hundred fifty days before the primary election, shall sign and cause to be filed a nomination paper giving the person's actual residence address or, if the person does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's district or precinct, as applicable for a district or precinct office, naming the party of which the person desires to become a candidate, stating the office and district or precinct, if any, for which the person offers the person's candidacy, stating the exact manner in which the person desires to have the person's name printed on the official ballot pursuant to subsection G of this section, and giving the date of the primary election and, if nominated, the date of the general election at which the person desires to become a candidate. Except for a candidate for United States senator or representative in Congress, a candidate for public office shall be a qualified elector at the time of filing and shall reside in the county, district or precinct that the person proposes to represent. A candidate for partisan public office shall be continuously registered with the political party of which the person desires to be a candidate beginning no later than the date of the first petition signature on the candidate's petition through the date of the general election at which the person is a candidate.

B. Any person desiring to become a candidate at any nonpartisan election and to have the person's name printed on the official ballot shall be at the time of filing a qualified elector of the county, city, town or district and, not less than one hundred twenty nor more than one hundred fifty days before the election, shall sign and cause to be filed a nomination paper giving the person's actual residence address or, if the person does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's county, city, town or district and ward or precinct, as applicable for a county, city, town or district and ward or precinct office, stating the office and county, city, town or district and ward or precinct, if any, for which the person offers the person's candidacy, stating the exact manner in which the person desires to have the person's name printed on the official ballot pursuant to subsection G of this section and giving the date of the election. A candidate for office shall reside at the time of filing in the county, city, town, district, ward or precinct that the person proposes to represent.

C. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, any city or town may adopt by ordinance for its elections the time frame provided in subsection A of this section for filing nomination petitions. The ordinance shall be adopted not less than one hundred fifty days before the first election to which it applies.

D. All persons desiring to become a candidate shall file with the nomination paper provided for in subsection A of this section a declaration, which shall be printed in a form prescribed by the secretary of state. The declaration shall include facts sufficient to show that, other than the residency requirement provided in subsection A of this section and the satisfaction of any monetary penalties, fines or judgments as prescribed in subsection J of this section, the candidate will be qualified at the time of election to hold the office the person seeks, and that for any monetary penalties, fines or judgments as prescribed in subsection J of this section, the candidate has made complete payment before the time of filing.

E. The nomination paper of a candidate for the office of United States senator or representative in Congress, for the office of presidential elector or for a state office, including a member of the legislature, or for any other office for which the electors of the entire state or a subdivision of the state greater than a county are entitled to vote, shall be filed with the secretary of state no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last date for filing.

F. The nomination paper of a candidate for superior court judge or for a county, district and precinct office for which the electors of a county or a subdivision of a county other than an incorporated city or town are entitled to vote shall be filed with the county elections officer no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last date for filing as prescribed by subsection A of this section. The nomination paper of a candidate for a city or town office shall be filed with the city or town clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last date for filing. The nomination paper of a candidate for school district office shall be filed with the county school superintendent no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last date for filing.

G. The nomination paper shall include the exact manner in which the candidate desires to have the person's name printed on the official ballot and shall be limited to the candidate's surname and given name or names, an abbreviated version of such names or appropriate initials such as "Bob" for "Robert", "Jim" for "James", "Wm." for "William" or "S." for "Samuel". Nicknames are permissible, but nicknames, abbreviated versions or initials of given names may not suggest reference to professional, fraternal, religious or military titles and may not include a slogan, a promotional word or phrase or any word that does not actually constitute a nickname. No other descriptive name or names shall be printed on the official ballot, except as provided in this section. Candidates' abbreviated names or nicknames may be printed within quotation marks. The candidate's surname shall be printed first, followed by the given name or names.

H. Not later than the date of the first petition signature on a nomination petition, a person who may be a candidate for office pursuant to this section shall file a statement of interest with the appropriate filing officer for that office. The statement of interest shall contain the name of the person, the political party, if any, and the name of the office that may be sought. Any nomination petition signatures collected before the date the statement of interest is filed are invalid and subject to challenge. This subsection does not apply to:

Candidates for elected office for special taxing districts that are established pursuant to title 48.
Candidates for precinct committeeman.
Candidates for president or vice president of the United States.

I. A person who does not file a timely nomination paper that complies with this section is not eligible to have the person's name printed on the official ballot for that office. The filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office unless the person provides or has provided all of the following:

The financial disclosure statement as prescribed for candidates for that office.
The declaration of qualification and eligibility as prescribed in subsection D of this section.

J. Except in cases where the liability is being appealed, the filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office if the person is liable for an aggregation of $1,000 or more in fines, penalties, late fees or administrative or civil judgments, including any interest or costs, in any combination, that have not been fully satisfied at the time of the attempted filing of the nomination paper and the liability arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of chapter 6 of this title.

K. For the purposes of this title:

"Election district" means this state, any county, city, town, precinct or other political subdivision or a special district that is not a political subdivision, that is authorized by statute to conduct an election and that is authorized or required to conduct its election in accordance with this title.
"Nomination paper" means the form filed with the appropriate office by a person wishing to declare the person's intent to become a candidate for a particular political office.

§ 16-312 Filing of nomination papers for write-in candidates

A. Any person desiring to become a write-in candidate for an elective office in any election shall be at the time of filing a qualified elector of the county or district the person proposes to represent and shall have been a resident of that county or district for one hundred twenty days before the date of the election, except that for a city or town office, section 9-232 applies with respect to residency for the candidate. The person shall file a nomination paper, signed by the candidate, giving the person's actual residence address or, if the person does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's district, precinct or municipality, as applicable for the district, precinct or municipal office that the person proposes to represent, and the person's age, length of residence in the state and date of birth.

B. A write-in candidate shall file the nomination paper not earlier than one hundred fifty days before the election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixtieth day before the election, except that:

A candidate running as a write-in candidate as provided in section 16-343, subsection D shall file the nomination paper not later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election.
A candidate running as a write-in candidate for an election that may be canceled pursuant to section 16-410 shall file the nomination paper not later than 5:00 p.m. on the one hundred sixth day before the election.

C. The write-in filing procedure shall be in the same manner as prescribed in section 16-311. Any person who does not file a timely nomination paper shall not be counted in the tally of ballots. The filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office unless the candidate provides or has provided the financial disclosure statement as prescribed for candidates for that office.

D. Except in cases where the liability is being appealed, the filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a write-in candidate for state or local office if the person is liable for an aggregation of $1,000 or more in fines, penalties, late fees or administrative or civil judgments, including any interest or costs, in any combination, that have not been fully satisfied at the time of the attempted filing of the nomination paper and the liability arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of chapter 6 of this title.

E. The secretary of state shall notify the various boards of supervisors as to write-in candidates filing with the secretary of state's office. The county school superintendent shall notify the appropriate board of supervisors as to write-in candidates filing with the superintendent's office. The board of supervisors shall notify the appropriate election board inspector of all candidates who have properly filed such statements. In the case of a city or town election, the city or town clerk shall notify the appropriate election board inspector of candidates properly filed. No other write-ins shall be counted. The election board inspector shall post the notice of official write-in candidates in a conspicuous location within the polling place.

F. Except as provided in section 16-343, subsection E, a candidate may not file pursuant to this section if any of the following applies:

For a candidate in the general election, the candidate ran in the immediately preceding primary election and failed to be nominated to the office sought in the current election.
For a candidate in the general election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for the immediately preceding primary election for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-322.
For a candidate in the primary election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for the current primary election for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-322, withdrew from the primary election after a challenge was filed or was removed from or otherwise determined by court order to be ineligible for the primary election ballot.
For a candidate in the general election, the candidate filed a nomination petition for nomination other than by primary election for the office sought and failed to provide a sufficient number of valid petition signatures as prescribed by section 16-341.

G. A person who files a nomination paper pursuant to this section for the office of president of the United States shall designate in writing to the secretary of state at the time of filing the name of the candidate's vice presidential running mate, the names of presidential electors who will represent that candidate and a statement signed by the vice presidential running mate and designated presidential electors that indicates their consent to be designated. A nomination paper for each presidential elector designated shall be filed with the candidate's nomination paper. The number of presidential electors shall equal the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state.

§ 16-313 Filing of nomination paper and petitions for special primary election

In a special primary election called by proclamation, nominating papers may be filed not less than sixty days before the date fixed by the proclamation for the special primary election. Nomination petitions shall be filed no later than sixty days before the special primary election and signed by qualified electors as provided in section 16-322.

§ 16-314 Filing and form of nomination petitions; definition

A. Any person desiring to become a candidate at any election and to have the person's name printed on the official ballot shall file, not less than one hundred twenty nor more than one hundred fifty days before the primary election and with the same officer as provided by section 16-311, a nomination petition in addition to the nomination paper required.

B. For the purposes of this title, "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.

C. Nomination petitions shall be captioned "partisan nomination petition" or "nonpartisan nomination petition", followed by the language of the petition in substantially the following form, except that if the candidate does not have an actual residence address, the candidate may use a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the candidate's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's political division or district from which the nomination is sought is sufficient:

Partisan Nomination Petition

I, the undersigned, a qualified elector of the county of ______________, state of Arizona, and of (here name political division or district from which the nomination is sought) and a member of the _______________ party or a person who is registered as no party preference or independent as the party preference or who is registered with a political party that is not qualified for representation on the ballot, hereby nominate ___________ who resides at _____________ in the county of ____________ for the party nomination for the office of _______________ to be voted at the primary election to be held _______________ as representing the principles of such party, and I hereby declare that I am qualified to vote for this office and that I have not signed, and will not sign, any nomination petition for more persons than the number of candidates necessary to fill such office at the next ensuing election. I further declare that if I choose to use a post office box address on this petition, my residence address has not changed since I last reported it to the county recorder for purposes of updating my voter registration file.

Nonpartisan Nomination Petition

I, the undersigned, a qualified elector of the county of _______________, state of Arizona, and of (here name political division or district from which the nomination is sought) hereby nominate _______________ who resides at _______________ in the county of _______________ for the office of ______________ to be voted at the _______________ election to be held _______________, and hereby declare that I am qualified to vote for this office and that I have not signed and will not sign any nomination petitions for more persons than the number of candidates necessary to fill such office at the next ensuing election. I further declare that if I choose to use a post office box address on this petition, my residence address has not changed since I last reported it to the county recorder for purposes of updating my voter registration file.

D. The nomination petition of a person seeking to fill an unexpired vacant term for any public office shall designate the expiration date of the term following the name of the office being sought.

§ 16-315 Form of petitions; registration of circulators

A. The nomination petitions shall be in substantially the following form:

Petitions shall be on paper eleven inches wide and eight and one-half inches long.
Petitions shall be headed by a caption stating the purpose of the petition, followed by the body of the petition stating the intent of the petitioners.
There shall be ten lines spaced one-half of an inch apart and consecutively numbered one through ten.
The signature portion of the petition shall be divided into columns headed by the following titles:

(a) Signature.

(b) Printed name.

(d) Date of signing.

A photograph of the candidate may appear on the nomination petition.

B. The following shall appear on the petition:

Instructions for Circulators

All petitions shall be signed by circulator.
Circulator is not required to be a resident of this state but otherwise must be qualified to register to vote in this state and, if not a resident of this state, shall register as a circulator with the secretary of state.
Circulator's name shall be typed or printed under the circulator's signature.
Circulator's actual residence address or, if no street address, a description of residence location shall be included on the petition.

C. The secretary of state shall prepare sample nomination petition forms and distribute the forms to all election officers.

D. Circulators who are not residents of this state must be registered as circulators with the secretary of state before circulating petitions. The secretary of state shall provide for a method of receiving service of process for those petition circulators who register pursuant to this subsection. The secretary of state shall establish in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 a procedure for registering circulators and receiving service of process.

E. The secretary of state may authorize for statewide and legislative offices the creation, use and submission of petitions prescribed by this section in electronic form if those petitions provide for an appropriate method to verify signatures of petition circulators and signers. The secretary of state may require use of a unique marking system for petition pages, including a bar code, a quick response code or another similar marking system.

§ 16-316 Secure online signature collection; candidate petitions; five dollar contributions; statewide and legislative candidates

(Added with a 1998 Prop. 105 clause pursuant to L14, Ch. 45)

A. Notwithstanding any other statute in this title, the secretary of state shall provide a system for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition and to sign and submit a citizens clean elections five dollar contribution qualification form for a candidate by way of a secure internet portal. The system shall allow only those qualified electors who are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to sign the petition and only those qualified electors who are eligible to give a qualifying contribution to that candidate to do so and shall provide a method for the qualified elector's identity to be properly verified. A candidate may choose to collect up to an amount equal to the full number of required nomination petition signatures or up to an amount equal to the full number of required contribution qualification forms, or both, by use of the online signature collection system prescribed by this section.

B. This section applies only to candidates for statewide and legislative offices.

§ 16-317 Secure online signature collection; municipal, county, justice of the peace, constable and precinct committeeman offices

A. Notwithstanding any other statute in this title, the secretary of state shall provide a system for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition for candidates for city or town office, county office, justice of the peace, constable and the office of precinct committeeman by way of a secure internet portal. The system shall allow only those qualified electors who are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to sign the petition, shall provide a method for the qualified elector's identity to be properly verified and shall provide for the secretary of state to transmit those filings or a facsimile of those filings to the officer in charge of elections for the appropriate office. Through 2024, a candidate may choose to collect up to the minimum number of required nomination petition signatures by use of the online signature collection system prescribed by this section. Beginning in 2025, a candidate may choose to collect up to one hundred ten percent of the minimum number of required nomination petition signatures by use of the online signature collection system prescribed by this section.

B. This section applies only to candidates for city or town elected office, county office, justice of the peace, constable and the office of precinct committeeman.

§ 16-318 Secure online signature collection; federal offices

A. Notwithstanding any other statute in this title, the secretary of state shall provide a system for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition for a candidate for the office of United States senator or representative in Congress by way of a secure internet portal. The system shall allow only those qualified electors who are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to sign the petition and shall provide a method for the qualified elector's identity to be properly verified. A candidate may choose to collect up to the full number of required nomination petition signatures by use of the online signature collection system prescribed by this section.

B. This section applies only to candidates for the office of United States senator or representative in Congress.

§ 16-319 Secure online signature collection; candidate petitions; judicial offices

A. Notwithstanding any other statute in this title, the secretary of state shall provide a system for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition for a candidate by way of a secure internet portal. The system shall allow only those qualified electors who are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to sign the petition and shall provide a method for the qualified elector's identity to be properly verified. A candidate may choose to collect up to an amount equal to twenty-five percent more than the full number of required nomination petition signatures by use of the online signature collection system prescribed by this section.

B. This section applies only to candidates for:

Judicial offices that require nominating petitions under section 16-333.
The office of clerk of the superior court.

§ 16-320 Candidate withdrawal statements

A candidate who wishes to withdraw as a candidate shall submit a signed notarized statement of withdrawal to the filing officer for the candidate's office.

Article 3 Signature Requirements

§ 16-321 Signing and certification of nomination petition; definition

A. Each signer of a nomination petition shall sign only one petition for the same office unless more than one candidate is to be elected to such office, and in that case not more than the number of nomination petitions equal to the number of candidates to be elected to the office. A signature shall not be counted on a nomination petition unless the signature is on a sheet bearing the form prescribed by section 16-314.

B. For the purposes of petitions filed pursuant to sections 16-312, 16-313, 16-314 and 16-341, each signer of a nomination petition shall be a voter who at the time of signing is a registered voter in the electoral district of the office the candidate is seeking.

C. If an elector signs more nomination petitions than permitted by subsection A of this section, the earlier signatures of the elector are deemed valid, as determined by the date of the signature as shown on the petitions. If the signatures by the elector are dated on the same day, all signatures by that elector on that day are deemed invalid. Any signature by that elector on a nomination petition on or after the date of the last otherwise valid signature is deemed invalid and shall not be counted.

D. The person before whom the signatures were written on the signature sheet is not required to be a resident of this state but otherwise shall be qualified to register to vote in this state pursuant to section 16-101 and, if not a resident of this state, shall register as a circulator with the secretary of state. A circulator shall verify that each of the names on the petition was signed in his presence on the date indicated, and that in his belief each signer was a qualified elector who resides at the address given as the signer's residence on the date indicated and, if for a partisan election, that each signer is a qualified signer. The way the name appears on the petition shall be the name used in determining the validity of the name for any legal purpose pursuant to the election laws of this state. Signature and handwriting comparisons may be made.

E. A person who signs a nominating petition must use that person's actual residence address unless there is no actual residence address assigned by an official governmental entity or the person's actual residence is protected pursuant to section 16-153. The signature of a person who signs a nominating petition and who uses only a description of the place of residence or an Arizona post office box address is valid if the person is otherwise properly registered to vote, has not moved since registering to vote and is eligible to sign the nominating petition.

F. For the purposes of this article, "qualified signer" means any of the following:

A qualified elector who is a registered member of the party from which the candidate is seeking nomination.
A qualified elector who is a registered member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804.
A qualified elector who is registered as independent or no party preferred.

§ 16-322 Number of signatures required on nomination petitions

A. Nomination petitions shall be signed by a number of qualified signers equal to:

If for a candidate for the office of United States senator or for a state office, excepting members of the legislature and superior court judges, at least one-fourth of one percent but not more than ten percent of the total number of qualified signers in the state.
If for a candidate for the office of representative in Congress, at least one-half of one percent but not more than ten percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district from which the representative shall be elected except that if for a candidate for a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of representative in Congress, at least one-fourth of one percent but not more than ten percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district from which the representative shall be elected.
If for a candidate for the office of member of the legislature, at least one-half of one percent but not more than three percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district from which the member of the legislature may be elected.
If for a candidate for a county office or superior court judge, at least one percent but not more than ten percent of the total number of qualified signers in the county or district, except that if for a candidate from a county with a population of two hundred thousand persons or more, at least one-fourth of one percent but not more than ten percent of the total number of qualified signers in the county or district.
If for a candidate for a community college district, at least one-quarter of one percent but not more than ten percent of the total voter registration in the precinct as established pursuant to section 15-1441. Notwithstanding the total voter registration in the community college district, the maximum number of signatures required by this paragraph is one thousand.
If for a candidate for county precinct committeeman, at least two percent but not more than ten percent of the party voter registration in the precinct or ten signatures, whichever is less.
If for a candidate for justice of the peace or constable in a county with a population of one million persons or more, at least one percent but not more than ten percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct.
If for a candidate for justice of the peace or constable in a county with a population of less than one million persons, at least one percent but not more than ten percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct or three hundred signatures, whichever is less.
If for a candidate for mayor or other office nominated by a city at large, at least five percent and not more than ten percent of the designated party vote in the city, except that a city that chooses to hold nonpartisan elections may provide by ordinance that the minimum number of signatures required for the candidate be one thousand signatures or five percent of the vote in the city, whichever is less, but not more than ten percent of the vote in the city.
If for an office nominated by ward, precinct or other district of a city, at least five percent and not more than ten percent of the designated party vote in the ward, precinct or other district, except that a city that chooses to hold nonpartisan elections may provide by ordinance that the minimum number of signatures required for the candidate be two hundred fifty signatures or five percent of the vote in the district, whichever is less, but not more than ten percent of the vote in the district.
If for a candidate for an office nominated by a town at large, by a number of qualified electors who are qualified to vote for the candidate whose nomination petition they are signing equal to at least five percent and not more than ten percent of the vote in the town, except that a town that chooses to hold nonpartisan elections may provide by ordinance that the minimum number of signatures required for the candidate be one thousand signatures or five percent of the vote in the town, whichever is less, but not more than ten percent of the vote in the town.
If for a candidate for a governing board of a school district or a career technical education district, at least one-half of one percent of the total voter registration in the school district or career technical education district if the board members are elected at large or one percent of the total voter registration in the single member district if governing board members are elected from single member districts or one-half of one percent of the total voter registration in the single member district if career technical education district board members are elected from single member districts. Notwithstanding the total voter registration in the school district, career technical education district or single member district of the school district or career technical education district, the maximum number of signatures required by this paragraph is four hundred.
If for a candidate for a governing body of a special district as described in title 48, at least one-half of one percent of the vote in the special district but not more than two hundred fifty and not fewer than five signatures.

B. The basis of percentage in each instance referred to in subsection A of this section, except in cities, towns and school districts, shall be the number of qualified signers as determined from the voter registration totals as reported pursuant to section 16-168, subsection H on January 2 of the year in which the general election is held. In cities, the basis of percentage shall be the vote of the party for mayor at the last preceding election at which a mayor was elected. In towns, the basis of percentage shall be the highest vote cast for an elected official of the town at the last preceding election at which an official of the town was elected. In school districts or career technical education districts, the basis of percentage shall be the total number of active registered voters in the school district or career technical education district or single member district, whichever applies. The total number of active registered voters for school districts or career technical education districts shall be calculated using the periodic reports prepared by the county recorder pursuant to section 16-168, subsection H. The count that is reported on January 2 of the year in which the general election is held shall be the basis for the calculation of total voter registration for school districts or career technical education districts.

C. In primary elections the signature requirement for party nominees, other than nominees of the parties entitled to continued representation pursuant to section 16-804, is at least one-tenth of one percent of the total vote for the winning candidate or candidates for governor or presidential electors at the last general election within the district. Signatures must be obtained from qualified electors who are qualified to vote for the candidate whose nomination petition they are signing.

D. If new boundaries for congressional districts or legislative districts are established and effective subsequent to January 2 of the year of a general election and before the first date for filing of nomination petitions, the basis for determining the required number of nomination petition signatures is the number of qualified signers in the elective office or district that was effective on January 2 of the year of a general election. If new boundaries for supervisorial districts, justice precincts or election precincts are adopted after January 2 of the year of a general election and before the last date for filing of nomination petitions for the elective office, district or precinct, the basis for determining the required number of nomination petition signatures is the number of qualified signers in the elective office, district or precinct on the effective date of the new district or precinct.

Article 4 Judicial Offices

§ 16-331 Election of superior court judges by declared divisions of court

A. In any election at which two or more judges of the superior court are to be voted for or elected for the same term, it shall be deemed that there are as many separate offices to be filled as there are judges of the superior court to be elected. Each separate office shall be designated by the distinguishing number of the division of the court occupied on January 1 preceding the primary election by the respective judges whose terms expire after the general election and on or before the first Monday in January next succeeding such election.

B. The designation shall remain the same for all purposes of both the primary and general election and shall be used on all nominating petitions, nomination papers, ballots, certificates of election and election papers referring to the office. After election and the issuance of the certificate of election, the designating number shall have no further significance.

§ 16-332 Election of justices of supreme court or judges of court of appeals by declared terms

A. In any election at which two or more justices of the supreme court or judges of the court of appeals are to be voted for or elected for the same length of term, it shall be deemed that there are as many separate offices to be filled as there are judges of the court to be elected. Each office shall be designated by a distinguishing number, as "term number one expiring the first Monday in January, 19___". The court or division concerned shall, on or before April 30 of each election year, designate the members of the court who hold such terms of office which expire in January next following such election year.

B. The designation shall remain the same for all purposes of both the primary and general election and shall be used on all nominating petitions, nomination papers, ballots, certificates of election and all election papers referring to the office. After election and the issuance of the certificate of election, the designating number shall have no further significance.

§ 16-333 Preparation and filing of nominating petition for certain judicial offices

Any nominating petition for a candidate for judge of the superior court, judge of the court of appeals or justice of the supreme court to be voted on at any election shall be prepared and filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Any petition filed by a candidate for any such court which does not comply with the provisions of this chapter shall have no force or effect at any such election.

Article 5 Nomination Other Than by Primary

§ 16-341 Nomination petition; method and time of filing; form; qualifications and number of petitioners required; statement of interest

A. Any qualified elector who is not a registered member of a political party that is recognized pursuant to this title may be nominated as a candidate for public office otherwise than by primary election or by party committee pursuant to this section.

B. This article shall not be used to place on the general election ballot the name of a political party that fails to meet the qualifications specified in section 16-802 or 16-804, or the name of any candidate representing such party or the name of a candidate who has filed a nomination petition in the immediately preceding primary election and has failed to qualify as the result of an insufficient number of valid signatures.

C. A nomination petition stating the name of the office to be filled, the name and residence of the candidate, or, if the candidate does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's district, precinct or municipality, as applicable for a district, precinct or municipal office, and other information required by this section shall be filed with the same officer with whom primary nomination papers and petitions are required to be filed as prescribed in section 16-311. Except for candidates for the office of presidential elector filed pursuant to this section, the petition shall be filed not less than one hundred twenty days nor more than one hundred fifty days before the primary election. The petition shall be signed only by voters who have not signed the nomination petitions of a candidate for the office to be voted for at that primary election.

D. The nomination petition shall be in substantially the following form, except that if the candidate does not have an actual residence address, the candidate may use a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the candidate's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address in the candidate's district, precinct or municipality, as applicable for a district, precinct or municipal office, is sufficient:

The undersigned, qualified electors of __________ county, state of Arizona, do hereby nominate __________, who resides at __________ in the county of __________, as a candidate for the office of _______ at the general (or special, as the case may be) election to be held on the ________ day of _________, _____.

I hereby declare that I have not signed the nomination petitions of any candidate for the office to be voted for at this primary election, and I do hereby select the following designation under which name the said candidate shall be placed on the official ballot (here insert such designation not exceeding three words in length as the signers may select).

E. The nomination petition shall conform as nearly as possible to the provisions relating to nomination petitions of candidates to be voted for at primary elections and shall be signed by at least the number of persons who are registered to vote determined by calculating three percent of the persons who are registered to vote of the state, county, subdivision or district for which the candidate is nominated who are not members of a political party that is qualified to be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing primary election and accorded representation on the general election ballot.

F. The percentage of persons who are registered to vote necessary to sign the nomination petition shall be determined by the total number of registered voters from other than political parties that are qualified to be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing primary election and accorded representation on the general election ballot in the state, county, subdivision or district on January 2 of the year in which the general election is held. Notwithstanding the method prescribed by subsection E of this section and this subsection for calculating the minimum number of signatures necessary, any person who is registered to vote in the state, county, subdivision or district for which the candidate is nominated is eligible to sign the nomination petition without regard to the signer's party affiliation.

G. A nomination petition for any candidate may be circulated by a person who is not a resident of this state but who is otherwise eligible to register to vote in this state if that person registers as a circulator with the secretary of state before circulating petitions. The nomination petition for the office of presidential elector shall include a group of names of candidates equal to the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state instead of separate nomination petitions for each candidate for the office of presidential elector. A valid signature on a petition containing a group of presidential electors candidates is counted as a signature for the nomination of each of the candidates. The presidential candidate whom the candidates for presidential elector will represent shall designate in writing to the secretary of state the names of the candidates who will represent the presidential candidate before any signatures for the candidate can be accepted for filing. A nomination petition for the office of presidential elector shall be filed not less than eighty nor more than one hundred days before the general election. The petition shall be signed only by qualified electors who have not signed the nomination petitions of a candidate for the office of presidential elector to be voted for at that election.

H. The secretary of state shall require in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 that persons who circulate nomination petitions pursuant to this section and who are not residents of this state but who are otherwise eligible to register to vote in this state shall register as circulators with the office of the secretary of state before circulating petitions. The secretary of state shall provide for a method of receiving service of process for those petition circulators who are registered.

I. Not later than the date of the first petition signature on a nomination petition, a person who may be a candidate for office pursuant to this section shall file a statement of interest with the appropriate filing officer for that office. The statement of interest shall contain the name of the person, the political party, if any, and the name of the office that may be sought. Any nomination petition signatures collected before the date the statement of interest is filed are invalid and subject to challenge. This subsection does not apply to:

Candidates for elected office for special taxing districts that are established pursuant to title 48.
Candidates for precinct committeeman.
Candidates for president or vice president of the United States.

J. A person who files a nomination paper pursuant to this section for the office of president of the United States shall designate in writing to the secretary of state at the time of filing the name of the candidate's vice presidential running mate, the names of the presidential electors who will represent that candidate and a statement that is signed by the vice presidential running mate and the designated presidential electors and that indicates their consent to be designated. A nomination paper for each presidential elector designated shall be filed with the candidate's nomination paper. The number of presidential electors shall equal the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state.

K. A candidate who does not file a timely nomination petition that complies with this section is not eligible to have the candidate's name printed on the official ballot for that office. The filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office unless the candidate provides or has provided all of the following:

The financial disclosure statement as prescribed for candidates for that office.
The declaration of qualification and eligibility as prescribed in section 16-311.

L. Not later than sixty days before the date of the general election, a candidate for governor who files a nomination petition pursuant to this section shall submit to the secretary of state the name of the person who will be the joint candidate for lieutenant governor with that gubernatorial candidate and whose name will appear on the general election ballot jointly with the candidate for governor.

M. Except in cases where the liability is being appealed, the filing officer shall not accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office if the person is liable for an aggregation of $1,000 or more in fines, penalties, late fees or administrative or civil judgments, including any interest or costs, in any combination, that have not been fully satisfied at the time of the attempted filing of the nomination paper and the liability arose from failure to comply with or enforcement of chapter 6 of this title.

N. The secretary of state may authorize for statewide and legislative offices the creation, use and submission of petitions prescribed by this section in electronic form if those petitions provide for an appropriate method to verify signatures of petition circulators and signers. The secretary of state may require use of a unique marking system for petition pages, including a bar code, a quick response code or another similar marking system.

§ 16-342 Special election nominations by delegate convention

Nominations entitling candidates to have their names printed on the official ballot for a special election held for the purpose of filling a vacancy in an office may be made by delegates assembled in convention if, in the judgment of the secretary of state and the attorney general, the time is too short in which to hold a primary election, or the cost of such primary election would be excessive or unnecessarily burdensome.

§ 16-343 Filling vacancy caused by death or incapacity or withdrawal of candidate

A. A vacancy occurring due to death, mental incapacity or voluntary withdrawal of a candidate after the close of petition filing but before a primary or general election shall be filled by the political party with which the candidate was affiliated as follows:

In the case of a United States senator or statewide candidate, the state executive committee of the candidate's political party shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements for candidates as stated in section 16-311 in order to fill the vacancy.
In the case of a vacancy for the office of United States representative or the legislature, the party precinct committeemen of that congressional or legislative district shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements of section 16-311.
In the case of a vacancy for a county or precinct office, the party county committee of counties with a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand persons according to the most recent United States decennial census and, in counties with a population of two hundred fifty thousand persons or more according to the most recent United States decennial census the county officers of the party together with the chairman of the party precinct committeemen in each legislative district of the county, shall nominate a candidate of the party's choice and shall file a nomination paper and declaration complying with the requirements of section 16-311 to fill such vacancy.
If the vacancy occurs in a candidate race for partisan nomination in which at least one candidate of the vacating candidate's political party remains on the ballot for the vacating candidate's office, the vacancy shall not be filled. For an office to which more than one candidate will be elected, the vacancy shall not be filled if at least one candidate of the vacating candidate's political party remains on the ballot for each of the multiple seats for the office sought by the vacating candidate.

B. The nomination paper and declaration required in subsection A of this section shall be filed with the office with which nomination petitions were to be filed at any time before the official ballots are printed.

C. Any meetings for the purpose of filing a nomination paper and declaration provided for in this section shall be called by the chairman of such committee or legislative district, except that in the case of multicounty legislative or congressional districts the party county chairman of the county having the largest geographic area within such district shall call such meeting. The chairman or in his absence the vice chairman calling such meeting shall preside. The call to such meeting shall be mailed or given in person to each person entitled to participate no later than one day before such meeting. A majority of those present and voting shall be required to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section.

D. A vacancy that is due to voluntary or involuntary withdrawal of the candidate and that occurs following the printing of official ballots shall not be filled in accordance with this section, however, prospective candidates shall comply with section 16-312. A candidate running as a write-in candidate under this subsection shall file the nomination paper no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth day before the election.

E. Candidates nominated pursuant to subsection A of this section or a candidate running as a write-in candidate under subsection D of this section may be a candidate who ran in the immediately preceding primary election for the office and failed to be nominated.

F. If a vacancy occurs as described in subsection A of this section for a state office, the secretary of state shall notify the various boards of supervisors as to the vacancy. The boards of supervisors shall notify the inspectors of the various precinct election boards in the county, district or precinct where a vacancy occurs. In the case of a city or town election, the city or town clerk shall notify the appropriate inspectors. A vacancy that occurs as prescribed in subsection D of this section due to the death or incapacity of the candidate shall not be filled and the secretary of state shall notify the appropriate county board of supervisors to post a notice of the death or incapacity of the candidate in each polling place along with notice that any votes cast for that candidate will be tabulated.

G. The inspectors shall post the notice of vacancy in the same manner as posting official write-in candidates. In the case of a withdrawal of a candidate that occurs after the printing of official ballots, the inspectors shall post the notice of withdrawal in a conspicuous location in each polling place. Notice of withdrawal shall also be posted at all early voting locations and shall be made available to early voters by providing with the early ballot instructions a website address at which prompt updates to information regarding write-in and withdrawn candidates are available.

§ 16-344 Office of presidential elector; appointment by state committee chairman

A. The chairman of the state committee of a political party that is qualified for representation on an official party ballot at the primary election and accorded a column on the general election ballot shall appoint candidates for the office of presidential elector equal to the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state and shall file for each candidate with the secretary of state, not more than ten days after the primary election, by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing:

A nomination paper giving the candidate's actual residence address or, if the person does not have an actual residence address, a description of place of residence and post office address, or, if the person's actual residence address is protected pursuant to section 16-153, a post office box or private mailbox address, naming the party of which the candidate desires to become a candidate, stating his candidacy for the office of presidential elector, stating the exact manner in which the candidate desires to have his name printed on the official ballot pursuant to section 16-311, subsection G, and stating the date of the general election at which he desires to become a candidate.
An affidavit including facts sufficient to show that the candidate resides in this state and will be qualified at the time of the election to hold the office of presidential elector.

B. The nomination paper and affidavit of qualification pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be printed in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.

Article 6 Challenge of Nomination Petitions

§ 16-351 Limitations on appeals of validity of nomination petitions; disqualification of candidate

A. Any elector filing any court action challenging the nomination of a candidate as provided for in this chapter shall do so not later than 5:00 p.m. of the tenth day, excluding Saturday, Sunday and other legal holidays, after the last day for filing nomination papers and petitions. The elector shall specify in the action the petition number, line number and basis for the challenge for each signature being challenged. Failure to specify this information shall result in the dismissal of the court action. Within ten days after the filing of the action, the superior court shall hear and render a decision on the matter. The decision is appealable only to the supreme court, and notice of appeal shall be filed within five days after the decision of the superior court in the action. The supreme court shall hear and render a decision on the appeal promptly.

B. Any elector may challenge a candidate for any reason relating to qualifications for the office sought as prescribed by law, including age, residency, professional requirements or failure to fully pay fines, penalties or judgments as prescribed in sections 16-311, 16-312 and 16-341, if applicable.

C. In any action challenging a nomination petition, the following persons are indispensable parties to the action and shall be named and served as defendants:

The candidate whose petition is the subject of the challenge.
The officer with whom the petitions are required to be filed.
The board of supervisors and the recorder of each county or the clerk of each city or town who is responsible for preparing the ballots that contain the challenged candidate's name.

D. For the purposes of an action challenging nomination petitions, the board of supervisors and the recorder of each county or the clerk of each city or town responsible for preparing the ballots that contain the challenged candidate's name and each person filing a nomination petition under this chapter appoints the officer with whom the candidate files the nomination paper and petitions as the person's agent to receive service of process. In an action challenging a nomination petition process shall be served immediately after the action is filed and in no event more than twenty-four hours after filing the action, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays. Immediately on receipt of process served on the officer as agent for a person filing a nomination petition, the officer shall mail the process to the person and shall notify the person by telephone of the filing of the action.

E. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall perform petition signature verifications for nomination petition challenges for signatures of qualified electors who are residents of that county and shall provide testimony and other evidence on request of any of the parties to the challenge.

F. Notwithstanding the system used pursuant to section 16-163, subsection D, the most current version of the general county register at the time of filing of a court action challenging a nomination petition constitutes the official record to be used to determine on a prima facie basis by the challenger that the signer of a petition was not registered to vote at the residence address given, or at the address on the general county register if a mailing address was given, on the date of signing of the petition. This subsection does not preclude the challenged candidate from introducing into evidence a certified copy of the registration form of any signer of a petition dated on or before the date of the signing of the petition if the registration form is in the possession of the county recorder but has not yet been filed in the general county register.

G. In addition to the procedures set forth in this section, all petitions that have been submitted by a candidate who is found guilty of petition forgery shall be disqualified and that candidate shall not be eligible to seek election to a public office for a period of not less than five years.

§ 16-351.01 Nomination challenges; expenses

For any challenge of a candidate's nominating petition for which the county recorder or officer in charge of elections is required to conduct signature verification and to which the county recorder or officer in charge of elections is a party, the court may award to the county recorder or officer in charge of elections the reasonable expenses incurred in signature verification if the court determines that the challenge was without substantial justification or was primarily or solely for delay or harassment or that the candidate who submitted the petition knowingly or recklessly filed a substantial number of invalid signatures.

Chapter 4 Conduct of Elections

Article 1 General Provisions

§ 16-400 Definition of mark

For the purposes of this chapter, "mark" means a character or symbol which is distinguishable and noticeable to a reasonable person but which does not identify or reveal the voter in a primary, general or special election conducted by this state or any political subdivision of this state.

§ 16-401 Applicability of general election law to primary elections

A. A primary election shall be held, the voters shall vote therein, the method of voting shall be followed, the votes shall be counted and canvassed, the returns shall be made, all in the same manner as provided for a general election and shall otherwise conform to the laws governing general elections except as otherwise specifically provided. All provisions of other laws governing elections not in conflict and including registrations and qualifications of voters are made applicable to and shall govern primary elections.

B. The powers and duties conferred by law upon boards and clerks of elections, registration officers, canvassing boards and other public officials in connection with general elections are conferred upon all such officers of primary elections and, unless such powers or duties are otherwise specifically conferred, shall be exercised by them in connection with primary elections.

C. Every act declared to be an offense by the general election law shall be an offense under the primary election law and the offender shall be subject to the penalties prescribed by such general election law.

§ 16-402 Absence from employment for purpose of voting; application therefor; violation; classification

A. A person entitled to vote at a primary or general election held within this state may, on the day of election, absent himself for the purpose of voting from the service or employment at which he is employed if there are less than three consecutive hours between the opening of the polls and the beginning of his regular workshift or between the end of his regular workshift and the closing of the polls. In such event, he may absent himself for such length of time at the beginning or end of his workshift that, when added to the time difference between workshift hours and opening or closing of the polls, will provide a total of three consecutive hours. He shall not, because of such absence, be liable for any penalty, nor shall any deduction be made therefor from his usual salary or wages. Application shall be made for such absence prior to the day of election, and the employer may specify the hours during which the employee may absent himself.

B. A person who refuses an employee the right conferred by this section, or who subjects an employee to a penalty or reduction of wages therefor, or who directly or indirectly violates the provisions of this section, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

§ 16-403 City or town elections; duties of officers

In city or town elections, the duties devolving on the secretary of state in other elections shall devolve on the mayor or similar governing officer, board or commission, and the duties prescribed in this chapter devolving on the clerk of the board of supervisors shall devolve on the city or town clerk.

§ 16-404 Preparation of polling place; voting booths; ballot boxes for paper ballots

Each polling place shall be provided by the board of supervisors with a sufficient number of voting booths on which voters may conveniently mark their ballots screened from the observation of others. Each booth shall be at least three square feet in size. Each booth shall be supplied with such conveniences as will enable the voter to prepare his ballot for voting. The board of supervisors shall also furnish each polling place with ballot boxes, equipped with locks, large enough to properly receive and hold the ballots cast.

§ 16-405 Preparation for elections

The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall provide voting or marking devices, voting booths, ballots, early ballots as prescribed by section 16-545, ballot boxes and other supplies as required.

§ 16-406 Public display of voting equipment

The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall place voting equipment on public display at such times and places as it may determine for the education of voters in their use.

§ 16-407 Election officers; qualifications; certificates; certification programs; plan; exemption; election training fund

A. Except as provided in subsection E of this section, a person may not perform the duties or exercise the authority of an election officer or of the clerk of the board of supervisors or the county recorder in performance of election duties in or on behalf of any county unless, for persons who are certified in odd-numbered years, the person is the holder of an election officer's certificate issued by the secretary of state before January 1 of each general election year and, for persons who are certified in even-numbered years, the person is certified before June 1 of that even-numbered year. An election officer's certificate expires on December 31 in the year after the general election.

B. The secretary of state shall provide for the examination of applicants for election officer certificates. The secretary of state may not issue a certificate to a person who has not demonstrated to the satisfaction of the secretary of state that the person is competent to perform the work of an election officer or of the clerk of the board of supervisors or the county recorder in the performance of election duties.

C. The secretary of state shall provide for election officer certification programs of which successful completion by a person attests to the attendance at, participation in and completion of a course of instruction in the technical, legal and administrative aspects of conducting elections within this state.

D. On or before December 31 of each year, the secretary of state shall submit an election officer education, training and certification plan to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. The plan shall outline the achievements and problems of the period since the most recent report and specify the expected education, training and certification activities of the coming year.

E. Subsection A of this section does not apply to elected officials, clerical and secretarial personnel, counting center personnel and precinct election board members and election officials in cities or towns.

F. For city and town employees who work on elections, the city or town may train its own employees if the city or town training program is approved by the secretary of state or, if the city or town chooses to enroll the city or town employees in the certification program prescribed by this section, the city or town shall reimburse the secretary of state for the costs of conducting the training. An election training fund is established consisting of monies received pursuant to this subsection. The secretary of state shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and the secretary of state shall use monies in the fund to pay the costs of training officials from cities and towns pursuant to this subsection.

§ 16-407.01 Election administration; private monies prohibited

Notwithstanding any other law, this state and a city, town, county, school district or other public body that conducts or administers elections may not receive or expend private monies for preparing for, administering or conducting an election, including registering voters.

§ 16-407.02 Elections training classes; statement; water; registration form

Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation, from and after January 1, 2011 the secretary of state's office may provide bottled water at any election training class if the election training class registration form clearly states that a portion of the registration fee will be used for hydration.

§ 16-407.03 Election deadlines; filings; violation; classification

Except when prescribed by a court of competent jurisdiction, no officer or agent of this state, a political subdivision of this state or any other governmental entity in this state may modify or agree to modify any deadline, filing date, submittal date or other election-related date that is provided for in statute. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 6 felony.

§ 16-408 Cost of special district elections; bond

A. The cost of all special district elections provided in this title, including the preparation of ballots and signature comparison, shall be charged against the funds of the special district pursuant to law.

B. At the time of filing a petition for the formation of a special district, or at any time thereafter but before publication of the call of election, a bond shall be filed by the petitioners, with security approved by the board of supervisors, sufficient to pay the expenses connected with the proceedings in case the election to form the district fails.

C. If at any time during the proceedings the board determines the bond to be insufficient, it may order the filing of an additional bond within a fixed time.

D. The governing body of any election district authorized to conduct an election may contract with the board of supervisors and county recorder for election services. The contracted cost of such special elections shall be a charge against the election district.

§ 16-409 Certain cities, towns and school districts; mail ballot elections; report

A. Notwithstanding section 16-558, a city, town or school district may conduct a mail ballot election. A mail ballot election shall be conducted as otherwise prescribed by article 8.1 of this chapter.

B. Cities, towns or school districts that conduct mail ballot elections pursuant to subsection A of this section shall report to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives by January 1 of each year immediately following a mail ballot election. The report shall include the following:

Changes in voter turnout.
Relative costs of mail ballot elections compared to traditional elections.
Suggestions for improvements or refinements in the mail ballot program.
Frequency and severity of mail ballot irregularities.
Voter satisfaction with the election process.
Number of nondeliverable ballots.

§ 16-410 Cancellation of certain elections; appointment to office; filling vacancies

A. Notwithstanding any other law, in any election that is to be held pursuant to title 15 or 48 or section 16-822, if the total of the number of persons who file a nomination petition for a candidate and the number of persons who file a nomination paper for a write-in candidate as prescribed by chapter 3, articles 2 and 3 of this title is less than or equal to the number of positions to be filled at the election for which the nomination petition or nomination paper is filed, the county board of supervisors may cancel the election no earlier than one hundred five days before the election and appoint the person or persons who filed the nomination petition or nomination paper to fill the position for the term of office for which the candidate was nominated by the qualified electors.

B. A person who is appointed pursuant to subsection A of this section is fully vested with the powers and duties of the office as if elected to that office.

C. If no nomination petitions for a candidate and no nomination papers for a write-in candidate have been filed to fill the position for which the election was being held, the position is deemed vacant and shall be filled in accordance with laws governing the filling of those vacancies.

D. Canceled elections shall not appear on any ballot, but if a withdrawal or disqualification of one or more candidates results in the cancellation of an election after the ballots have been printed, the results of any vote for that office shall not be canvassed.

Article 2 Election Precincts and Polling Places

§ 16-411 Designation of election precincts and polling places; voting centers; electioneering; wait times

A. The board of supervisors of each county, on or before October 1 of each year preceding the year of a general election, by an order, shall establish a convenient number of election precincts in the county and define the boundaries of the precincts as follows:

The election precinct boundaries shall be established so as to be included within election districts prescribed by law for elected officers of the state and its political subdivisions, including community college district precincts, except those elected officers provided for in titles 30 and 48.
If after October 1 of the year preceding the year of a general election the board of supervisors must further adjust precinct boundaries due to the redistricting of election districts as prescribed by law and to comply with this subsection, the board of supervisors shall adjust these precinct boundaries as soon as is practicable.

B. At least twenty days before a general or primary election, and at least ten days before a special election, the board shall designate one polling place within each precinct where the election shall be held, except that:

On a specific finding of the board, included in the order or resolution designating polling places pursuant to this subsection, that no suitable polling place is available within a precinct, a polling place for that precinct may be designated within an adjacent precinct.
Adjacent precincts may be combined if boundaries so established are included in election districts prescribed by law for state elected officials and political subdivisions including community college districts but not including elected officials prescribed by titles 30 and 48. The officer in charge of elections may also split a precinct for administrative purposes. The polling places shall be listed in separate sections of the order or resolution.
On a specific finding of the board that the number of persons who are listed as early voters pursuant to section 16-544 and who are not expected to have their ballots tabulated at the polling place as prescribed in section 16-579.02 is likely to substantially reduce the number of voters appearing at one or more specific polling places at that election, adjacent precincts may be consolidated by combining polling places and precinct boards for that election. The board of supervisors shall ensure that a reasonable and adequate number of polling places will be designated for that election. Any consolidated polling places shall be listed in separate sections of the order or resolution of the board.
On a specific resolution of the board, the board may authorize the use of voting centers in place of or in addition to specifically designated polling places. A voting center shall allow any voter in that county to receive the appropriate ballot for that voter on election day after presenting identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and to lawfully cast the ballot. Voting centers may be established in coordination and consultation with the county recorder, at other county offices or at other locations in the county deemed appropriate.
On a specific resolution of the board of supervisors that is limited to a specific election date and that is voted on by a recorded vote, the board may authorize the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to use emergency voting centers as follows:

(a) The board shall specify in the resolution the location and the hours of operation of the emergency voting centers.

(b) A qualified elector voting at an emergency voting center shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579, except that notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for any voting at an emergency voting center, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

(c) If an emergency voting center established pursuant to this section becomes unavailable and there is not sufficient time for the board of supervisors to convene to approve an alternate location for that emergency voting center, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may make changes to the approved emergency voting center location and shall notify the public and the board of supervisors regarding that change as soon as practicable. The alternate emergency voting center shall be as close in proximity to the approved emergency voting center location as possible.

C. If the board fails to designate the place for holding the election, or if it cannot be held at or about the place designated, the justice of the peace in the precinct, two days before the election, by an order, copies of which the justice of the peace shall immediately post in three public places in the precinct, shall designate the place within the precinct for holding the election. If there is no justice of the peace in the precinct, or if the justice of the peace fails to do so, the election board of the precinct shall designate and give notice of the place within the precinct of holding the election. For any election in which there are no candidates for elected office appearing on the ballot, the board may consolidate polling places and precinct boards and may consolidate the tabulation of results for that election if all of the following apply:

All affected voters are notified by mail of the change at least thirty-three days before the election.
Notice of the change in polling places includes notice of the new voting location, notice of the hours for voting on election day and notice of the telephone number to call for voter assistance.
All affected voters receive information on early voting that includes the application used to request an early voting ballot.

D. The board is not required to designate a polling place for special district mail ballot elections held pursuant to article 8.1 of this chapter, but the board may designate one or more sites for voters to deposit marked ballots until 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.

E. Except as provided in subsection F of this section, a public school shall provide sufficient space for use as a polling place for any city, county or state election when requested by the officer in charge of elections.

F. The principal of the school may deny a request to provide space for use as a polling place for any city, county or state election if, within two weeks after a request has been made, the principal provides a written statement indicating a reason the election cannot be held in the school, including any of the following:

Space is not available at the school.
The safety or welfare of the children would be jeopardized.

G. Beginning in 2026, the department of administration shall coordinate with state agencies and counties to provide available and appropriate state-owned facilities for use as a voting location for any city, county or state election when requested by the officer in charge of elections.

H. The board shall make available to the public as a public record a list of the polling places for all precincts in which the election is to be held.

I. Except in the case of an emergency, any facility that is used as a polling place on election day or that is used as an early voting site during the period of early voting shall allow persons to electioneer and engage in other political activity outside of the seventy-five foot limit prescribed by section 16-515 in public areas and parking lots used by voters. This subsection does not allow the temporary or permanent construction of structures in public areas and parking lots or the blocking or other impairment of access to parking spaces for voters. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall post on its website at least two weeks before election day a list of those polling places in which emergency conditions prevent electioneering and shall specify the reason the emergency designation was granted and the number of attempts that were made to find a polling place before granting an emergency designation. If the polling place is not on the website list of polling places with emergency designations, electioneering and other political activity shall be allowed outside of the seventy-five foot limit. If an emergency arises after the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections' initial website posting, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall update the website as soon as is practicable to include any new polling places, shall highlight the polling place location on the website and shall specify the reason the emergency designation was granted and the number of attempts that were made to find a polling place before granting an emergency designation.

J. For the purposes of this section, a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall designate a polling place as an emergency polling place and thus prohibit persons from electioneering and engaging in other political activity outside of the seventy-five foot limit prescribed by section 16-515 but inside the property of the facility that is hosting the polling place if any of the following occurs:

An act of God renders a previously set polling place as unusable.
A county recorder or other officer in charge of elections has exhausted all options and there are no suitable facilities in a precinct that are willing to be a polling place unless a facility can be given an emergency designation.

K. The secretary of state shall provide through the instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452 the maximum allowable wait time for any election that is subject to section 16-204 and provide for a method to reduce voter wait time at the polls in the primary and general elections. The method shall consider at least all of the following for primary and general elections in each precinct:

The number of ballots voted in the prior primary and general elections.
The number of registered voters who voted early in the prior primary and general elections.
The number of registered voters and the number of registered voters who cast an early ballot for the current primary or general election.
The number of registered voters whose early ballots were tabulated on-site as prescribed in section 16-579.02 in the prior primary and general elections.
The number of election board members and clerks and the number of rosters that will reduce voter wait time at the polls.

§ 16-412 Effective date of new precincts

A. After establishing precincts as provided in section 16-411, the board of supervisors of each county shall deliver to the county recorder a complete description of these precincts immediately after adoption.

B. If new precinct boundaries are established as provided in section 16-411, the county recorder shall transfer all the voters who reside in a new precinct as the result of this adoption by January 2 of the year of the next general election. The county recorder shall mail the notice of the precinct change to each household containing a registered voter, unless a sample ballot containing the precinct name or number is mailed before the primary election. For the purpose of conducting any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, precincts adopted on or before October 1 of the year preceding the year of a general election under the provisions of section 16-411 become effective not later than January 2 of the year of the next general election.

C. If redistricting requires adjustment of precinct boundaries after October 1 of the year preceding the year of a general election, the county recorder shall transfer to the new precinct within sixty days after adoption of the new precinct boundaries all voters who reside in a new precinct as the result of the adjustment of precinct boundaries. The county recorder shall mail the notice of the precinct change to each household containing a registered voter unless a sample ballot containing the precinct name or number is mailed before the primary election. For the purpose of conducting any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, precincts adopted after October 1 of the year preceding the year of a general election become effective not later than the first date for filing of nomination petitions in the year of the next general election.

§ 16-413 Precincts; special district boundaries

A. Except as provided in subsection D of this section, the governing body of a special district, except a district organized under title 48, chapter 17, shall establish district election precincts that have the same boundaries as county election precincts pursuant to section 16-411 and designate one polling place within each precinct. In those cases where a district boundary bisects a county election precinct, that portion of the election precinct that is within the district shall be the district election precinct. The governing body may consolidate district election precincts if it deems it necessary and designate one polling place for the election precincts it consolidates.

B. The governing body shall provide the county recorder with a description of the district election precincts no later than sixty days before an election for which signature rosters are to be prepared.

C. In elections to establish special districts, the board of supervisors shall act as the governing body for purposes of this section.

D. If an election is a mail ballot election, the governing body shall not designate polling places but shall determine the number and location of sites where ballots may be returned.

Article 4 Voting Equipment

§ 16-441 Effective date of article; approval of counting equipment

Provisions of this article shall become effective and operative when electronic or electromechanical vote recording and ballot counting equipment has been satisfactorily tested and has received the approval of the secretary of state.

§ 16-442 Committee approval; adoption of vote tabulating equipment; experimental use; emergency

A. The secretary of state shall appoint a committee of three persons, to consist of a member of the engineering college at one of the universities, a member of the state bar of Arizona and one person familiar with voting processes in the state, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party, and at least one of whom shall have at least five years of experience with and shall be able to render an opinion based on knowledge of, training in or education in electronic voting systems, procedures and security. The committee shall investigate and test the various types of vote recording or tabulating machines or devices that may be used under this article. The committee shall submit its recommendations to the secretary of state who shall make final adoption of the type or types, make or makes, model or models to be certified for use in this state. The committee shall serve without compensation.

B. Machines or devices used at any election for federal, state or county offices may only be certified for use in this state and may only be used in this state if they comply with the help America vote act of 2002 and if those machines or devices have been tested and approved by a laboratory that is accredited pursuant to the help America vote act of 2002.

C. After consultation with the committee prescribed by subsection A of this section, the secretary of state shall adopt standards that specify the criteria for loss of certification for equipment that was used at any election for federal, state or county offices and that was previously certified for use in this state. On loss of certification, machines or devices used at any election may not be used for any election for federal, state or county offices in this state unless recertified for use in this state.

D. The secretary of state may revoke the certification of any voting system or device for use in a federal, state or county election in this state or may prohibit for up to five years the purchase, lease or use of any voting system or device leased, installed or used by a person or firm in connection with a federal, state or county election in this state, or both, if either of the following occurs:

The person or firm installs, uses or permits the use of a voting system or device that is not certified for use or approved for experimental use in this state pursuant to this section.
The person or firm uses or includes hardware, firmware or software in a version that is not certified for use or approved for experimental use pursuant to this section in a certified voting system or device.

E. The governing body of a city or town or the board of directors of an agricultural improvement district may adopt for use in elections any kind of electronic voting system or vote tabulating device approved by the secretary of state, and thereupon the voting or marking device and vote tabulating equipment may be used at any or all elections for voting, recording and counting votes cast at an election.

F. The secretary of state or the governing body may provide for the experimental use of a voting system or device without a final adoption of the voting system or device, and its use at the election is as valid as if the machines had been permanently adopted.

G. After consultation with the committee prescribed by subsection A of this section, the secretary of state may approve for emergency use an upgrade or modification to a voting system or device that is certified for use in this state if the governing body establishes in an open meeting that the election cannot be conducted without the emergency certification. Any emergency certification shall be limited to no more than six months. At the conclusion of the certification period the voting system or device shall be decertified and unavailable for future use unless certified in accordance with this section.

§ 16-442.01 Accessible voting technology; recommendations; certification; applicability

A. On completion of the certification process pursuant to this section and section 16-442, the secretary of state shall require that voting systems that are used by entities that are governed by section 16-204, but not including cities and towns with a population of less than twenty thousand persons, provide persons who are blind or visually impaired with access to voting that is equivalent to that provided to persons who are not blind or visually impaired and shall provide an accessible vote by United States mail option for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment.

B. For the purposes of this section:

A voting system that provides the voter with the ability to cast and verify by both visual and nonvisual methods all of the selections that were made by that voter is deemed to provide equivalent access.
Nonvisual methods for casting and verifying a selection made on a voting system include the use of synthesized speech, braille and other output methods that do not require sight.

C. The secretary of state shall consult with and obtain recommendations regarding voting systems from nonprofit organizations that represent persons who are blind or visually impaired, persons with expertise in accessible software, hardware and other technology, county and local election officials and other persons deemed appropriate by the secretary of state. After receiving recommendations, the secretary of state shall submit to the committee established pursuant to section 16-442 one or more voting systems that provide equivalent access pursuant to this section for possible certification for use in this state.

D. Subsection A of this section applies to voting systems that are purchased or upgraded on or after January 1, 2006.

§ 16-443 Authorization of use at all elections

At all state, county, city or town elections, agricultural improvement district elections and primary elections, ballots or votes may be cast, recorded and counted by voting or marking devices and vote tabulating devices as provided in this article.

§ 16-444 Definitions; applicability of general laws

A. In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Ballot" means a paper ballot on which votes are recorded.
"Computer program" includes all programs and documentation adequate to process the ballots at an equivalent counting center.
"Counting center" means one or more locations selected by the board of supervisors for the automatic counting of ballots.
"Electronic voting system" means a system in which votes are recorded on a paper ballot by means of marking, and such votes are subsequently counted and tabulated by vote tabulating equipment at one or more counting centers.
"E-pollbook" means 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.
"Instructions and procedures manual" means the manual prepared for use as a guide for the conduct of elections by an approved electronic voting system, including, but not limited to, detailed instructions for the performance of each task relating to the collection of ballots and the counting of votes in a manner that will provide maximum security, efficiency and accuracy.
"Vote tabulating equipment" includes apparatus necessary to automatically examine and count votes as designated on ballots and tabulate the results.
"Voting device" means an apparatus that the voter uses to record the voter's votes by marking a paper ballot, which votes are subsequently counted by electronic tabulating equipment.

B. The provisions of all state laws relating to elections not inconsistent with this article apply to all elections where electronic tabulating devices are used. Any provision of law that conflicts with this article does not apply to the elections in which electronic tabulating devices are used.

§ 16-445 Filing of computer election programs with secretary of state

A. For any state, county, school district, special district, city or town election, including primary elections, that uses vote tabulating devices as provided in this article, there shall be filed with the secretary of state at least seventeen days before the date of the election a copy of each computer program for each election. The secretary of state shall hold all computer program software filed pursuant to this section in escrow for three years. The secretary of state shall securely destroy the software filed pursuant to this section on the expiration of the three-year period.

B. A copy of any subsequent revision of the computer program shall be filed in the same manner within forty-eight hours following the revision.

C. Any tape or disc used in the programming or operation of a vote tabulating device on which votes are counted and any tape used in compiling vote totals shall be kept under lock and seal, and if there is a retally of votes, the officer entrusted with the tapes or discs shall submit the officer's affidavit stating that they are the tapes or discs, or both, used in the election and have not been altered.

D. All materials submitted to the secretary of state shall be used by the secretary of state or attorney general to preclude fraud or any unlawful act under the laws of this title and title 19 and shall not be disclosed or used for any other purpose.

§ 16-446 Specifications of electronic voting system

A. An electronic voting system consisting of a voting or marking device in combination with vote tabulating equipment shall provide facilities for voting for candidates at both primary and general elections.

B. An electronic voting system shall:

Provide for voting in secrecy when used with voting booths.
Permit each elector to vote at any election for any person for any office whether or not nominated as a candidate, to vote for as many persons for an office as the elector is entitled to vote for and to vote for or against any question on which the elector is entitled to vote, and the vote tabulating equipment shall reject choices recorded on the elector's ballot if the number of choices exceeds the number that the elector is entitled to vote for the office or on the measure.
Prevent the elector from voting for the same person more than once for the same office.
Be suitably designed for the purpose used and be of durable construction, and may be used safely, efficiently and accurately in the conduct of elections and counting ballots.
Be provided with means for sealing the voting or marking device against any further voting after the close of the polls and the last voter has voted.
When properly operated, record correctly and count accurately every vote cast.
Provide a durable paper document that visually indicates the voter's selections, that the voter may use to verify the voter's choices, that may be spoiled by the voter if it fails to reflect the voter's choices and that permits the voter to cast a new ballot. This paper document shall be used in manual audits and recounts.
To the extent practicable, provide for the ballot layout to be in the same order of arrangement, including rotation, as provided for paper ballots, except that information may be printed in vertical or horizontal rows, or in a number of separate pages or screens that are placed or displayed on the voting device. The titles of offices may be arranged in vertical columns or in a series of separate pages or screens and shall be printed above or at the side of the names of candidates so as to indicate clearly the candidates for each office and the number to be elected. If there are more candidates for an office than can be printed in one column or on one ballot page or screen, the ballot shall be clearly marked that the list of candidates is continued on the following column, page or screen, and to the extent practicable, the same number of names shall be printed on each column, page or screen.
Provide for a color designation for use in the primary election for each political party represented.

§ 16-447 Voting devices; inspection; specifications and number of booths

A. The board of supervisors shall provide at each polling place at least one device that complies with the help America vote act of 2002 (P.L. 107-252) and that is certified by the secretary of state for use by voters with disabilities.

B. Before any election at which electronic voting devices are used, the board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall have the voting devices prepared for the election and shall mail a notice to the chairmen of the county committees of the different political parties, stating when and where the voting devices may be inspected before they are sealed and delivered to the polling places.

C. The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall have delivered to each polling place a sufficient number of voting booths and voting or marking devices. The voting booths shall be durably constructed and shall be of sufficient size and so designed as to enable the voter to mark the voter's ballot in secrecy.

D. In any election, the election officer in charge of the election shall determine the number of voting devices to be used.

E. The board of supervisors shall designate a person to observe the installation and modification of any election management software or computer programming used for county election administration. The board of supervisors shall also designate a person to act as a substitute if the primary designee is unavailable. The persons designated may be county employees but may not be employed by or under the supervision of the officer in charge of elections.

§ 16-448 Write-in votes; instructions

Whenever ballots are to be counted by electronic data processing equipment, all write-in votes for candidates, to be counted, shall be marked by the voter in the space provided opposite the names of the write-in candidates. The instructions to voters printed on the ballots shall instruct the voter that the vote will not be counted unless the voter properly marks the ballot when writing in a candidate's name.

§ 16-449 Required test of equipment and programs; notice; procedures manual

A. Within the period of time before the election day prescribed by the secretary of state in the instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452, the board of supervisors or other election officer in charge, or for an election involving state or federal candidates, the secretary of state, shall have the automatic tabulating equipment and programs tested to ascertain that the equipment and programs will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all measures. Public notice of the time and place of the test shall be given at least forty-eight hours prior thereto by publication once in one or more daily or weekly newspapers published in the town, city or village using such equipment, if a newspaper is published therein, otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation therein. The test shall be observed by at least two election inspectors, who shall not be of the same political party, and shall be open to representatives of the political parties, candidates, the press and the public. The test shall be conducted by processing a preaudited group of ballots so marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each measure and shall include for each office one or more ballots that have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the automatic tabulating equipment and programs to reject such votes. If any error is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected and an errorless count shall be made before the automatic tabulating equipment and programs are approved. A copy of a revised program shall be filed with the secretary of state within forty-eight hours after the revision is made. If the error was created by automatic tabulating equipment malfunction, a report shall be filed with the secretary of state within forty-eight hours after the correction is made, stating the cause and the corrective action taken. The test shall be repeated immediately before the start of the official count of the ballots in the same manner as set forth above. After the completion of the count, the programs used and the ballots shall be sealed, retained and disposed of as provided for paper ballots.

B. Electronic ballot tabulating systems shall be tested for logic and accuracy within seven days before their use for early balloting pursuant to the instructions and procedures manual for electronic voting systems that is adopted by the secretary of state as prescribed by section 16-452. The instructions and procedures manual shall include procedures for the handling of ballots, the electronic scanning of ballots and any other matters necessary to ensure the maximum degree of correctness, impartiality and uniformity in the administration of an electronic ballot tabulating system.

C. Notwithstanding subsections A and B of this section, if a county uses accessible voting equipment to mark ballots and that accessible voting equipment does not independently tabulate or tally votes, the secretary of state in cooperation with the county officer in charge of elections may designate a single date to test the logic and accuracy of both the accessible voting equipment and electronic ballot tabulating systems.

§ 16-450 Location and acquisition of vote tabulating devices

The vote tabulating device may be located at any place within the state approved by the board of supervisors of the county or the governing board of other political subdivisions using the device. The same device may be jointly owned, borrowed, leased or used by two or more counties, cities or other political subdivisions to tabulate ballots cast in any election.

§ 16-451 Cost; means of financing

The board of supervisors may provide for the payment of the cost of vote tabulating equipment in such manner and by such method as it may deem for the best local interests and also may for that purpose issue bonds, certificates of indebtedness or other obligations which shall be a charge on the county or city. The bonds, certificates or other obligations may be issued with or without interest, payable at such time as the authorities may determine, but shall not be issued or sold at less than par. The board of supervisors may enter into lease agreements or lease purchase agreements for the use of vote tabulating equipment.

§ 16-452 Rules; instructions and procedures manual; approval of manual; field check and review of systems; violation; classification

A. After consultation with each county board of supervisors or other officer in charge of elections, the secretary of state shall prescribe rules to achieve and maintain the maximum degree of correctness, impartiality, uniformity and efficiency on the procedures for early voting and voting, and of producing, distributing, collecting, counting, tabulating and storing ballots. The secretary of state shall also adopt rules regarding fax transmittal of unvoted ballots, ballot requests, voted ballots and other election materials to and from absent uniformed and overseas citizens and shall adopt rules regarding internet receipt of requests for federal postcard applications prescribed by section 16-543.

B. The rules shall be prescribed in an official instructions and procedures manual to be issued not later than December 31 of each odd-numbered year immediately preceding the general election. Before its issuance, the manual shall be approved by the governor and the attorney general. The secretary of state shall submit the manual to the governor and the attorney general not later than October 1 of the year before each general election.

C. A person who violates any rule adopted pursuant to this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

D. The secretary of state shall provide personnel who are experts in electronic voting systems and procedures and in electronic voting system security to field check and review electronic voting systems and recommend needed statutory and procedural changes.

Article 5 Ballots and Supplies; Primary

§ 16-461 Sample primary election ballots; submission to party chairmen for examination; preparation, printing and distribution of ballot

A. At least forty-five days before a primary election, the officer in charge of that election shall:

Prepare a proof of a sample ballot.
Submit the sample ballot proof of each party to the county chairman or in city or town primaries to the city or town chairman.
Mail a sample ballot proof to each candidate for whom a nomination paper and petitions have been filed.

B. Within two calendar days after receipt of the sample ballot, the county chairman of each political party and any candidate in that election who has submitted and confirmed an email address shall suggest to the election officer any change the chairman or candidate considers should be made in the chairman's or candidate's party ballot, and if on examination the election officer finds an error or omission on the ballot, the officer shall correct it. The election officer shall print and distribute the sample ballots as required by law, shall maintain a copy of each sample ballot and shall post a notice indicating that sample ballots are available on request. The official sample ballot shall be printed on colored paper or white paper with a different colored stripe for each party that is represented on that ballot. For voters who are not registered with a party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the election officer may print and distribute the required sample ballots in an alternative format, including a reduced size format.

C. Not later than forty days before a primary election, the county chairman of a political party may request one sample primary election ballot of the chairman's party for each election precinct.

D. The board of supervisors shall have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election and shall mail at least eleven days before the election one sample ballot of a political party to each household containing a registered voter of that political party unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. Each sample ballot shall contain the following statement: "This is a sample ballot and cannot be used as an official ballot under any circumstances". A certified claim shall be presented to the secretary of state by the board of supervisors for the actual cost of printing, labeling and postage of each sample ballot actually mailed, and the secretary of state shall direct payment of the authenticated claim from funds of the secretary of state's office.

E. For city and town elections, the governing body of a city or town may have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election. If the city or town has printed such sample ballots, the city or town shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing such sample ballots.

F. The return address on the mailer-type sample ballots shall not contain the name of an appointed or elected public officer nor may the name of an appointed or elected public officer be used to indicate who produced the sample ballot.

G. The great seal of the state of Arizona shall be imprinted along with the words "official voting materials" on the mailing face of each sample ballot. In county, city or town elections the seal of such jurisdiction shall be substituted for the state seal.

§ 16-462 Form of paper ballot

The ballots for a primary election shall be printed with a different color designation for each political party that is included on the ballot. Unless otherwise provided by law, the ballot shall be printed, "official ballot of the __________ party, primary election (date), ___________ precinct, county (or city or town) of __________, state of Arizona". Below the heading shall be placed the title of each office to be voted for, and an instruction to the voter as to how many are to be voted for for the particular office, thus: "vote for not more than __________" (insert the number to be elected), under which shall be placed alphabetically and alternated, as provided by law, the names of all the party's candidates to be voted for in each precinct of the county or precinct or ward of the city or town for whom nomination papers have been filed for such office, leaving as many blank lines as there are offices under that title to be filled, followed by a place for the voter to make a mark to indicate the voter's choice either to the right or the left of the candidate's name, and of the blank line. Double or more columns may be arranged on the ballot. In other respects the ballot shall conform as nearly as possible to the ballot prescribed for general elections.

§ 16-464 Rotation of names on ballots

A. When there are two or more candidates for a nomination, except in the case of precinct committeemen, the names of all candidates for the nomination shall be so alternated on the ballots used in each election precinct that the name of each candidate shall appear substantially an equal number of times at the top, at the bottom and in each intermediate place of the list or group of candidates in which they belong. When there are fewer than or the same number of candidates seeking office as the number to be elected, rotation of names is not required and the names shall be placed in alphabetical order.

B. The position of the names of candidates for precinct committeemen shall be alphabetical by surname for appearance on the ballot when there are more candidates than positions available.

C. When there are two or more precincts in a political subdivision that hold an all mail ballot election, candidate name rotation shall be the presumed method of ballot organization, unless candidate name rotation is found to be impracticable. When candidate name rotation is found to be impracticable, the position of the names of candidates shall be drawn by lot at a public meeting.

D. The provisions of this section do not apply where voting machines are used.

§ 16-465 Arrangement of candidates' names at primary election

A. When there are two or more candidates of the same political party on the ballot, the names of such candidates, except in the case of precinct committeemen, shall be so alternated on the ballots used in each election precinct that the name of each candidate shall appear substantially an equal number of times in each possible location. When there are fewer than or the same number of candidates seeking office as the number to be elected, rotation of names is not required and the names shall be placed in alphabetical order.

B. In a primary election where voting machines are used, names of candidates for precinct committeemen shall appear on the voting machine in alphabetical order according to the first letter of the surnames of the candidates.

§ 16-467 Method of voting on ballot

A. At primary elections there shall be provided a separate ballot for each party entitled to participate in the primary.

B. Each party ballot shall be designated by the name of the party, and for a voter who is registered as a member of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the voter shall be given by the judge of election one ballot only of the party with which the voter is affiliated as it appears in the precinct register. For a voter who is registered as independent, or no party preference or as a member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the voter shall designate the ballot of only one of the political parties that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot and the judge of election shall give the elector only that political party's ballot.

C. If a person is nominated on more than one ticket, the person shall promptly file with the officer in charge of the preparation of election ballots a written declaration indicating the party name under which the person's name is to be printed on the official election ballot, and the person's name shall be printed only under the party name.

D. For any political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot, section 16-822 applies to the election of precinct committeemen.

§ 16-468 Form of ballot; optical scanning system; sample ballots

For any ballots intended for use in an optical scanning system, the following apply:

As nearly as is practicable, ballots shall have material printed in the same order as provided for paper ballots, except that material may be printed in vertical or horizontal rows or on separate pages.
Ballots shall be printed in plain clear type in black ink, and for a general election, on clear white materials, and shall be of a size and arrangement to fit the construction of the vote tabulating equipment or other voting device. For a primary election, ballots shall have a different color indicator for each political party that is represented. Ballots may contain printed code marks that may be used for placing the ballots in the correct position for tabulating devices. The code marks shall not be printed or used in any manner that will disclose the identity of the voter who votes that ballot.
The titles of offices may be arranged in vertical columns or in a series of separate pages and shall be printed above or at the side of the names of candidates in order to clearly indicate the candidates for each office and the number to be elected. If there are more candidates for an office than can be printed in one column or on one ballot page, the ballot shall be clearly marked to indicate that the list of candidates is continued on the following column or page and, as nearly as is practicable, so that the same number of names is printed in each column or on each page.
As nearly as is practicable, in primary and nonpartisan elections, the names of candidates for each office shall appear on the ballot so that each candidate occupies each position on the ballot the same number of times. If there are fewer or the same number of candidates seeking office than the number to be elected, rotation of names is not required and the names shall be placed in alphabetical order.
As nearly as is practicable, in a primary election for a judicial office, if there are two or more candidates of the same political party, the candidate names shall be alternated on the ballot so that the name of each candidate appears an equal number of times in each possible location on the ballot.
Two sample ballots shall be provided for each polling place and shall be posted at the polling place on election day. Sample ballots may be printed on a single page or on a number of pages that are assembled together. A sample ballot shall be a facsimile copy of the official ballot.

Article 6 Ballots and Supplies; General

§ 16-501 Compliance with primary election law as prerequisite to printing name on ballot

Except as provided in chapter 3, article 5 of this title, no person shall have his name printed on the official ballot as a candidate in a general election unless he has complied fully with the provisions of law applicable to primary elections, which, for a candidate who appeared on the primary election ballot as a write-in candidate, shall include compliance with the primary election provisions of section 16-312.

§ 16-502 Form and contents of ballot

A. Ballots shall be printed with black ink on white paper of sufficient thickness to prevent the printing thereon from being discernible from the back, and the same type shall be used for the names of all candidates. The ballots shall be headed "official ballot" in bold-faced plain letters, with a heavy rule above and below the heading. Immediately below shall be placed the words "type of election, (date of election)" and the name of the county and state in which the election is held. The name or number of the precinct in which the election is held shall be placed on the ballot in a uniform location for all ballots. No other matter shall be placed or printed at the head of any ballot. Instructions to the voter on marking the ballot may be printed below the heading as follows:

Put a mark according to the instructions next to the name of each candidate for each office for whom you wish to vote.
If you wish to vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write such name in the blank space provided on the ballot and put a mark according to the instructions next to the name so written.
Put a mark according to the instructions next to the word "yes" or "for" for each proposition or question you wish to be adopted. Put a mark according to the instructions next to the word "no" or "against" for each proposition or question you wish not to be adopted.

B. Immediately below the ballot instructions shall be placed the following:

Section One

Partisan Ballot

C. Immediately below the heading for section one there shall be placed in columns the names of the candidates of the several political parties. Next to each candidate's name there shall be printed in bold-faced letters the name of the political party. At the head of each column shall be printed the names of the offices to be filled with the name of each office being of uniform type size. At the head of each column shall be printed in the following order the names of candidates for:

Presidential electors, which shall be in a list and next to the list shall be printed in bold type the surname of the presidential candidate, and the surname of the vice presidential candidate who is seeking election jointly with the presidential candidate shall be listed directly below the name of the presidential candidate. The indicator for the selection of the presidential and vice presidential candidates shall be directly next to the surname of the presidential candidate, and one mark directly next to a presidential candidate's surname shall be counted as a vote for each elector in the list next to the presidential and vice presidential candidates.
United States senator.
Representatives in Congress.
The several state offices.
The several county and precinct offices.

D. The names of candidates for the offices of state senator and state representative along with the district number shall be placed within the heading of each column to the right of the office name for state offices and immediately below the candidates for the office of governor. The number of the supervisorial district of which a candidate is a nominee shall be printed within the heading of each column to the right of the name of the office.

E. The lists of the candidates of the several parties shall be arranged with the names of the parties in descending order according to the votes cast for governor for that county in the most recent general election for the office of governor, commencing with the left-hand column. In the case of political parties that did not have candidates on the ballot in the last general election, such parties shall be listed in alphabetical order below the parties that did have candidates on the ballot in the last general election. The names of all candidates nominated under section 16-341 shall be placed in a single column below that of the recognized parties. Next to the name of each candidate, in parentheses, shall be printed a three-letter abbreviation that is taken from the three words prescribed in the candidate's certificate of nomination.

F. Immediately below the designation of the office to be voted for shall appear the words: "Vote for not more than _________" (insert the number to be elected).

G. In each column at the right or left of the name of each candidate and on the same line there shall be a place for the voter to put a mark. Below the name of the last named candidate for each office there shall be as many blank lines as there are offices of the same title to be filled, with a place for the voter to put a mark. On the blank line the voter may write the name of any person for whom the voter desires to vote whose name is not printed, and next to the name so written the voter shall designate his choice by a mark as in the case of printed names.

H. When there are two or more candidates of the same political party for the same office, or more than one candidate for a judicial office, the names of all such candidates shall be so alternated on the ballots used in each election district that the name of each candidate shall appear substantially an equal number of times in each possible location. If there are fewer or the same number of candidates seeking office than the number to be elected, the rotation of names is not required and the names shall be placed in alphabetical order.

I. Immediately below section one of the ballot shall be placed the following:

Section Two

Nonpartisan Ballot

J. Immediately below the heading for section two shall be placed the names of the candidates for justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior court standing for retention or rejection pursuant to article VI, section 38, Constitution of Arizona, judges of the superior court standing for election pursuant to article VI, section 12, Constitution of Arizona, school district officials and other nonpartisan officials in a column or in columns without partisan or other designation except the title of office in an order determined by the officer in charge of the election.

K. Immediately below the offices listed in subsection J of this section, the ballot shall contain a separate heading of any nonpartisan office for a vacant unexpired term and shall include the expiration date of the term of the vacated office.

L. All proposed constitutional amendments and other propositions or questions to be submitted to the voters shall be printed immediately below the names of candidates for nonpartisan positions in such order as the secretary of state, or if a city or town election, the city or town clerk, designates. Placement of county and local charter amendments, propositions or questions shall be determined by the officer in charge of the election. Except as provided by section 19-125, each proposition or question shall be followed by the words "yes" and "no" or "for ______" and "against ______" as the nature of the proposition or question requires, and at the right or left of and next to each of such words shall be a place for the voter to put a mark according to the instructions that is similar in size to those places appearing opposite the names of the candidates, in which the voter may indicate his vote for or against such proposition or question by a mark as defined in section 16-400.

M. Instead of printing the official and descriptive titles or the full text of each measure or question on the official ballot, the officer in charge of elections may print phrases on the official ballot that contain all of the following:

The number of the measure in reverse type and at least twelve point type.
The designation of the measure as prescribed by section 19-125, subsection C or as a question, proposition or charter amendment, followed by the words "relating to..." and inserting the subject.
Either the statement prescribed by section 19-125, subsection D that describes the effects of a "yes" vote and a "no" vote or, for other measures, the text of the question or proposition.
The words "yes" and "no" or "for" and "against", as may be appropriate and a place for the voter to put a mark.

N. For any ballot printed pursuant to subsection M of this section, the instructions on the official ballot shall direct the voter to the full text of the official and descriptive titles and the questions and propositions as printed on the sample ballot and posted in the polling place.

§ 16-503 Duty to prepare and provide ballots; cost of printing ballots and instruction cards as public expense

A. The board of supervisors, and in city and town elections, the city or town clerk, shall prepare and provide ballots containing the names of all persons whose certificates of nomination have been filed with them. The ballots shall be printed and ready for inspection by the candidates and their agents at least ten days before a general election and at least five days before a city or town election.

B. All ballots cast in elections for public office within the state, and the cards of instruction to voters, shall be printed, delivered and distributed at public expense and shall be a county charge, but when used at local elections shall be a charge against the city or town in which the local election is held.

C. For special district elections the governing body is responsible for the duties and charges as provided in subsections A and B.

§ 16-504 Antifraud ballot paper; vendor certification; antifraud measures

(L21, Ch. 405, sec. 5)

Notwithstanding any other statute, any vendor that provides fraud countermeasures that are contained in and on the paper used for ballots shall be ISO 27001 certified, ISO 17025 certified or ISO 9001:2015 certified. Ballot fraud countermeasures shall include the use of at least three of the following:

Unique, controlled-supply watermarked clearing bank specification 1 security paper.
Secure holographic foil that acts as a visual deterrent and anti-copy feature.
Branded overprint of any hologram that personalizes the hologram with customer logo.
Custom complex security background designs with banknote-level security.
Secure variable digital infill.
Thermochromic, tri-thermochromic, photochromic or optically variable inks.
Stealth numbering in ultraviolet, infrared or taggant inks.
Multicolored micro-numismatic invisible ultraviolet designs.
Unique forensic fraud detection technology that is built into security inks.
Unique bar code or QR code that is accessible only to the voter and that tracks the voter's ballot as it is processed.

§ 16-507 Presentation of presidential candidates on ballot

A. When presidential electors are to be voted for, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates therefor of each party shall be grouped and printed together, arranged in alphabetical order according to the presidential candidate's surname.

B. Presidential electors, which, shall be enclosed in a bracketed list and next to the bracketed list shall be printed in bold type the surname of the presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate who is seeking election jointly with the presidential candidate shall be listed directly below the name of the presidential candidate. The indicator for the selection of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates shall be directly next to the surname of the presidential candidate, and one mark directly next to a presidential candidate's surname shall be counted as a vote for each elector in the bracketed list next to the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

§ 16-508 Number of ballots furnished each polling place

There shall be furnished for each precinct in which an election is to be held a number of early ballots and printed ballots exceeding by at least one per cent the number of registered voters whose names appear on the precinct register of the precinct, city, town or district for which the ballots are printed.

§ 16-509 Delivery of ballots to election officers

The board of supervisors, city or town clerk or governing body of a special district shall deliver, by mail or other reliable method, to each voting precinct or to the inspector of each election board as determined by the officer in charge of elections one package containing the required number of ballots, at least forty-eight hours before the hour for opening the polls on election day, unless prevented by some unavoidable delay or accident which shall be established by affidavit of election officers or bearers of ballots. The official ballots shall be sent in sealed packages with marks on the outside of the package clearly designating the polling place for which they are intended and the number of ballots enclosed. Upon delivery of the package to him, the inspector shall return receipts therefor to the person from whom received.

§ 16-510 Sample ballots; preparation and distribution

A. Before printing the sample ballots for the general election the board of supervisors shall send to each candidate whose name did not appear on the preceding primary election ballot and to the county chairperson of each political party a ballot proof of the sample ballot for the candidate's and chairperson's review. Within two calendar days after receipt of the sample ballot, those candidates and the county chairperson of each political party shall suggest to the election officer any change the candidate or chairperson considers should be made to the ballot, and if on examination the election officer finds an error or omission on the ballot, the officer shall correct the error or omission.

B. The board of supervisors shall print and distribute, for the information of voters at each polling place, a number of sample ballots as it deems necessary.

C. The board of supervisors shall have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a general election and shall mail at least eleven days before the election one such sample ballot to each household in the county containing a registered voter unless that registered voter is on the active early voting list established pursuant to section 16-544. Each sample ballot shall contain the following statement: "This is a sample ballot and cannot be used as an official ballot under any circumstances". A certified claim shall be presented to the secretary of state by the board of supervisors for the actual cost of printing, labeling and postage of each sample ballot actually mailed, and the secretary of state shall direct payment of the authenticated claim from funds of the secretary of state's office.

D. For city and town elections, the governing body of a city or town may have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a general election. If the city or town has printed such sample ballots, the city or town shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing such sample ballots.

E. For special district elections, the governing body of a special district may have printed mailer-type sample ballots. If the special district has printed such sample ballots, the special district shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distributing such sample ballots.

§ 16-511 Duty of board of supervisors to furnish election supplies to precinct officers

A. If paper signature rosters are used in a polling place, the necessary printed blanks for poll lists, lists of voters, ballots, oath and returns, together with envelopes in which to enclose the returns, shall be furnished by the board of supervisors to the officers of each election precinct at the expense of the county. For those elections over which the board of supervisors has no responsibility, the governing body of each election district is responsible for furnishing the necessary supplies for elections that it calls.

B. If electronic poll book systems are used in a precinct, the board of supervisors shall furnish at least two electronic poll book systems for each polling place, each of which shall be capable of printing poll lists and lists of voters.

C. For any election that is not held under the supervision of the board of supervisors, the governing body of each election district is responsible for furnishing the necessary supplies for that election.

§ 16-512 Displaying United States flag at polls

The board of supervisors shall provide for the display of the flag of the United States in or near every polling place on election days during the hours the polls are open. This section shall apply only to elections over which the county board of supervisors has jurisdiction.

§ 16-513 Instructions for voters and election officers; overvote notice; ballot delivery notice

A. The board of supervisors shall prepare instructions for the guidance of voters and election officers at the election, according to which the election shall be conducted and which shall govern the voters and election officers as provided in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual. The board of supervisors shall furnish to the inspector in each election precinct at least two instruction cards, at the time and in the same manner as the printed ballots are furnished.

B. If the voting equipment used for the election provides for the rejection of overvoted ballots or ballots that contain other irregularities, the board of supervisors shall provide for a written notice advising the voter that if the voter chooses to override the overvoted office or measure or override any other ballot irregularity, the voter's vote for that office or measure will not be tallied. The notice shall be posted on or near the voting equipment so that the voter has a clear view of the notice.

C. The instructions prescribed by subsection A of this section shall also include the following information regarding section 16-1005, subsections H and I in substantially the following form:

A person may only handle or return their own ballot or the ballot of family members, household members or persons for whom they are a caregiver. It is unlawful under section 16-1005 to handle or return the ballot of any other person.

§ 16-513.01 Right to vote a provisional ballot; notice

The board of supervisors or other officer in charge of elections shall furnish to the inspector in each election precinct at least two "right to vote a provisional ballot" notices at the time and in the same manner as the printed ballots are furnished. The "right to vote a provisional ballot" notice shall be as prescribed by the secretary of state's procedures manual.

§ 16-514 Notice to voters; form

The board of supervisors shall furnish, to be placed in each voting booth, unless the information is printed on the sample ballot, a card or poster printed in large plain type containing the following:

Notice to Voters.

Section one of this ballot is comprised of partisan candidates. To vote for the candidates for the partisan offices, mark the ballot next to the name of the candidate for each partisan office for whom you wish to vote. If you wish to vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write such name in the blank space provided and mark the ballot next to the name according to the instructions.

Section two of this ballot is comprised of nonpartisan candidates including judicial candidates, school district candidates and initiative or referendum propositions. To vote for the candidates for the nonpartisan offices, mark the ballot opposite the name of the candidate for each nonpartisan office for which you wish to vote. If you wish to vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write such name in the blank space provided and mark the ballot next to the name according to the instructions. Mark the ballot by the word "yes" or "for" for each proposition or question that you wish to be adopted. Mark the ballot by the word "no" or "against" for each proposition or question that you wish not to be adopted.

§ 16-515 "Seventy-five foot limit" notices; posting; violation; classification

A. Except as prescribed in this section and section 16-580, a person shall not be allowed to remain inside the seventy-five foot limit while the polls are open, except for the purpose of voting, and except the election officials, one representative at any one time of each political party represented on the ballot who has been appointed by the county chairman of that political party and the challengers allowed by law, and no electioneering may occur within the seventy-five foot limit. Voters having cast their ballots shall promptly move outside the seventy-five foot limit.

B. The board of supervisors shall furnish, with the ballots for each polling place, three notices, printed in letters not less than two inches high, with the heading: "Seventy-five foot limit" and underneath that heading the following:

No person shall be allowed to remain inside these limits while the polls are open, except for the purpose of voting, and except the election officials, one representative at any one time of each political party represented on the ballot who has been appointed by the county chairman of such political party, and the challengers allowed by law. Voters having cast their ballots shall at once retire without the seventy-five foot limit. A person violating any provision of this notice is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

C. A minor voting in a simulated election at a polling place is subject to the same seventy-five foot limit restrictions prescribed for a voter. Persons supervising or working in a simulated election in which minors vote may remain within the seventy-five foot limit of the polling place. The inspector for the polling place shall exercise authority over all election and simulated election related activities at the polling place.

D. For an election that is held by an Indian tribe and that is held at a polling place at the same time and on the same date as any other election, the following apply:

A person who is voting is subject to the same seventy-five foot limit restrictions prescribed for other voters.
An election official for the tribal election may remain within the seventy-five foot limit for the polling place.

E. With the permission of the voter, a minor may enter and remain within the seventy-five foot limit in order to accompany a voter into a polling place, an on-site early voting facility and a voting booth while the voter is voting.

F. Notwithstanding any other law, an election official, a representative of a political party who has been appointed by the county chairman of that political party or a challenger who is authorized by law to be within the seventy-five foot limit as prescribed by this section shall not wear, carry or display materials that identify or express support for or opposition to a candidate, a political party or organization, a ballot question or any other political issue and shall not electioneer within the seventy-five foot limit of a polling place.

G. Notwithstanding section 16-1018, a person may not take photographs or videos while within the seventy-five foot limit.

H. Any person violating this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

I. For the purposes of this section, electioneering occurs when an individual knowingly, intentionally, by verbal expression and in order to induce or compel another person to vote in a particular manner or to refrain from voting expresses support for or opposition to a candidate who appears on the ballot in that election, a ballot question that appears on the ballot in that election or a political party with one or more candidates who appear on the ballot in that election.

§ 16-516 Form of poll lists

A. The following form of poll lists shall be kept by boards and clerks of election:

"Poll lists.

Of the election held in the precinct of ____________ in the county of ____________ on the ____________ day of ____________ ____________, the officers of the election, were respectively sworn or affirmed, as the law directs, previous to their entering on the duties of their respective offices, and the following is the number and name of electors voting:

No.

We hereby certify that the number of electors voting at this election was

Clerks

Board of election."

B. The paper used for poll lists is exempt from the paper size restrictions prescribed by section 39-103.

§ 16-517 Form of tally list

The tally list shall be in the following form:

We hereby certify the following to be a true tally of the votes for the candidates and offices shown herein cast at the election held on the day of , 20 in election precinct, county, Arizona:

Names of offices Tally of votes

and candidates: (to be tallied in blocks Total vote

of five as:) (as:)

For

representative

in Congress:

John Doe //// Ninety-nine

We further certify that the total vote set opposite the name of each candidate is the total number of votes received by that candidate in the precinct of election.

(Leaving lines with designation, for signatures of clerks and board of election or tally board.)

Article 7 Election Boards

§ 16-531 Appointment of election boards; qualifications

A. When an election is ordered, and not less than twenty days before a general or primary election, the board of supervisors shall appoint for each election precinct, voting center or other voting location one inspector, one marshal, two judges and as many clerks of election as deemed necessary. The inspector, marshal, judges and clerks shall be qualified voters of the precinct for which appointed, except if there is not a sufficient number of persons available to provide the number of appointments required, the inspector, marshal, judges and clerks shall be qualified voters of this state. The inspector, marshal and judges shall not have changed their political party affiliation or their no party preference affiliation since the last preceding general election, and if they are members of the two political parties that cast the highest number of votes in the state at the last preceding general election, they shall be divided equally between these two parties. There shall be an equal number of inspectors in the various precincts in the county who are members of the two largest political parties. In each precinct where the inspector is a member of one of the two largest political parties, the marshal in that precinct shall be a member of the other of the two largest political parties. Whenever possible, any person appointed as an inspector shall have had previous experience as an inspector, judge, marshal or clerk of elections. If there is no qualified person in a given precinct, the appointment of an inspector may be made from names provided by the county party chairman. If not less than ninety days before the election the chairman of the county committee of either of the parties designates qualified voters of the precinct, or of another precinct if there are not sufficient members of that party available in the precinct to provide the necessary representation on the election board as judge, such designated qualified voters shall be appointed. The judges, together with the inspector, shall constitute the board of elections. Any registered voter in the election precinct, or in another election precinct if there are not sufficient persons available in the election precinct for which the clerks are being appointed, may be appointed as clerk.

B. If the election precinct consists of fewer than three hundred qualified electors, the board of supervisors may appoint not fewer than one inspector and two judges. The board of supervisors shall give notice of election precincts consisting of fewer than three hundred qualified electors to the county chairmen of the two largest political parties not later than thirty days before the election. The inspector and judges shall be appointed in the same manner by party as provided in subsection A of this section.

C. If a nonpartisan election is ordered, not less than twenty days before the election the governing board holding the election shall appoint, without consideration for political party, a minimum of three election workers for each polling place. The election workers shall consist of at least one inspector and two judges. Whenever possible, they shall be qualified electors of the precinct located within the district, without consideration for political party.

D. For election boards established pursuant to subsection B of this section, the inspector and two judges shall be appointed to provide as equal as practicable representation of members of the two largest political parties on the board in the same manner as provided for the election boards prescribed by subsection A of this section. Any registered voter in the election precinct, or in another election precinct if there are not sufficient persons available in the election precinct for which the clerks are being appointed, may be appointed as clerk. No United States, state, county or precinct officer, nor a candidate for office at the election, other than a precinct committeeman or a candidate for the office of precinct committeeman, is qualified to act as judge, inspector, marshal or clerk.

E. If an electronic voting system is in use the write-in ballots shall be tallied by a board of elections consisting of one inspector and two judges who are appointed in the same manner by party as provided in subsection A of this section.

F. Notwithstanding any other law, the board of supervisors may appoint to an election board to serve as a clerk of election a person who is not eligible to vote if all of the following conditions are met:

The person is a minor who will be at least sixteen years of age at the time of the election for which the person is named to the election board.
The person is a citizen of the United States at the time of the election for which the person is named to the election board.
The person is supervised by an adult who has been trained as an elections officer.
The person has received training provided by the officer in charge of elections.
The parent or guardian of the person has provided written permission for the person to serve.

G. A school district or charter school shall not be required to reduce its average daily membership, as defined in section 15-901, for any pupil who is absent from one or more instructional programs as a result of the pupil's service on an election board pursuant to subsection F of this section.

H. A school district or charter school shall not count any pupil's absence from one or more instructional programs as a result of the pupil's service on an election board pursuant to subsection F of this section against any mandatory attendance requirements for the pupil.

I. This section does not prevent the board of supervisors or governing body from refusing for cause to reappoint, or from removing for cause, an election board member.

§ 16-532 Instruction of election board inspectors and judges; certificate of qualification; optional training; instruction of counting center election officials

A. Not more than forty-five days before to an election the board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall conduct a class for the instruction of inspectors and judges of the election board in their duties, which shall include instruction in the voting system to be used and the election laws applicable to such election. Each election board member receiving instructions and properly qualified shall receive a certificate of qualification. Only inspectors and judges of the election board who have received the required instruction class shall serve at any election, except as provided pursuant to sections 16-533 and 16-534. Other members of the election board may be trained at the same time.

B. The instructor of election board members shall be qualified in election law and shall have had practical experience in the election process such person is teaching.

C. The election authority in charge of the instructional classes may conduct multiple sessions to ensure that election board members receive adequate instruction.

D. The board of supervisors or other officer in charge of elections may approve an alternate method of instruction and testing for election board members. Each election board member who successfully completes the instruction shall be certified as a premium board worker. This instruction may include at least eight classroom hours of instruction and shall include a written examination on election law and election procedures. Except as provided in subsection E of this section, a certified premium board worker shall not be required to receive additional instruction for at least thirty months from the date of that worker's individual certification. The board of supervisors may approve additional compensation for certified premium board workers.

E. The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections may require additional training at any time for any or all election board workers, including premium board workers. The board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall notify election board workers in writing of changes in the law regarding elections or changes in election procedures. This notification shall be made immediately preceding the election in which the statutory change or procedural change regarding election law becomes effective.

F. Not more than forty-five days prior to the day of an election, the board of supervisors or other authority in charge of elections shall conduct a class for the deputized counting center election officials in their duties.

§ 16-533 Filling vacancy in election board by electors

If the board of supervisors fails to appoint the board of election, or if all members appointed do not attend at the opening of the polls on the morning of the election, the members of the election board of the precinct present at that hour may fill the board or supply the place of an absent member thereof from the list of alternate election board members supplied by the county chairman of the political party from which another election board member is needed to maintain a political party balance. Such alternate board member is not required to be a qualified elector in the precinct for which the election board is serving.

§ 16-534 Inspector as chairman of board; powers; power of board and clerks to administer oaths; oath of members

A. The inspector shall be chairman of the election board and may appoint judges, clerks and a marshal if during the election a judge, clerk or marshal fails to act, or has not been appointed, and if the list of alternate board members as specified in section 16-533 is not available.

B. The inspector, any member of the election board or clerks thereof may administer and certify oaths required in the election.

C. Before opening the polls, each member of the board and each clerk shall take an oath to faithfully perform the duties imposed on each member and clerk by law. Any elector of the precinct may administer and certify the oath.

§ 16-535 Election marshal; appointment; powers and duties

A. The board of supervisors, at the time provided in section 16-531, shall appoint a qualified voter of the precinct as election marshal.

B. The election marshal shall preserve order at the polls and permit no violation of the election laws from the opening of the polls until the count of the ballots is completed. The election marshal shall also periodically measure the length of waiting times at that polling place throughout the day, and if the waiting time is thirty minutes or more, the marshal shall inform the officer in charge of elections and shall request additional voting machines, voting booths and board workers, as appropriate. The election marshal may perform the duties of any other election board member on a relief basis.

§ 16-536 Compensation of election board officers

The compensation of the election officers shall be fixed by the board of supervisors and shall be a county charge. In no case shall an election board member be paid less than thirty dollars per day.

§ 16-537 Powers and duties of election officers with respect to special elections

The powers and duties conferred or imposed by law upon any public officer with respect to regular elections are conferred and imposed upon such officers with respect to special elections.

Article 8 Early Voting

§ 16-541 Early voting

A. Any election called pursuant to the laws of this state shall provide for early voting, including voting by the use of an accessible vote by United States mail option for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment. Any qualified elector may vote by early ballot.

B. A qualified elector of a special district organized pursuant to title 48 shall be permitted to vote early in any special district mail ballot election as provided in article 8.1 of this chapter.

§ 16-542 Request for ballot; civil penalties; violation; classification

A. Within ninety-three days before any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, an elector may make a verbal or signed request to the county recorder, or other officer in charge of elections for the applicable political subdivision of this state in whose jurisdiction the elector is registered to vote, for an official early ballot. In addition to name and address, the requesting elector shall provide the date of birth and state or country of birth or other information that if compared to the voter registration information on file would confirm the identity of the elector. If the request indicates that the elector needs a primary election ballot and a general election ballot, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall honor the request. For any partisan primary election, if the elector is not registered as a member of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the elector shall designate the ballot of only one of the political parties that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot and the elector may receive and vote the ballot of only that one political party, which also shall include any nonpartisan offices and ballot questions, or the elector shall designate the ballot for nonpartisan offices and ballot questions only and the elector may receive and vote the ballot that contains only nonpartisan offices and ballot questions. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall process any request for an early ballot for a municipal election pursuant to this subsection. The county recorder may establish on-site early voting locations at the recorder's office, which shall be open and available for use beginning the same day that a county begins to send out the early ballots. The county recorder may also establish any other early voting locations in the county the recorder deems necessary. Any on-site early voting location or other early voting location shall require each elector to present identification as prescribed in section 16-579 before receiving a ballot. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, at any on-site early voting location or other early voting location the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, a request for an official early ballot from an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20310) or a voter whose information is protected pursuant to section 16-153 that is received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections more than ninety-three days before the election is valid. If requested by the absent uniformed services or overseas voter, or a voter whose information is protected pursuant to section 16-153, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide to the requesting voter early ballot materials through the next regularly scheduled general election for federal office immediately following receipt of the request unless a different period of time, which does not exceed the next two regularly scheduled general elections for federal office, is designated by the voter.

C. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall mail the early ballot and the envelope for its return postage prepaid to the address provided by the requesting elector within five days after receipt of the official early ballots from the officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots pursuant to section 16-545, except that early ballot distribution shall not begin more than twenty-seven days before the election. If an early ballot request is received on or before the thirty-first day before the election, the early ballot shall be distributed not earlier than the twenty-seventh day before the election and not later than the twenty-fourth day before the election.

D. Only the elector may be in possession of that elector's unvoted early ballot. If a complete and correct request is made by the elector within twenty-seven days before the election, the mailing must be made within forty-eight hours after receipt of the request. Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays are excluded from the computation of the forty-eight-hour period prescribed by this subsection. If a complete and correct request is made by an absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter before the election, the regular early ballot shall be transmitted by mail, by fax or by other electronic format approved by the secretary of state within twenty-four hours after the early ballots are delivered pursuant to section 16-545, subsection B, excluding Sundays.

E. In order to be complete and correct and to receive an early ballot by mail, an elector's request that an early ballot be mailed to the elector's residence or temporary address must include all of the information prescribed by subsection A of this section and must be received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections not later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh day preceding the election. An elector who appears personally not later than 7:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election at an on-site early voting location that is established by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall be given a ballot after presenting identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall be allowed to vote at the on-site location. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, at any on-site early voting location the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452. If an elector's request to receive an early ballot is not complete and correct but complies with all other requirements of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall attempt to notify the elector of the deficiency of the request.

F. Unless an elector specifies that the address to which an early ballot is to be sent is a temporary address, the recorder may use the information from an early ballot request form to update voter registration records.

G. The county recorder or other officer in charge of early balloting shall provide an alphabetized list of all voters in the precinct who have requested and have been sent an early ballot to the election board of the precinct in which the voter is registered not later than the day before the election.

H. As a result of experiencing an emergency between 7:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election and 5:00 p.m. on the Monday preceding the election, qualified electors may request to vote in the manner prescribed by the board of supervisors of their respective county. Before voting pursuant to this subsection, an elector who experiences an emergency shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing or experienced an emergency after 7:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the election that would prevent the person from voting at the polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2. For the purposes of this subsection, "emergency" means any unforeseen circumstances that would prevent the elector from voting at the polls.

I. Notwithstanding section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 2, for any voting pursuant to subsection H of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

J. A candidate, political committee or other organization may distribute early ballot request forms to voters. If the early ballot request forms include a printed address for return, the addressee shall be the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Failure to use the political subdivision as the return addressee is punishable by a civil penalty of up to three times the cost of the production and distribution of the request.

K. All original and completed early ballot request forms that are received by a candidate, political committee or other organization shall be submitted within six business days after receipt by a candidate, political committee or other organization or eleven days before the election day, whichever is earlier, to the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Any person, political committee or other organization that fails to submit a completed early ballot request form within the prescribed time is subject to a civil penalty of up to $25 per day for each completed form withheld from submittal. Any person who knowingly fails to submit a completed early ballot request form before the submission deadline for the election immediately following the completion of the form is guilty of a class 6 felony.

L. Except for a voter who is on the active early voting list prescribed by section 16-544, a voter who requests a onetime early ballot pursuant to this section or for an election conducted pursuant to section 16-409 or article 8.1 of this chapter, a county recorder, city or town clerk or other election officer may not deliver or mail an early ballot to a person who has not requested an early ballot for that election. An election officer who knowingly violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

§ 16-543 Application for ballot; United States service; emergency procedures

A. Any absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973ff-6), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375), may request an early ballot with a federal postcard application that contains both an early voter registration application and an early ballot application. The secretary of state shall provide for a centralized system for receiving federal postcard applications by way of the internet or fax and shall provide for transmitting appropriate ballot materials in response to fax, telephone and internet requests for federal postcard applications. The absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter shall designate the means of communication for receiving voting materials, whether by way of the internet, fax transmittal or other electronic means or by mail, and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide responses and materials in the format designated by the requesting voter. On receipt of such application, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall determine whether or not the elector is registered. If the applicant is so registered, the recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall forward to the applicant an official early ballot using the means of communication designated by the voter pursuant to this section. If no means of communication is designated, the ballot shall be transmitted as provided in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452. For all requests received from registered absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters on or before the forty-eighth day before the election, the ballot shall be transmitted no later than the forty-fifth day before the election. If the applicant is not registered, and the request is for a ballot for use in a county election but the federal postcard application is complete, the recorder shall forward an official early ballot to the applicant within twenty-four hours after receipt of the request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays. If the applicant is not registered to vote and the federal postcard application is not used or complete, the recorder shall forward an affidavit of registration as provided in section 16-103 and shall forward at the same time to the unregistered applicant an official early ballot and affidavit within twenty-four hours after receipt of the request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays. For any voter who is sent an official early ballot by electronic means pursuant to this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is not required to send a paper ballot for the same election.

B. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall transmit by fax or by other electronic format approved by the secretary of state early ballot request forms, unvoted ballots and ballot information to eligible absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide for receipt of completed early ballot requests and voted early ballots by fax or other electronic format as prescribed by the secretary of state in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide for a method for the voter to verify at no cost to the voter that the voter's ballot has been received.

C. The secretary of state shall provide in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 for emergency procedures regarding the early balloting process for persons who are subject to the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973ff), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375). These emergency procedures may be implemented only on the occurrence of a national or local emergency that makes substantial compliance with the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act impracticable, including occurrences of natural disasters or armed conflict or mobilization of the national guard or military reserve units of this state.

D. This section applies only to any absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973ff-6), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375).

§ 16-543.02 Federal write-in early ballots; procedure; registration form

A. An overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 42 United States Code section 1973ff-6), as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2005 (P.L. 108-375), who is absent from the place of residence in this state where the voter is otherwise qualified to vote may use a federal write-in early ballot in a primary, general or special election for the offices of presidential elector and United States senator and representative in Congress if the voter applies for an early ballot by 7:00 p.m. on election day and does not receive that early ballot.

B. A federal write-in early ballot of an overseas voter shall not be counted if either of the following conditions is met:

The application of the overseas voter for an early ballot is received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections after 7:00 p.m. on election day.
An early ballot from the overseas voter is received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

C. An overseas voter who completes a federal write-in early ballot may designate a candidate by writing in the name of the candidate or by writing in the name of a political party, in which case the ballot shall be counted for the candidate of that political party. In the case of the offices of president and vice-president, a vote for a named candidate or in the name of the political party shall be counted as a vote for that candidate's or party's presidential electors. Any abbreviation, misspelling or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or political party shall be disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot if the intention of the voter can be ascertained.

D. For an overseas voter who completes a federal write-in early ballot transmission envelope with the federal write-in early ballot request, the transmission envelope shall serve as a voter registration form and the voter is registered to vote on completion and receipt of the transmission envelope and the federal write-in early ballot if all of the following apply:

The information submitted on the transmission envelope includes the information prescribed in section 16-121.01.
The voter is otherwise eligible to register and vote in this state.
The request is received by the county recorder by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

E. For any request received after 7:00 p.m. on election day, an otherwise valid transmission envelope constitutes a voter registration form that is valid for any subsequent election.

§ 16-544 Active early voting list; civil penalty; violation; classification; definition

A. Any voter may request to be included on a list of voters to receive an early ballot by mail for any election for which the county voter registration roll is used to prepare the election register. The county recorder of each county shall maintain the active early voting list as part of the voter registration roll.

B. In order to be included on the active early voting list, the voter shall make a written request specifically requesting that the voter's name be added to the active early voting list for all elections in which the applicant is eligible to vote. An early voter request form shall conform to requirements prescribed in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452. The application shall allow for the voter to provide the voter's name, residence address, mailing address in the voter's county of residence, date of birth and signature and shall state that the voter is attesting that the voter is a registered voter who is eligible to vote in the county of residence. The voter shall not list a mailing address that is outside of this state for the purpose of the active early voting list unless the voter is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20310). In lieu of the application, the applicant may submit a written request that contains the required information.

C. On receipt of a request to be included on the active early voting list, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall compare the signature on the request form with the voter's signature on the voter's registration form and, if the request is from the voter, shall mark the voter's registration file as an active early ballot request.

D. Not less than ninety days before any polling place election scheduled in March or August, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall mail to all voters who are eligible for the election, who are not listed as inactive and who are included on the active early voting list an election notice by nonforwardable mail that is marked with the statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification. If an election is not formally called by a jurisdiction by the one hundred eightieth day before the election, the recorder or other officer in charge of elections is not required to send the election notice. The notice shall include the dates of the elections that are the subject of the notice, the dates that the voter's ballot is expected to be mailed and the address where the ballot will be mailed. If the upcoming election is a partisan open primary election and the voter is not registered as a member of one of the political parties that is recognized for purposes of that primary, the notice shall include information on the procedure for the voter to designate a political party ballot. The notice shall be delivered with return postage prepaid and shall also include a means for the voter to do any of the following:

Change the mailing address for the voter's ballot to another location in the voter's county of residence.
Update the voter's residence address in the voter's county of residence.
Request that the voter not be sent a ballot for the upcoming election or elections indicated on the notice.

E. If the notice that is mailed to the voter is returned undeliverable by the postal service, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall take the necessary steps to contact the voter at the voter's new residence address in order to update that voter's address or to move the voter to inactive status as prescribed in section 16-166, subsection A. If a voter is moved to inactive status, the voter shall be removed from the active early voting list and may not receive an early ballot unless the voter updates or otherwise confirms the voter's registration information. If the voter is removed from the active early voting list, the voter shall only be added to the active early voting list again if the voter submits a new request pursuant to this section.

F. Not later than the first day of early voting, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall mail an early ballot to all eligible voters who are not listed as inactive and who are included on the active early voting list in the same manner prescribed in section 16-542, subsection C. If the voter has not returned the notice or otherwise notified the election officer within forty-five days before the election that the voter does not wish to receive an early ballot by mail for the election or elections indicated, the ballot shall automatically be scheduled for mailing.

G. If a voter who is on the active early voting list is not registered as a member of a recognized political party and fails to notify the county recorder of the voter's choice for political party ballot within forty-five days before a partisan open primary election, the following apply:

The voter shall not automatically be sent a ballot for that partisan open primary election only and the voter's name shall remain on the active early voting list for future elections.
To receive an early ballot for the primary election, the voter shall submit the voter's choice for political party ballot to the county recorder.

H. After a voter has requested to be included on the active early voting list, the voter shall be sent an early ballot by mail automatically for any election at which a voter at that residence address is eligible to vote until any of the following occurs:

The voter requests in writing to be removed from the active early voting list.
The voter's registration or eligibility for registration is moved to inactive status or canceled as otherwise provided by law.
The notice sent by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is returned undeliverable and the county recorder or officer in charge of elections is unable to contact the voter to determine the voter's continued desire to remain on the list.
The voter fails to vote an early ballot in all elections for two consecutive election cycles. For the purposes of this paragraph, "election" means any regular primary or regular general election for which there was a federal race on the ballot or for which a city or town candidate primary or first election or city or town candidate second, general or runoff election was on the ballot. This paragraph does not apply to:

(a) A special taxing district that is authorized pursuant to section 16-191 to conduct its own elections.

(b) A special district mail ballot election that is conducted pursuant to article 8.1 of this chapter.

I. A voter may make a written request at any time to be removed from the active early voting list. The request shall include the voter's name, residence address, date of birth and signature. On receipt of a completed request to remove a voter from the active early voting list, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall remove the voter's name from the list as soon as practicable.

J. An absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20310) is eligible to be placed on the active early voting list pursuant to this section.

K. A voter's failure to vote an early ballot once received does not constitute grounds to remove the voter from the active early voting list, except that a county recorder shall remove a voter from the active early voting list if both of the following apply:

The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections complies with subsection M of this section.
The voter fails to vote using an early ballot in all of the following elections for two consecutive election cycles:

(a) A regular primary and regular general election for which there was a federal race on the ballot.

(b) A city or town candidate primary or first election and a city or town candidate second, general or runoff election.

L. On or before January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall send a notice to each voter who is on the active early voting list and who did not vote an early ballot in all elections for two consecutive election cycles as prescribed by subsection K of this section. If the voter has provided the voter's telephone or mobile phone number or email address to the county recorder, the county recorder may additionally provide the notice to the voter by telephone call, text message or email. The notice shall inform the voter that if the voter wishes to remain on the active early voting list, the voter shall do both of the following with the notice received:

Confirm in writing the voter's desire to remain on the active early voting list.
Return the completed notice to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections within ninety days after the notice is sent to the voter. The notice shall be signed by the voter and shall contain the voter's address and date of birth.

M. If a voter receives a notice as prescribed by subsection L of this section and the voter fails to respond within the ninety-day period, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall remove the voter's name from the active early voting list.

N. A candidate, political committee or other organization may distribute active early voting list request forms to voters. If the active early voting list request forms include a printed address for return, that address shall be the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Failure to use the political subdivision as the return addressee is punishable by a civil penalty of up to three times the cost of the production and distribution of the active early voting list request.

O. All original and completed active early voting list request forms that are received by a candidate, political committee or other organization shall be submitted within six business days after receipt by a candidate or political committee or eleven days before the election day, whichever is earlier, to the political subdivision that will conduct the election. Any person, political committee or other organization that fails to submit a completed active early voting list request form within the prescribed time is subject to a civil penalty of up to $25 per day for each completed form withheld from submittal. Any person who knowingly fails to submit a completed active early voting list request form before the submission deadline for the election immediately following the completion of the form is guilty of a class 6 felony.

P. A person who receives an early ballot at an address at which another person formerly resided, without voting the ballot or signing the envelope, shall write "not at this address" on the envelope and place the mail piece in a United States postal service collection box or other mail receptacle. On receipt the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall proceed in the manner prescribed in subsection E of this section.

Q. When the county recorder receives confirmation from another county that a person registered has registered to vote in that other county, the county recorder shall remove that person from the active early voting list.

R. If the county recorder receives credible information that a person has registered to vote in a different county, the county recorder shall confirm the person's voter registration with that other county and, on confirmation, shall remove that person from the county's active early voting list pursuant to subsection Q of this section.

S. For the purposes of this section, "election cycle" means the two-year period beginning on January 1 in the year after a statewide general election or, for cities and towns, the two-year period beginning on the first day of the calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's second, runoff or general election is scheduled and ending on the last day of the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's immediately following second, runoff or general election is scheduled, however that election is designated by the city or town.

§ 16-545 Early ballot

A. The early ballot shall be one prepared for use in the precinct in which the applicant resides and, if a partisan primary election, of the political party with which the applicant is affiliated as shown by the affidavit of registration. The ballot shall be identical with the regular official ballots, except that it shall have printed or stamped on it "early".

B. The officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots at any election shall:

Prepare the official early ballot and deliver a sufficient number to the recorder or other officer in charge of elections not later than the thirty-third day before the election. Except as provided in section 16-542, subsection D, regular early ballots shall not be distributed to the general public before the beginning of early voting.
Ensure that the ballot return envelopes are of a type that does not reveal the voter's selections or political party affiliation and that is tamper evident when properly sealed.

§ 16-547 Ballot affidavit; form

A. The early ballot shall be accompanied by an envelope bearing on the front the name, official title and post office address of the recorder or other officer in charge of elections and on the other side a printed affidavit in substantially the following form:

I declare the following under penalty of perjury: I am a registered voter in ___________ county Arizona, I have not voted and will not vote in this election in any other county or state, I understand that knowingly voting more than once in any election is a class 5 felony and I voted the enclosed ballot and signed this affidavit personally unless noted below.

If the voter was assisted by another person in marking the ballot, complete the following:

I declare the following under penalty of perjury: At the registered voter's request I assisted the voter identified in this affidavit with marking the voter's ballot, I marked the ballot as directly instructed by the voter, I provided the assistance because the voter was physically unable to mark the ballot solely due to illness, injury or physical limitation and I understand that there is no power of attorney for voting and that the voter must be able to make the voter's selection even if the voter cannot physically mark the ballot.

Name of voter assistant: _____________________________

Address of voter assistant: __________________________

B. The face of each envelope in which a ballot is sent to a federal postcard applicant or in which a ballot is returned by the applicant to the recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall be in the form prescribed in accordance with the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20301). Otherwise, the envelopes shall be the same as those used to send ballots to, or receive ballots from, other early voters.

C. The officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots at any election shall ensure that the early ballot is sent in an envelope that states substantially the following:

If the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the unopened envelope "return to sender" and deposit it in the United States mail.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall supply printed instructions to early voters that direct them to sign the affidavit, mark the ballot and return both in the enclosed self-addressed envelope that complies with section 16-545, and:

Through 2025, the instructions shall include the following statement:

In order to be valid and counted, the ballot and mail affidavit must be delivered to the office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections or may be deposited at any polling place in the county not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. The ballot will not be counted without the voter's signature on the envelope.

(WARNING — It is a felony to offer or receive any compensation for a ballot.)

Beginning in 2026, the instructions shall include the following statement:

In order to be valid and counted, the mail affidavit that contains the mail ballot must have the voter's signature on the envelope and must be returned to the office of the county recorder by any one of the following methods:

(a) Delivering it to the office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day.

(b) Depositing it at any polling place in the county not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day.

(c) Bringing the ballot to any polling place in the county not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day and choosing to present valid identification that complies with section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1, Arizona Revised Statutes.

(WARNING — It is a felony to offer or receive any compensation for a ballot.)

E. The printed instructions prescribed by subsection D of this section shall also include the following information regarding section 16-1005, subsections H and I in substantially the following form:

§ 16-548 Preparation and transmission of ballot

A. The early voter shall make and sign the affidavit and shall then mark his ballot in such a manner that his vote cannot be seen. The early voter shall fold the ballot, if a paper ballot, so as to conceal the vote and deposit the voted ballot in the envelope provided for that purpose, which shall be securely sealed and, together with the affidavit, delivered or mailed to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections of the political subdivision in which the elector is registered or deposited by the voter or the voter's agent at any polling place in the county. In order to be counted and valid, the ballot must be received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections or deposited at any polling place in the county no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day.

B. If the early voter is an overseas citizen, a qualified elector absent from the United States or in the United States service, a spouse or dependent residing with the early voter or a qualified elector of a special district mail ballot election as provided in article 8.1 of this chapter, the early voter may subscribe to the affidavit before and obtain the signature and military identification number or passport number, if available, of any person who is a United States citizen eighteen years of age or older.

§ 16-549 Special election boards; expenses; voting procedure for ill electors or electors with disabilities

A. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections, for the purpose of making it possible for qualified electors who are ill or have a disability to vote, may appoint such number of special election boards as needed. In a partisan election, each such board shall consist of two members, one from each of the two political parties that cast the highest number of votes in the state in the last preceding general election. The county chairman of each such party shall furnish, within sixty days before the election day, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections with a list of names of qualified electors within the chairman's political party, and such additional lists as may be required, from which the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall appoint members to such special election boards. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may refuse for cause to appoint or may for cause remove a member of this board. A person who is a candidate for an office other than precinct committeeman is not eligible to serve on the special election board for that election.

B. Members of special election boards appointed under this section shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in the manner provided by law and shall also receive such compensation as the board of supervisors or the governing body prescribes, all of which shall be paid by the county or other political subdivision.

C. In lieu of the mailed early ballot procedure, any qualified elector who is confined as the result of a continuing illness or physical disability and is, therefore, not able to go to the polls on the day of the next election and who does not wish to vote by the mailed early ballot procedure, may make a verbal or a signed written request to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to have a ballot personally delivered to the elector by the special election board at the elector's place of confinement within the county or other political subdivision. The ballot shall be delivered to the elector in person by a special election board as provided in this section. Such requests must be made by 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday before the election.

D. Qualified electors who become ill or become a person with a disability after the second Friday before the election may nevertheless request personal ballot delivery pursuant to this section, and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall when possible honor such requests up to and including the last day before the election. Qualified electors who are admitted to a hospital after 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on election day may request the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to provide a special election board with a ballot at the elector's place of confinement. If the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is able to accommodate the request, the voted ballot of the elector shall be sealed in an envelope and shall be processed as a provisional ballot pursuant to section 16-584. Before receiving a ballot pursuant to this subsection, a qualified elector shall provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing or experienced an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the election that would prevent the person from voting at the polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2.

E. The manner and procedure of voting shall be as provided in section 16-548, except that the marked ballot in the sealed envelope shall be handed by the elector to the special election board and shall be delivered by the board to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections.

§ 16-550 Receipt of voter's ballot; cure period; tracking system

A. Except for early ballots tabulated as prescribed in section 16-579.02 or, beginning in 2026, received at a voting location after a voter's identification is confirmed as prescribed by section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 4, on receipt of the envelope containing the early ballot and the mail affidavit, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall compare the signature on the envelope with the signature of the elector on the elector's registration record as prescribed by section 16-550.01. If the signature is inconsistent with the elector's signature on the elector's registration record, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall make reasonable efforts to contact the voter, advise the voter of the inconsistent signature and allow the voter to correct or the county to confirm the inconsistent signature. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall allow signatures to be corrected not later than the fifth business day after a primary, general or special election that includes a federal office or the third business day after any other election. If the election is a primary, general or special election that includes a federal office and there are outstanding ballots that require identification or ballot signatures to be corrected or confirmed, in addition to the office's regular business hours, the county recorder's and any city or town clerks' offices that have an agreement with a county to be used as locations at which a voter may submit proof of identification shall be open during regular business hours to allow for curing signatures during the Friday and weekend before and the Friday and weekend after the election. Regular business hours include at a minimum 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. If there are no ballots remaining that require identification or signatures to be cured, the county recorder and city and town clerks are not required to be open during the weekend. If the signature is missing, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall make reasonable efforts to contact the elector, advise the elector of the missing signature and allow the elector to add the elector's signature not later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. If satisfied that the signatures correspond, the recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall hold the envelope containing the early ballot and the completed mail affidavit unopened in accordance with the rules of the secretary of state. Signatures that cannot be verified pursuant to section 16-550.01 or cured pursuant to this section shall be rejected. If the ballot is a conditional provisional ballot, the voter shall provide proof of identification to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections not later than the fifth business day after a primary, general or special election that includes a federal office or the third business day after any other election. Beginning with the first missing or mismatched signature that is identified after the period of early voting begins through the Monday immediately preceding the election, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall submit daily to the political parties that are qualified for continued representation on the state ballot an updated list of all voters whose signatures are missing or inconsistent with the voter's signature on the voter's registration record. Beginning on the Wednesday immediately following the election through the end of the signature cure period after a primary, general or special election that includes a federal office, or the third business day after the election for any other election, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall submit daily to the political parties that are qualified for continued representation on the state ballot an updated list of all voters whose signatures are inconsistent with the voter's signature on the voter's registration record and all voters who voted with a conditional provisional ballot. This list of voters whose signatures require curing shall include for those voters all voter information that is provided to the political parties that are qualified for continued representation on the state ballot as prescribed by section 16-168.

B. The recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall thereafter safely keep the mail affidavits and early ballots in the recorder's or other officer's office and may deliver them for tallying pursuant to section 16-551.

C. Processing and tabulation of individual ballots may begin immediately after the envelope and completed mail affidavit are processed pursuant to this section and delivered to the early election board and shall continue without delay until completed. Until election day, the early election board and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall:

Not access an aggregated complete results file of early voting and vote by mail ballots that were processed and tabulated by the end of the early voting period.
Not produce for internal or external use an aggregated results report or associated files of complete results.
Only produce a partial results report or associated files if it is part of the internal preparation for the hand count pursuant to section 16-602 or for the logic and accuracy testing required pursuant to section 16-449.
Not publicly release complete or partial results, whether for internal or external use, until all precincts have reported or one hour after the closing of the polls on election day, whichever is earlier.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall post on its website within forty-eight hours after all ballot tabulation is complete all system log files and other similar files from the election management system that verify compliance with subsection C of this section.

E. The county recorder shall send a list of all voters who were issued early ballots to the election board of the precinct in which the voter is registered.

F. For a county that uses early ballots, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide an early ballot tracking system that indicates whether the voter's early ballot has been received and whether the early ballot has been verified and sent to be tabulated or rejected. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide voters with access to the early ballot tracking system on the county's website.

G. This section does not apply to:

A special taxing district that is authorized pursuant to section 16-191 to conduct its own elections.
A special district mail ballot election that is conducted pursuant to article 8.1 of this chapter.

§ 16-550.01 Signature verification; procedures; exemption; intent; definitions

A. Except for early ballots tabulated as prescribed in section 16-579.02, on receipt of the envelope containing the early ballot and the ballot affidavit, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall conduct signature verification as prescribed by this section.

B. The evaluator shall examine all the broad characteristics of the signature. If the broad characteristics of the signature on the ballot affidavit are clearly consistent with the broad characteristics of the voter's signature in the voter's registration record, the evaluator may accept the signature as valid.

C. If the evaluator finds discrepancies between the signature on the ballot affidavit and the voter's signature in the voter's registration record, the evaluator shall examine the local characteristics of the signature. If the local characteristics of the signature on the ballot affidavit are clearly consistent with the local characteristics of the voter's signature in the voter's registration record, the evaluator may accept the signature as valid.

D. If the evaluator finds a combination of broad and local characteristic differences between the signature on the ballot affidavit and the voter's signature in the voter's registration record, the evaluator shall denote the signature for a second review that shall be conducted by an evaluator using the same standards prescribed by this section.

E. Electronic signatures shall be evaluated as prescribed by this section, except that electronic signatures that use a typed font shall be rejected.

F. The legislature intends that the illustrations of broad and local characteristics in the 2020 secretary of state's signature verification guide be used as reference.

G. For the purposes of this section:

"Broad characteristics" means all of the following:

(a) The type of writing.

(b) The speed of writing.

(d) Overall size and proportions.

(e) Position of the signature.

(f) Spelling and punctuation.

"Evaluator" means the individual who is designated by the county recorder or officer in charge of elections and who conducts signature verification.
"Local characteristics" means all of the following:

(a) Internal spacing.

(b) The size or proportions of a letter or letter combination.

(d) The presence or absence of pen lifts.

(e) Beginning and ending strokes.

"Signature verification" means the process of manually comparing the signature on a voter's affidavit envelope or ballot affidavit with the voter's signature in the voter's registration record.

H. The legislature intends by this section to codify procedures based on the 2020 secretary of state signature verification guide, provided that in the event of any conflict between the guide and this section, this section controls. This section is not intended to modify the grounds on which a party-appointed challenger may challenge an early ballot. This section does not require signature evaluators to examine broad or local characteristics one at a time. This section is not intended to require an exact match.

§ 16-551 Early election board; violation; classification

A. The board of supervisors or the governing body of the political subdivision shall appoint one or more early election boards to serve at places to be designated by the board of supervisors or the governing body to canvass and tally early election ballots. Members of early election boards shall be selected in accordance with the provisions for selecting members of regular election boards as provided in section 16-531.

B. If an electronic voting system is in use for early voting, the early election board shall consist of at least one inspector and two judges who shall perform the processing requirements in accordance with the rules issued by the secretary of state. The inspector and judges shall be appointed in the same manner by party as provided in section 16-531.

C. All early ballots received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections before 7:00 p.m. on election day and the original mail ballot affidavit of the voter shall be delivered to the early election boards for processing as provided in the rules of the secretary of state. Beginning in 2026, all early ballots that are delivered by a voter to a voting location without presenting identification that complies with section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1 must be signature verified. The office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall remain open until 7:00 p.m. on election day for the purpose of receiving early ballots. Partial or complete tallies of the early election board shall not be released or divulged before all precincts have reported or one hour after the closing of the polls on election day, whichever occurs first. Any person who unlawfully releases information regarding vote tallies or who possesses a tally sheet or summary without authorization from the recorder or officer in charge of elections is guilty of a class 6 felony.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall count the number of early ballots that are returned at voting locations on election day and shall post on its website those totals with the last unofficial results that are released on election night pursuant to section 16-622. Beginning with the day following the election, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall enter into the county's ballot tracking system, if established, early ballots that were returned at the voting location on election day.

E. The necessary printed blanks for poll lists, tally lists, lists of voters, ballots, oaths and returns, together with envelopes in which to enclose the returns, shall be furnished by the board of supervisors or the governing body of the political subdivision to the early election board for each election precinct at the expense of the county or the political subdivision.

§ 16-552 Early ballots; processing; challenges

A. In a jurisdiction that uses optical scan ballots, the officer in charge of elections may use the procedure prescribed by this section or may request approval from the secretary of state for a different method for processing early ballots. The request shall be made in writing at least ninety days before the election for which the procedure is intended to be used. After the election official has confirmed with the secretary of state that all election equipment passes the logic and accuracy test, the election official may begin to count early ballots. No early ballot results may be released except as prescribed by section 16-551.

B. The early election board shall check the voter's mail ballot affidavit on the envelope containing the early ballot. If it is found to be sufficient, the vote shall be allowed. If the mail ballot affidavit is insufficient, the vote shall not be allowed. Beginning in 2026, for an early ballot that is received and verified as prescribed by section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 4, additional signature verification is not required.

C. The county chairman of each political party represented on the ballot, by written appointment addressed to the early election board, may designate party representatives and alternates to act as early ballot challengers for the party. No party may have more than the number of such representatives or alternates that were mutually agreed on by each political party to be present at one time. If such agreement cannot be reached, the number of representatives shall be limited to one for each political party.

D. An early ballot may be challenged on any grounds set forth in section 16-591. All challenges shall be made in writing with a brief statement of the grounds before the early ballot is placed in the ballot box. A record of all challenges and resulting proceedings shall be kept in substantially the same manner as provided in section 16-594. If an early ballot is challenged, it shall be set aside and retained in the possession of the early election board or other officer in charge of early ballot processing until a time that the early election board sets for determination of the challenge, subject to the procedure in subsection E of this section, at which time the early election board shall hear the grounds for the challenge and shall decide what disposition shall be made of the early ballot by majority vote. If the early ballot is not allowed, it shall be handled pursuant to subsection G of this section.

E. Within twenty-four hours of receipt of a challenge, the early election board or other officer in charge of early ballot processing shall mail, by first class mail, a notice of the challenge including a copy of the written challenge, and also including the time and place at which the voter may appear to defend the challenge, to the voter at the mailing address shown on the request for an early ballot or, if none was provided, to the mailing address shown on the registration rolls. Notice shall also be mailed to the challenger at the address listed on the written challenge and provided to the county chairman of each political party represented on the ballot. The board shall meet to determine the challenge at the time specified by the notice but, in any event, not earlier than ninety-six hours after the notice is mailed, or forty-eight hours if the notifying party chooses to deliver the notice by overnight or hand delivery, and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Monday following the election. The board shall provide the voter with an informal opportunity to make, or to submit, brief statements regarding the challenge. The board may decline to permit comments, either in person or in writing, by anyone other than the voter, the challenger and the party representatives. The burden of proof is on the challenger to show why the voter should not be permitted to vote. The fact that the voter fails to appear shall not be deemed to be an admission of the validity of the challenge. The early election board or other officer in charge of early ballot processing is not required to provide the notices described in this subsection if the written challenge fails to set forth at least one of the grounds listed in section 16-591 as a basis for the challenge. In that event, the challenge will be summarily rejected at the meeting of the board. Except for election contests pursuant to section 16-672, the board's decision is final and may not be appealed.

F. If the vote is allowed, the board shall open the envelope containing the ballot in such a manner that the mail ballot affidavit thereon is not destroyed, take out the ballot without unfolding it or permitting it to be opened or examined and show by the records of the election that the elector has voted.

G. If the vote is not allowed, the mail ballot affidavit envelope containing the early ballot shall not be opened and the board shall mark across the face of such envelope the grounds for rejection. The mail ballot affidavit envelope and its contents shall then be deposited with the opened mail ballot affidavit envelopes and shall be preserved with official returns. If the voter does not enter an appearance, the board shall send the voter a notice stating whether the early ballot was disallowed and, if disallowed, providing the grounds for the determination. The notice shall be mailed by first class mail to the voter's mailing address as shown on the registration rolls within three days after the board's determination.

H. Party representatives and alternates may be appointed as provided in subsection C of this section to be present and to challenge the verification of questioned ballots pursuant to section 16-584 on any grounds allowed by this section. Questioned ballots that are challenged shall be presented to the early election board for decision under the provisions of this section.

Article 8.1 Optional Special District Mail Ballot Elections

§ 16-558 Special districts; mail ballot election option; conduct

A. Notwithstanding section 16-225, a special district as described in title 48 may conduct a mail ballot election if the governing board of the special district obtains approval from the board of supervisors of the county in which the special district or greater part of the special district is located before publishing the call of election as provided in section 16-227.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this article, special district mail ballot elections shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of article 8 of this chapter.

§ 16-558.01 Mailing of ballots

Not more than twenty-seven days before the election and not fewer than fifteen days before the election, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections for the special district shall send by nonforwardable mail all official ballots with printed instructions and a return envelope bearing a printed mail affidavit as described in section 16-547 to each qualified elector who is not listed as inactive and who is entitled to vote in the election. The envelope in which the ballot is mailed shall be clearly marked with the statement required by the postmaster to receive an address correction and notification. The district governing board shall determine whether the voter or the district governing board will pay for the postage for the return of electors' marked ballots. An elector who votes in a special district mail ballot election shall return the elector's marked ballot to the recorder or other officer in charge of the election or to a designated depository site as provided in section 16-411 not later than 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.

§ 16-558.02 Replacement ballots

A. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall determine a central location in the district and shall provide for a ballot replacement center that is as near to that location as is practicable for electors to obtain a replacement ballot or for an elector who is listed as inactive to confirm or revise the elector's voter registration information and receive a ballot. The location shall be open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. of the day of the election. An elector may obtain a replacement ballot until 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election on presenting a signed, sworn statement that the ballot was lost, spoiled, destroyed or not received.

B. The recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall keep a record of each replacement ballot provided pursuant to this section.

C. If an elector to whom a replacement ballot is issued votes more than once, only the first ballot received shall be counted.

Article 9 Polling Place Procedures

§ 16-562 Preparation and arrangement of polling place with voting booths and ballot boxes

A. The arrangement of the polling place shall be such that neither the ballot boxes nor the voting booths are hidden from the view of persons immediately outside the voting area.

B. No person other than the election officers, voters, party representatives and challengers shall be permitted within six feet of the ballot boxes or voting booths except by authority of the election officers for the purpose of keeping order and enforcing the law.

§ 16-563 Posting sample ballots, instruction cards and notice to voters before opening polls

Before opening the polls the inspector of elections shall direct the following postings:

One of the sample ballots provided for in section 16-510, one of the cards of instructions provided for in section 16-513 and one of the "right to vote a provisional ballot" notices provided for in section 16-513.01 in plain view in the room where the ballots are cast. At least one other sample ballot, card of instruction and "right to vote a provisional ballot" notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place in and around the polling place.
Three seventy-five foot limit notices approximately seventy-five feet in different directions from the main outside entrance being used by voters to enter the building in which the election is being held.
In each voting booth, a notice to voters provided in section 16-514 at general elections only.
Any notices necessary for complying with early ballot on-site tabulation procedures as prescribed in sections 16-579.01 and 16-579.02.

§ 16-564 Opening, exhibiting and locking ballot box before receipt of ballots; removal and opening of box

A. Before receiving any ballots the election board, in the presence of the persons assembled at the polling place, shall open, exhibit and lock the ballot box, and thereafter it shall not be removed from the polling place or presence of the bystanders until all ballots are counted, nor opened until after the polls are finally closed, except in the case of an emergency that renders the polling place unusable to the point where it can no longer function as a polling place because law enforcement or other emergency personnel have ordered that the polling place be evacuated or as determined by the officer in charge of elections to allow voting to continue while awaiting an evacuation order from law enforcement or other emergency personnel.

B. If a locked ballot box must be moved from a polling place due to an emergency, at least two members of the election board from that polling place who are not members of the same political party shall accompany the locked ballot box to a new polling place designated by the officer in charge of elections, subject to the following:

If practicable and available, a law enforcement officer shall aid in the transfer of the locked ballot box.
If two members of the election board from that polling place are not available, one member of the election board and one law enforcement officer may accompany the locked ballot box to the new polling place.

C. If a ballot box was moved due to an emergency, two additional board members shall verify whether the locked ballot box arrived at the new polling place location and that it was not opened or damaged.

D. All election board members who accompanied the locked ballot box to the new location and the one or two election board members who verified the ballot box's arrival shall file a report with the officer in charge of elections that describes the actions taken by the election board members. This report shall be filed on the day of the emergency.

E. On the day that an emergency occurs as prescribed in subsection A, all election board members, including those who aided in the transfer and verification of the locked ballot box, shall indicate on the official documents containing their oath whether they witnessed the transfer of the ballot box and whether the ballot box remained locked.

F. If during the course of an election day the ballot box can no longer accommodate additional ballots, the board members may remove a sufficient number of ballots from the ballot box and shall place the removed ballots into the case that will be used for the transfer of the ballots to the officer in charge of elections. The inspector and both judges shall oversee the transfer and the following shall apply:

An immediate count of the number of ballots removed shall be made by the election board members and a sheet indicating the count and signed by the board members supervising the count shall be placed in the transfer case with the removed ballots and shall be kept sealed for the remainder of the election day.
Once the removed ballots are sealed in the transfer case, the original ballot box shall be relocked and voting may continue.
At the close of the polls, the removed ballots and the ballots in the locked ballot box shall be moved together to the tabulating place designated by the officer in charge of elections.

G. At the close of the polls, if a ballot box has been transferred to a new polling place or a ballot box has been opened, a report detailing those events and other pertinent information shall be made by the officer in charge of elections to the chairpersons of all recognized political parties in that county.

§ 16-565 Hours polls opened and closed; proclamation of opening and closing polls

A. For any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, the polls shall be opened in every precinct at 6:00 a.m. on the day of election and shall be closed at 7:00 p.m.

B. Before the election board receives any ballots, it shall proclaim aloud at the place of election that the polls are open and voting may thereupon commence and continue during the time the polls remain open.

C. The election marshal shall proclaim the opening of the polls at 6:00 a.m. and shall proclaim the closing of the polls at one hour, at thirty minutes, at fifteen minutes and at one minute before closing and again at the moment of closing. The inspector and two judges shall determine when the hour for closing the polls has arrived.

D. Any qualified voter who at the moment of closing is in the line of waiting voters shall be allowed to vote.

§ 16-566 Opening and closing of polling place; unused ballots

A. At least thirty minutes before the opening of the polls the precinct election officers shall arrive at the polling place and set up the voting booths so that they will be in clear view of the election officers. They shall open and check the ballots, supplies, records and forms and post the sample ballots and instructions to voters.

B. As soon as the polls have been closed and the last qualified voter has voted, the voting or marking devices shall be sealed against further voting. All unused ballots shall be placed in a container and sealed for return to the board of supervisors or other officer in charge of elections.

§ 16-570 Conduct of election; duties of officers; placing machines

A. One election official shall attend the voting machine, and the other officers shall attend the pollbooks and perform the duties of election officials as provided by law.

B. The voting machine shall be so placed and protected that it is accessible to only one voter at a time and is in full view of all election officers and observers at the polling place. Any port, plug, door or other method of physical or electronic access to the voting machine or to any electronic pollbook shall be secured in a manner to prevent any unauthorized access to the voting machine or electronic pollbook. The county or other officer in charge of elections shall document and verify security procedures regarding access before a voting machine or electronic pollbook is placed into service for an election.

C. During elections the door or other compartment of the machine shall not be unlocked or opened or the counters exposed except for good and sufficient reasons, a statement of which shall be made and signed by the election officers and attached to the returns.

§ 16-571 Poll lists to be kept by election clerk; posting

A. In precincts in which electronic poll book systems are not used, at least one election board clerk shall keep a list in duplicate of persons voting, and the name of each person who votes shall be entered thereon and numbered in the order of voting.

B. In precincts in which electronic poll book systems are not used, the poll list as prescribed in section 16-516 shall be written on one side only, and triplicate copies may be provided. Immediately upon the completion of each page of the poll list and if copies are available, one copy shall, upon request, be given to a representative designated by each major political party. In an election with nonpartisan candidates or ballot issues, the officer in charge of the jurisdiction that is conducting the election may designate who is to receive copies of the poll lists. For the purposes of this subsection, "major political party" means the two parties receiving the highest number of votes for governor or presidential electors at the last election.

C. In precincts in which electronic poll book systems are used, at least one list of persons voting shall be available by printed or electronic media. The list shall be in substantially the same format as prescribed in section 16-516 and on request shall be given to a representative designated by each major political party. The information contained in the list also may be provided electronically to a representative designated by each major political party by way of a secure electronic file transmittal format as prescribed by the secretary of state.

§ 16-572 Delivery and custody of ballots at polling place

A. On opening the polls, the inspector shall produce the sealed package of official ballots and publicly open it and deliver one book or block of ballots therein contained to the judges. The other blocks or books of ballots, if any, shall be retained by the inspector until called for by the judges and required for voting.

B. One of the judges of election shall keep the ballots within the polling place in plain view of the public and deliver them only to qualified voters.

C. A person shall not take or remove a ballot from the polling place before the polls are closed.

§ 16-573 Substitution of ballots when official ballots not available

If the official ballots at an election precinct at which a voting machine is to be used are not delivered at the time required, or if after the delivery they are lost, destroyed or stolen, the election judges shall immediately notify the clerk or other authority under whose direction the ballots are printed who shall cause other ballots to be prepared, printed or written as nearly in the form of the official ballots as practicable. The judges shall cause the substituted ballots to be used in the same manner as the official ballots.

§ 16-574 Repair or substitution of machines; use of paper ballots

A. If a voting machine being used at an election becomes out of order during the election, it shall be repaired if possible or another machine substituted as promptly as possible. Such repairs to the voting machines shall be made only under the scrutiny of two elections board workers who shall be members of different political parties.

B. If repair or substitution of a machine cannot be made, paper ballots printed or written and of any suitable form may be used for taking votes, and for that purpose the sample ballots may be employed.

§ 16-579 Procedure for obtaining ballot by elector

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Every qualified elector, before receiving a ballot, shall announce the elector's name and place of residence in a clear, audible tone of voice to the election official in charge of the signature roster or present the elector's name and residence in writing. The election official in charge of the signature roster shall comply with the following and the qualified elector shall be allowed within the voting area:

The elector shall present any of the following:

(a) A valid form of identification that bears the photograph, name and address of the elector that reasonably appear to be the same as the name and address in the precinct register, including an Arizona driver license, an Arizona nonoperating identification license, a tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification or a United States federal, state or local government issued identification. Identification is deemed valid unless it can be determined on its face that it has expired.

(b) Two different items that contain the name and address of the elector that reasonably appear to be the same as the name and address in the precinct register, including a utility bill, a bank or credit union statement that is dated within ninety days of the date of the election, a valid Arizona vehicle registration, an Arizona vehicle insurance card, an Indian census card, tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification, a property tax statement, a recorder's certificate, a voter registration card, a valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification or any mailing that is labeled as "official election material". Identification is deemed valid unless it can be determined on its face that it has expired.

(c) A valid form of identification that bears the photograph, name and address of the elector except that if the address on the identification does not reasonably appear to be the same as the address in the precinct register or the identification is a valid United States military identification card or a valid United States passport and does not bear an address, the identification must be accompanied by one of the items listed in subdivision (b) of this paragraph.

If the elector does not present identification that complies with paragraph 1 of this subsection, the elector is only eligible to vote a provisional ballot as prescribed by section 16-584 or a conditional provisional ballot as provided for in the secretary of state's instruction and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.
Through 2025, if the voter surrenders the early ballot to the precinct inspector and the voter is not otherwise required to be issued a provisional ballot, the voter shall be issued a standard ballot after presenting identification pursuant to this subsection. The precinct inspector shall retain the surrendered early ballot, unopened in its affidavit envelope.
Beginning in 2026, at any voting location the voter may choose to provide identification when presenting the voter's mailed early ballot, and if so the election official shall:

(a) Require the voter to present identification that complies with paragraph 1 of this subsection.

(b) Confirm that the name and address on the identification reasonably appear to be the same name and address shown on the voter's registration record.

(c) Stamp the signed affidavit with a stamp that reads "ID verified" and place the stamped affidavit that contains the early ballot in a secured ballot box that is labeled for early ballots. The stamped affidavit envelope is not required to be reviewed at the voting location, the voter's early ballot is deemed ready for tabulating and additional signature verification of the completed affidavit envelope as prescribed by section 16-550 is not required.

(d) Maintain a tally of the number of ballots that have been deposited in the secured ballot box and sign an affidavit that includes the election official's name, the polling location, the time and date, the number of early ballots deposited according to the tally maintained by the election official and a statement sufficient to record and maintain the chain of custody for those ballots.

B. Any qualified elector who is listed as having applied for an early ballot but who states that the elector has not voted and will not vote an early ballot for this election or surrenders the early ballot to the precinct inspector on election day shall be allowed to vote pursuant to the procedure set forth in section 16-584, except that for elections conducted using an electronic pollbook or similar system with continuous voter usage updates, the following apply:

If the electronic pollbook or other system indicates that the voter's early ballot has not been returned or accepted by the county recorder and the voter is not otherwise required to be issued a provisional ballot, the voter may be issued a standard ballot after presenting identification pursuant to subsection A of this section.
If the electronic pollbook or other system indicates that the voter's early ballot has been received or accepted by the county recorder, the voter may not be issued a standard ballot and may only be issued a provisional ballot as prescribed in section 16-584.

C. Each qualified elector's name shall be numbered consecutively by the clerks and in the order of applications for ballots. The judge shall give the qualified elector only one ballot and a ballot privacy folder, and the elector's name shall be immediately checked on the precinct register. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection, an elector shall not be required to accept or use a ballot privacy folder.

D. For precincts in which a paper signature roster is used, each qualified elector shall sign the elector's name in the signature roster before receiving a ballot, but an inspector or judge may sign the roster for an elector who is unable to sign because of physical disability, and in that event the name of the elector shall be written with red ink, and no attestation or other proof shall be necessary. The provisions of this subsection relating to signing the signature roster do not apply to electors casting a ballot using early voting procedures.

E. For precincts in which an electronic poll book system is used, each qualified elector shall sign the elector's name as prescribed in the instructions and procedures manual adopted by the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-452 before receiving a ballot, but an inspector or judge may sign the roster for an elector who is unable to sign because of physical disability, and in that event the name of the elector shall be written with the inspector's or judge's attestation on the same signature line.

F. A person offering to vote at a special district election for which no special district register has been supplied shall sign an affidavit stating the person's address and that the person resides within the district boundaries or proposed district boundaries and swearing that the person is a qualified elector and has not already voted at the election being held.

§ 16-579.01 Early ballots; on-site tabulation

A. Every county recorder or other officer in charge of elections may provide for a qualified elector who appears at that elector's designated polling location or at a voting center on election day with the elector's voted early ballot to have the elector's voted early ballot tabulated as prescribed in section 16-579.02.

B. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall do all of the following if the on-site tabulation of early ballots is allowed:

Designate an area within a precinct or voting center for processing electors with their voted early ballots that is physically separate from the area for voters who are voting pursuant to section 16-579.
Provide adequate poll workers, election officials and equipment necessary to conduct voting pursuant to this section and section 16-579.02.
Categorize and tally separately in the official canvass and other reports electors whose voted early ballots are tabulated at the precinct or voting center. The tally shall be reported by precinct in the official canvass and other voting reports.
Reconcile for that polling place or voting center the number of electors who appear on the signature roster or e-pollbook with the number of completed early ballot affidavits and the voted early ballots tabulated on-site.

§ 16-579.02 Election day early ballot on-site tabulation procedure; fund

A. A qualified elector who appears at a voting center or at the elector's designated polling place that allows for the on-site tabulation of early ballots with the elector's voted early ballot shall present identification as prescribed in section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1 and proceed as follows:

If the elector does not present identification that complies with section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1, the elector shall either deposit the elector's voted early ballot in its affidavit envelope in an official drop box or proceed to the area designated for election day voting to surrender the early ballot to the election board for retention and not for tabulating. The elector shall then be allowed to vote a provisional ballot as prescribed in section 16-584. An election official may not allow for the on-site tabulation of an early ballot if the elector does not present identification that complies with section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1.
If the elector presents sufficient identification to comply with section 16-579, subsection A, paragraph 1, the elector shall present the elector's early ballot affidavit to the election official in charge of the signature roster, and the election official shall confirm that the name and address on the completed affidavit reasonably appear to be the same as the name and address on the precinct register.
If the elector's affidavit is not complete, the election official in charge of the signature roster shall allow the elector to complete the affidavit. The election official may not allow for the on-site tabulation of an early ballot until the elector presents a completed early ballot affidavit.

B. If the elector's affidavit is complete, the elector's name shall be numbered consecutively by the clerk and in the order of application for early ballot tabulation.

C. For precincts in which a paper signature roster is used, each qualified elector shall sign the elector's name in the signature roster as prescribed in section 16-579, subsection D before proceeding to the tabulating equipment.

D. For precincts in which an electronic pollbook is used, each qualified elector shall sign the elector's name as prescribed in section 16-579, subsection E before proceeding to the tabulating equipment.

E. After signing the signature roster or electronic pollbook, the elector shall proceed to the tabulating equipment and while under the observation of an election official, remove the early ballot from the completed affidavit envelope, deposit the empty completed affidavit envelope in the secured and labeled drop box and insert the early ballot into a tabulating machine. An early ballot that has been separated from the elector's completed affidavit envelope may not be removed from the on-site early ballot tabulation area.

F. The drop box prescribed in subsection E of this section shall be clearly labeled to indicate that the completed affidavits are from ballots tabulated pursuant to this section and shall be secured in a manner substantially similar to other ballot boxes at that location.

G. Any qualified elector who lawfully brings to a polling place or voting center another elector's voted early ballot that is sealed in its affidavit envelope shall deposit the other elector's voted early ballot in the appropriate ballot drop box before entering the on-site early ballot tabulation area for purposes of tabulating the elector's own early ballot. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall ensure that a voter is not in possession of another voter's ballot within the on-site early ballot tabulation area.

§ 16-580 Manner of voting; assistance for certain electors

A. Except as prescribed by subsection E of this section, only one person per voting booth shall be permitted at any one time to sign for the receipt of a ballot and to wait for an opportunity to vote.

B. On receiving a ballot the voter shall promptly and without leaving the voting area retire alone, except as provided in subsection E of this section, to one of the voting booths that is not occupied, prepare the ballot in secret and vote in the manner and substantial form as required by the instruction to voters.

C. The voter shall deposit the ballot in the ballot box, or if the voter so requests, hand the ballot to the election board official and permit the election board official to deposit the ballot in the ballot box.

D. After the ballot is deposited, the voter shall then proceed outside the voting area and shall not again enter the voting area unless the voter is an authorized election official or an official observer or is assisting another voter.

E. Any registered voter, at the voter's option, may be accompanied by a minor who is permitted in the voting booth pursuant to section 16-515, subsection E, be accompanied and assisted by a person of the voter's own choice or be assisted by two election officials, one from each major political party, during any process relating to voting or during the actual process of voting on a paper ballot, machine or electronic voting system. A person who is a candidate for an office in that election other than the office of precinct committeeman is not eligible to assist any voter.

§ 16-581 Elderly persons; persons with disabilities; inaccessible polling places; definitions

A. If the board of supervisors determines that a polling place is inaccessible to elderly persons or persons with disabilities, it shall provide for alternative voting according to procedures established by the chief election officer of the state pursuant to the voting accessibility for the elderly and handicapped act (P.L. 98-435; 98 Stat. 1678, 1984; 42 United States Code section 1973).

B. For the purposes of this section:

"Elderly" means sixty-five years of age or older.
"Persons with disabilities" means a person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability that substantially restricts or limits the person's access to polling places.

§ 16-583 Voter not on precinct register; inactive voter list; procedure

A. On or before election day, the county recorder shall provide to each precinct the names of electors on the inactive voter list. If a person whose name is not on the precinct register appears at a polling place, an election official shall determine whether the person is on the inactive voter list. If the person is on the inactive voter list, the registrant, on affirmation by the registrant before an election official at the polling place that the registrant continues to reside at the address indicated on the inactive voter list, shall be permitted to vote at that polling place. The elector's name shall be entered on a separate signature roster page at the end of the signature roster, and voters' names shall be numbered consecutively. If the registrant indicates that the registrant lives at a new residence, the election official shall direct the registrant to the polling place for the new address.

B. Following the election, the county recorder shall remove from inactive status all electors who voted pursuant to subsection A, shall place the electors' names back on the general register and shall return the electors' status to active.

§ 16-584 Qualified elector not on precinct register; recorder's certificate; verified ballot; procedure

A. A qualified elector whose name is not on the precinct register and who presents a certificate from the county recorder showing that the elector is entitled by law to vote in the precinct shall be entered on the signature roster on the blank following the last printed name and shall be given the next consecutive register number, and the qualified elector shall sign in the space provided.

B. A qualified elector whose name is not on the precinct register, on presentation of identification verifying the identity of the elector that includes the voter's given name and surname and the complete residence address that is verified by the election board to be in the precinct or on signing an affirmation that states that the elector is a registered voter in that jurisdiction and is eligible to vote in that jurisdiction, shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot.

C. If a voter has moved to a new address within the county and has not notified the county recorder of the change of address before the date of an election, the voter shall be allowed to correct the voting records for purposes of voting in future elections at the appropriate polling place for the voter's new address. The voter shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The voter shall present a form of identification that includes the voter's given name and surname and the voter's complete residence address. The residence address must be within the precinct in which the voter is attempting to vote, and the voter shall affirm in writing that the voter is registered in that jurisdiction and is eligible to vote in that jurisdiction.

D. On completion of the ballot, the election official shall place the ballot in a provisional ballot envelope and shall deposit the envelope in the ballot box. Within five calendar days after a primary, general or special election that includes an election for a federal office and within three business days after any other election or not later than the time at which challenged early voting ballots are resolved, the signature shall be compared to the precinct signature roster of the former precinct where the voter was registered. If the voter's name is not signed on the roster and if there is no indication that the voter voted an early ballot, the provisional ballot envelope shall be opened and the ballot shall be counted. If there is information showing the person did vote, the provisional ballot shall remain unopened and shall not be counted. When provisional ballots are confirmed for counting, the county recorder shall use the information supplied on the provisional ballot envelope to correct the address record of the voter.

E. When a voter is allowed to vote a provisional ballot, the elector's name shall be entered on a separate signature roster page at the end of the signature roster. Voters' names shall be numbered consecutively beginning with the number V-1. The elector shall sign in the space provided. The ballot shall be placed in a separate envelope, the outside of which shall contain the precinct name or number, a sworn or attested statement of the elector that the elector resides in the precinct, is eligible to vote in the election and has not previously voted in the election, the signature of the elector and the voter registration number of the elector, if available. The ballot shall be verified for proper registration of the elector by the county recorder before being counted. The verification shall be made by the county recorder within ten calendar days after a general election that includes an election for a federal office and within five business days following any other election. Verified ballots shall be counted by depositing the ballot in the ballot box and showing on the records of the election that the elector has voted. If registration is not verified the ballot shall remain unopened and shall be retained in the same manner as voted ballots.

F. For any person who votes a provisional ballot, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall provide for a method of notifying the provisional ballot voter at no cost to the voter whether the voter's ballot was verified and counted and, if not counted, the reason for not counting the ballot. The notification may be in the form of notice by mail to the voter, establishment of a toll-free telephone number, internet access or other similar method to allow the voter to have access to this information. The method of notification shall provide reasonable restrictions that are designed to limit transmittal of the information only to the voter.

§ 16-585 Spoiled ballots; disposition

If a voter spoils a ballot and obtains another, the inspector and one of the judges shall write on the back of the ballot the words "spoiled" and return it to the board or persons from whom the ballots were originally received.

§ 16-590 Appointment of challengers and party representatives

A. The county chairman of each party may, for each precinct, by written appointment addressed to the election board, designate a party agent or representative and alternates for a polling place in the precinct who may act as challengers for the party which appointed him.

B. At each voting place, one challenger for each political party may be present and act, but no challenger may enter a voting booth except to mark his ballot.

C. Not more than the number of party representatives for each party which were mutually agreed upon by each political party represented on the ballot shall be in the polling place at one time. If such agreement cannot be reached, the number of representatives shall be limited to one in the polling place at one time for each political party.

D. A challenger or party representative shall be a resident of this state and registered to vote in this state.

§ 16-591 Grounds for challenging an elector

Any qualified elector of the county may orally challenge a person offering to vote as not qualified under section 16-121.01 or on the ground that the person has voted before at that election.

§ 16-592 Proceedings on challenge; disposition of ballot

A. Upon challenge being made, if the person challenged appears to be registered, the person shall take and subscribe to the oath prescribed in the "affidavit of registration" and, if the person so elects, may be at once sworn to answer fully and truly all questions material to the challenge as are put to the person by the inspector. Any returned United States mail addressed to the person challenged or the spouse of the person challenged, or both, and to the address appearing on the precinct register or affidavit shall be considered as sufficient grounds to proceed under this section.

B. If after the examination on the challenge, a majority of the election board is satisfied that the challenge is not valid, the person challenged shall be permitted to vote.

C. If the person challenged refuses to be sworn or affirmed, or refuses to answer questions material to the challenge or if a majority of the election board finds that the challenge is valid, the person challenged shall be permitted to vote a provisional ballot pursuant to section 16-584.

§ 16-593 Rules determining residence of voter upon challenge; reading of rules upon request

A. The election board, in determining the place of residence of a person, shall be governed by the following rules, so far as applicable:

The residence of a person is that place in which his habitation is fixed and to which he has the intention of returning when absent.
A person does not gain or lose his residence by reason of his presence at or absence from a place while employed in the service of the United States or of this state, or while engaged in navigation, or while a student at an institution of learning or while kept in an almshouse, asylum or prison.
A person does not lose his residence by leaving his home to go to another county, state or foreign country for merely temporary purposes, with the intention of returning.
A person does not gain a residence in any county into which he comes for merely temporary purposes, without the intention of making that county his home.
If a person removes to another state with the intention of making it his residence, he loses his residence in this state.
If a person removes to another state with the intention of remaining there for an indefinite time, and of making the place his present residence, he loses his residence in this state, even though he has an intention of returning at some future period.
The place where a person's family permanently resides is his residence, unless he is separated from his family, but if it is a place of temporary establishment for his family, or for transient purposes, it is otherwise.
If a person has a family residing in one place and he does business in another, the former is his place of residence, but a person having a family who has taken up his abode with the intention of remaining and whose family does not so reside with him shall be regarded as a resident where his abode has been taken.
A United States citizen who has never resided in the United States is eligible to vote in this state by using a federal write-in early ballot as prescribed in sections 16-103 and 16-543.02 if both of the following apply:

(a) A parent is a United States citizen.

(b) The parent is registered to vote in this state.

The mere intention of acquiring a new residence without the act of removal avails nothing and neither does the act of removal without the intention.

B. The term of residence shall be computed by including the day on which the person's residence commenced and by excluding the day of election.

C. Before administering an oath to a person touching his residence, the inspector, if requested by any person, shall read to the person challenged the rules set forth in subsection A of this section.

§ 16-594 List of challenges, grounds and rulings

The board shall require one of the clerks to keep a list of the names of all persons challenged, the grounds of the challenge and the determination of the board upon the challenge. Copies of the list shall be kept in the office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of early ballot processing as a public record. Affidavits of challenged voters, decisions of election officials and challenge lists shall be a part of the official returns and shall be delivered to the board of supervisors.

Article 10 Tally and Returns

§ 16-602 Tabulation designated margin; hand counts; vote count verification committee

A. For any primary, special or general election in which the votes are cast on an electronic voting machine or tabulator, the election judge shall compare the number of votes cast as indicated on the machine or tabulator with the number of votes cast as indicated on the poll list and the number of provisional ballots cast and that information shall be noted in a written report prepared and submitted to the officer in charge of elections along with other tally reports.

B. For each countywide primary, special, general and presidential preference election, the county officer in charge of the election shall conduct a hand count at one or more secure facilities. The hand count shall be conducted as prescribed by this section and in accordance with hand count procedures established by the secretary of state in the official instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452. The hand count is not subject to the live video requirements of section 16-621, subsection D, but the party representatives who are observing the hand count may bring their own video cameras in order to record the hand count. The recording shall not interfere with the conduct of the hand count and the officer in charge of the election may prohibit from recording or remove from the facility persons who are taking actions to disrupt the count. The sole act of recording the hand count does not constitute sufficient grounds for the officer in charge of the election to prohibit observers from recording or to remove them from the facility. The hand count shall be conducted in the following order:

At least two percent of the precincts in that county, or two precincts, whichever is greater, shall be selected at random from a pool consisting of every precinct in that county. The county political party chairperson for each political party that is entitled to continued representation on the state ballot or the chairperson's designee shall conduct the selection of the precincts to be hand counted. The precincts shall be selected by lot without the use of a computer, and the order of selection by the county political party chairpersons shall also be by lot. The selection of the precincts shall not begin until all ballots voted in the precinct polling places have been delivered to the central counting center. The unofficial vote totals from all precincts shall be made public before selecting the precincts to be hand counted. Only the ballots cast in the polling places and ballots from direct recording electronic machines shall be included in the hand counts conducted pursuant to this section. Provisional ballots, conditional provisional ballots and write-in votes shall not be included in the hand counts and the early ballots shall be grouped separately by the officer in charge of elections for purposes of a separate manual audit pursuant to subsection F of this section.
The races to be counted on the ballots from the precincts that were selected pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection for each primary, special and general election shall include up to five contested races. After the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections separates the primary ballots by political party, the races to be counted shall be determined by selecting by lot without the use of a computer from those ballots as follows:

(a) For a general election, one statewide ballot measure, unless there are no measures on the ballot.

(b) One contested statewide race for statewide office.

(c) One contested race for federal office, either United States senate or United States house of representatives. If the United States house of representatives race is selected, the names of the candidates may vary among the sampled precincts.

(d) One contested race for state legislative office, either state house of representatives or state senate. In either case, the names of the candidates may vary among the sampled precincts.

(e) If there are not a sufficient number of contested federal, statewide or legislative races or ballot measures, one contested county race.

(f) If there are fewer than four contested races resulting from the selections made pursuant to subdivisions (a) through (e) of this paragraph and if there are additional contested federal, statewide, legislative or county races or ballot measures, additional contested races shall be selected by lot not using a computer until four races have been selected or until no additional contested federal, statewide, legislative or county races or ballot measures are available for selection.

(g) If there are not a sufficient number of contested races resulting from the selections made pursuant to subdivisions (a) through (f) of this paragraph, additional uncontested races shall be selected by lot not using a computer until up to five races have been selected.

(h) If there are no contested races as prescribed by this paragraph, a hand count shall not be conducted for that precinct for that election.

For the presidential preference election, select by lot two percent of the polling places designated and used pursuant to section 16-248 and perform the hand count of those ballots.
For the purposes of this section, a write-in candidacy in a race does not constitute a contested race.
In elections in which there are candidates for president, the presidential race shall be added to the four categories of hand counted races.
Each county chairperson of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the state ballot or the chairperson's designee shall select by lot the individual races to be hand counted pursuant to this section.
Political party designees who are selected pursuant to this paragraph shall perform the hand count under the supervision of the county officer in charge of elections. The county officer in charge of elections shall provide compensation for those selected to perform the hand count, not to include travel, meal or lodging expenses. The hand count shall not proceed unless the political parties provide the officer in charge of elections in writing a sufficient number of persons pursuant to this paragraph by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the election and a sufficient number of persons prescribed by this paragraph arrive to perform the hand count. If a political party designee fails to appear for the hand count audit, the county chairperson or the state party chairperson of each political party may select persons from any political party if the selection of persons who perform the hand count complies with subdivision (e) of this paragraph and does not delay the hand count. Political party designees shall be selected to perform the hand count as follows:

(a) The county chairperson of each political party shall designate and provide to both the county officer in charge of elections and the state party chairperson the number of hand count board members as designated by the county officer in charge of elections. If the county party chairperson fails to designate a sufficient number of hand count board workers, the state party chairperson shall designate qualified electors to be hand count board workers. If the county party chairpersons and the state party chairpersons fail to designate a sufficient number of hand count board workers, the highest-ranking official holding a statewide office of each political party shall designate qualified electors to be hand count board workers. For the purposes of this subdivision, the ranking of officials holding statewide office shall be governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, corporation commissioners in order of seniority, mine inspector, senate majority and minority leaders and house of representatives majority and minority leaders.

(b) The political parties shall provide to the county officer in charge of elections in writing the names of those persons intending to participate in the hand count at the audited precincts not later than 5:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday preceding the election.

(c) If the total number of hand count board workers provided by all parties is less than the number designated by the county officer in charge of elections, the county officer in charge of elections shall notify the parties of the shortage not later than 9:00 a.m. on the second Wednesday preceding the election and the political parties have until 9:00 a.m. on the second Thursday preceding the election to provide the county officer in charge of elections with an additional list of qualified electors and alternates who are willing to participate in the hand count.

(d) The county officer in charge of elections shall distribute the list provided pursuant to subdivision (c) of this paragraph to the county chairperson and state chairperson of each recognized political party in the county and state not later than 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the election.

(e) The selection of persons to perform the hand count shall ensure that not more than seventy-five percent of the persons conducting the hand count are members of the same political party.

(f) The county recorder or county officer in charge of elections may prohibit persons from participating in the hand count if the persons are taking actions to disrupt the count or are unable to perform the duties as assigned.

If a political party is not represented by a designated chairperson within a county, the state chairperson for that political party, or a person designated by the state chairperson, may perform the actions required by the county chairperson as specified in this section.

C. If the randomly selected races result in a difference in any race that is less than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation of those same ballots, the results of the electronic tabulation constitute the official count for that race. If the randomly selected races result in a difference in any race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation of those same ballots, a second hand count of those same ballots and races shall be performed. If the second hand count results in a difference in any race that is less than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation for those same ballots, the electronic tabulation constitutes the official count for that race. If the second hand count results in a difference in any race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation for those same ballots, the hand count shall be expanded to include a total of twice the original number of randomly selected precincts. Those additional precincts shall be selected by lot without the use of a computer.

D. In any expanded count of randomly selected precincts, if the randomly selected precinct hand counts result in a difference in any race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation of those same ballots, the final hand count shall be extended to include the entire jurisdiction for that race. If the jurisdictional boundary for that race would include any portion of more than one county, the final hand count shall not be extended into the precincts of that race that are outside of the county that is conducting the expanded hand count. If the expanded hand count results in a difference in that race that is less than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation of those same ballots, the electronic tabulation constitutes the official count for that race.

E. If a final hand count is performed for an entire jurisdiction for a race, the final hand count shall be repeated for that race until a hand count for that race for the entire jurisdiction results in a count that is identical to one other hand count for that race for the entire jurisdiction and that hand count constitutes the official count for that race.

F. After the electronic tabulation of early ballots and at one or more times selected by the chairperson of the political parties entitled to continued representation on the ballot or the chairperson's designee, the chairpersons or the chairpersons' designees shall randomly select one or more batches of early ballots that have been tabulated to include at least one batch from each machine used for tabulating early ballots and those ballots shall be securely sequestered by the county recorder or officer in charge of elections along with their unofficial tally reports for a postelection manual audit. The chairpersons or the chairpersons' designees shall randomly select from those sequestered early ballots a number equal to one percent of the total number of early ballots cast or five thousand early ballots, whichever is less. From those randomly selected early ballots, the county officer in charge of elections shall conduct a manual audit of the same races that are being hand counted pursuant to subsection B of this section. If the manual audit of the early ballots results in a difference in any race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to the electronically tabulated results for those same early ballots, the manual audit shall be repeated for those same early ballots. If the second manual audit results in a difference in that race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to the electronically tabulated results for those same early ballots, the manual audit shall be expanded only for that race to a number of additional early ballots equal to one percent of the total early ballots cast or an additional five thousand ballots, whichever is less, to be randomly selected from the batch or batches of sequestered early ballots. If the expanded early ballot manual audit results in a difference for that race that is equal to or greater than the designated margin when compared to any of the earlier manual counts for that race, the manual counts shall be repeated for that race until a manual count results in a difference in that race that is less than the designated margin. If at any point in the manual audit of early ballots the difference between any manual count of early ballots is less than the designated margin when compared to the electronic tabulation of those ballots, the electronic tabulation shall be included in the canvass and no further manual audit of the early ballots shall be conducted.

G. During any hand count of early ballots, the county officer in charge of elections and election board workers shall attempt to determine the intent of the voter in casting the ballot.

H. Notwithstanding any other law, the county officer in charge of elections shall retain custody of the ballots for purposes of performing any required hand counts and the officer shall provide for security for those ballots.

I. The hand counts prescribed by this section shall begin within twenty-four hours after the closing of the polls and shall be completed before the canvassing of the election for that county. The county shall make available on the county's website the results of those hand counts and shall provide the results to the secretary of state, who shall make those results publicly available on the secretary of state's website.

J. For any county in which a hand count has been expanded to all precincts in the jurisdiction, the secretary of state shall make available the escrowed source code for that county to the superior court. The superior court shall appoint a special master to review the computer software. The special master shall have expertise in software engineering, shall not be affiliated with an election software vendor nor with a candidate, shall sign and be bound by a nondisclosure agreement regarding the source code itself and shall issue a public report to the court and to the secretary of state regarding the special master's findings on the reasons for the discrepancies. The secretary of state shall consider the reports for purposes of reviewing the certification of that equipment and software for use in this state.

K. The vote count verification committee is established in the office of the secretary of state and all of the following apply:

At least thirty days before the 2006 primary election, the secretary of state shall appoint seven persons to the committee, not more than three of whom are members of the same political party.
Members of the committee shall have expertise in any two or more of the areas of advanced mathematics, statistics, random selection methods, systems operations or voting systems.
A person is not eligible to be a committee member if that person has been affiliated with or received any income in the preceding five years from any person or entity that provides election equipment or services in this state.
The vote count verification committee shall meet and establish one or more designated margins to be used in reviewing the hand counting of votes as required pursuant to this section. The committee shall review and consider revising the designated margins every two years for use in the applicable elections. The committee shall provide the designated margins to the secretary of state at least ten days before the primary election and at least ten days before the general election, and the secretary of state shall make that information publicly available on the secretary of state's website.
Members of the vote count verification committee are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2. The committee is a public body and its meetings are subject to title 38, chapter 3, article 3.1 and its reports and records are subject to title 39, chapter 1.

§ 16-603 Inspection of ballots by party representative

A mutually agreed on number of representatives and alternates of each political party represented on the ballot by a party designation and column, appointed in the manner provided by section 16-590, may remain inside the voting area from the time the polls are closed, and, without unduly hindering or delaying the count, one representative from each party at a time may inspect the ballots, but the ballots shall at all times remain under the personal charge and keeping of the election officers and shall not be permitted to pass from their hands.

§ 16-604 Election integrity fund; purpose; exemption

(L21, Ch. 405, sec. 6)

A. The election integrity fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The state treasurer shall administer the fund.

B. Monies in the fund may be used only to pay county recorders for election security, cybersecurity measures and improvements and reimbursements for postelection hand tabulations, including for additional staffing.

C. County recorders shall apply for monies from the fund and, on review and approval by the state treasurer, the state treasurer shall make payments from the fund.

D. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

§ 16-607 Statements of tally

A. In each election precinct where voting machines are used, statements of tally shall be printed to conform with the type of voting machine used. The designating number and letter on the counter for each candidate shall be printed next to the candidate's name on the statements of tally and shall provide for the entry of the number of votes for each candidate and the "yes" and "no" over each question.

B. The delivery of statements to stations designated by the board of supervisors shall be accomplished as is provided for ballots in section 16-608.

§ 16-608 Delivery of ballots; electronic voting system

A. After the close of the polls and after compliance with section 16-602 the members of the election board shall prepare a report in duplicate of the number of voters who have voted, as indicated on the poll list, and place this report in the ballot box or metal container, in which the voted ballots have been placed, which thereupon shall be sealed with a numbered seal and delivered promptly by two members of the election board of different political parties to the central counting place or other receiving station designated by the board of supervisors or officer in charge of elections, which shall not be more than fifty miles from the polling place from which the ballots are delivered. The person in charge of receiving ballots shall give a numbered receipt acknowledging receipt of such ballots to the person in charge who delivers such ballots.

B. The chairman of the county committee of each political party represented on the ballot may designate a member of his party to accompany the ballots from each polling place to the central counting place. Such party representative shall serve without compensation.

§ 16-609 Questioned legality of ballots; procedure

A. Only ballots that are provided in accordance with the provisions of law shall be counted.

B. When a question arises as to the legality of a ballot, or a part of a ballot, the action taken on the decision of the election board as to its legality, signed by the majority voting for the action, with a concise statement of the facts giving rise to the question, shall be endorsed on the ballot and signed by a majority of the board.

§ 16-610 Uncertainty of voter's choice as cause for rejection

If on any ballot the names of more persons are designated for the same office than are to be chosen, or if for any reason it is impossible to positively determine the voter's choice, all the names designated for that office shall be rejected.

§ 16-611 Certain defects invalidating vote for particular office

If the voter marks more names than there are persons to be elected to an office, or if from the ballot it is impossible to determine the voter's choice for an office, his ballot shall not be counted for that office.

§ 16-612 Determination of write-in choice of voter

A. When the printed name of a candidate is followed by the name of another person written on the ballot by the voter in the space provided for that purpose, and a mark as defined in section 16-400 appears in the space after either the printed or the written names, but not both, the printed name shall be rejected and the written one counted, and the action of the board shall be noted on the back of the ballot and signed by a majority of the election board.

B. If the name of a person appears as having been voted for two or more times for the same office, the ballot shall be counted as one vote.

C. If an elector writes on his ballot the name of any person who is a candidate for any office on some other ballot than that on which his name is so written, such elector shall thereby invalidate his vote for that particular office, but the vote on the remainder of the ballot shall be counted.

§ 16-614 Signing of tally lists after completion of tally

When the votes are counted and the ballots sealed in the envelope, as required by law, the tally lists shall be signed by the members of the board and attested by the clerks.

§ 16-615 Delivery of returns

A. Before it adjourns, the election board shall enclose and seal in a strong envelope provided for that purpose one of the poll lists, signed as required.

B. The envelope containing the poll list shall constitute the official returns of the election and, together with the envelope containing the voted ballots, shall be delivered to one of the members of the election board, previously determined by lot, unless otherwise agreed on, and such member shall by himself, or by an agent agreed on by the board and sworn by a member thereof, in the presence of the board to faithfully perform the duties of election messenger, without delay, and by the most expeditious means and route, deliver the packages and envelopes, without opening them, to the officer in charge of the election at his office, or to the nearest postmaster or sworn express agent, who shall endorse on the packages and envelopes the name of the person delivering them, and the hour and date of the delivery, and forward the packages and envelopes by the first mail or express to the officer in charge of the election at the county seat.

§ 16-616 Preparation and disposition of unofficial returns

One of the poll lists and one of the tally lists used at the election shall be withheld by the election board from the sealed packages of ballots and other election supplies and shall be separately sealed in an envelope and returned to the officer in charge of the election in the same manner as the official returns. The officer shall, for a period of six months, keep such envelope open to the inspection of electors.

§ 16-617 Transmittal of signature roster and precinct registers after election

The election board, at the close of the election, shall return the signature roster and copies of the precinct registers along with the other election supplies to the board of supervisors or officer in charge of elections.

§ 16-621 Proceedings at the counting center

A. All proceedings at the counting center shall be under the direction of the board of supervisors or other officer in charge of elections and shall be conducted in accordance with the approved instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 under the observation of representatives of each political party and the public. The proceedings at the counting center may also be observed by up to three additional people representing a candidate for nonpartisan office, or representing a political committee in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure, proposition or question. A draw by lot shall determine which three groups or candidates shall have representatives participate in the observation at the counting center. Persons representing a candidate for nonpartisan office or persons or groups representing a political committee in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure, proposition or question, who are interested in participating in the observation, shall notify the officer in charge of elections of their desire to be included in the draw not later than seventeen days before the election. After the deadline to receive submissions from the interested persons or groups, but prior to fourteen days before the election, the county officer in charge of elections shall draw by lot, from the list of those that expressed interest, three persons or groups and those selected shall be notified and allowed to observe the proceedings at the counting center. If a group is selected the group may alter who represents that group for different days of observation but on any given observation day a selected group shall not send more than one observer. A group may rotate an observer throughout the day. Only those persons who are authorized for the purpose shall touch any ballot or ballot card or return. All persons who are engaged in processing and counting of the ballots shall be qualified electors, shall be deputized in writing and shall take an oath that they will faithfully perform their assigned duties. There shall be no preferential counting of ballots for the purpose of projecting the outcome of the election. If any ballot, including any ballot received from early voting, is damaged or defective so that it cannot properly be counted by the automatic tabulating equipment, a true duplicate copy shall be made of the damaged or defective ballot in the presence of witnesses and substituted for the damaged or defective ballot. All duplicate ballots created pursuant to this subsection shall be clearly labeled "duplicate" and shall bear a serial number that shall be recorded on the damaged or defective ballot.

B. If the counting center automatic tabulating equipment includes an electronic vote adjudication feature that has been certified for use as prescribed by section 16-442 and the board of supervisors or officer in charge of elections authorizes the use of this feature at the counting center, all of the following apply:

The electronic vote adjudication feature shall be included in the tabulation system logic and accuracy testing prescribed by section 16-449.
The board of supervisors or officer in charge of elections shall appoint an electronic vote adjudication board that consists of two judges who are overseen by an inspector, with the two judges equally divided between the two largest political parties as prescribed by section 16-531, subsection D to adjudicate and submit for tabulation a ballot that is read by the tabulation machine as blank in order to determine if voter intent is clear on a portion or all of the ballot, or any portion of any ballot as prescribed by section 16-610 or 16-611, or to tally write-in choices as prescribed by section 16-612.
The electronic vote adjudication process used by the electronic vote adjudication board shall provide for:

(a) A method to track and account for the original ballot and the digital duplicate of the ballot created by the electronic vote adjudication feature that includes a serial number on the digital image that can be used to track electronic vote adjudication board actions.

(b) The creation and retention of comprehensive logs of all digital duplication and adjudication actions performed by an electronic vote adjudication board.

C. If for any reason it becomes impracticable to count all or a part of the ballots with tabulating equipment, the officer in charge of elections may direct that they be counted manually, following as far as practicable the provisions governing the counting of paper ballots.

D. For any statewide, county or legislative election, the county recorder or officer in charge of elections shall provide for a live video recording of the custody of all ballots while the ballots are present in a tabulation room in the counting center. The live video recording shall include date and time indicators and shall be linked to the secretary of state's website. The secretary of state shall post links to the video coverage for viewing by the public. The county recorder or officer in charge of elections shall record the video coverage of the ballots at the counting center and shall retain those recordings as a public record for at least as long as the challenge period for the general election. If the live video feed is disrupted or disabled, the recorder or officer in charge of elections is not liable for the disruption but shall attempt to reinstate video coverage as soon as is practicable. Any disruption in video coverage shall not affect or prevent the continued tabulation of ballots. This subsection is contingent on legislative appropriation.

E. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections shall maintain records that record the chain of custody for all election equipment and ballots during early voting through the completion of provisional voting tabulation.

§ 16-622 Official canvass; unofficial results

A. At any time following the close of the polls, except as provided in section 16-550 and section 16-551, subsection C, unofficial returns may be released during the counting of the ballots by vote tabulating equipment, and on completion of the count the unofficial results shall be open to the public. The result printed by the vote tabulating equipment, to which have been added write-in and early votes, when certified by the board of supervisors or other officer in charge, shall constitute the official canvass of each precinct or election district.

B. In any election for a federal office, a statewide office or a member of the legislature or in any election for a statewide ballot measure, all unofficial returns that are released during the counting of the ballots and all unofficial results that are open to the public shall when released to the public be transmitted by telephone, by fax or by other electronic means to the secretary of state.

§ 16-623 Copy of abstract of vote of certain counties filed with secretary of state

In those counties lying within a legislative district or a congressional district made up of areas in more than one county, the board of supervisors of each such county shall file a copy, or reasonable facsimile, of the abstract of vote with the secretary of state within forty-eight hours after the closing of the polls.

§ 16-624 Disposition of official returns and ballots

A. After the canvass has been completed, the officer in charge of elections shall deposit the package or envelope containing the ballots in a secure facility managed by the county treasurer, who shall keep it unopened and unaltered for twenty-four months for elections for a federal office or for six months for all other elections, at which time he shall destroy it without opening or examining the contents.

B. Irregular ballots shall be preserved for six months after the election and the packages containing them may be opened and the contents examined only upon an order of court. At the expiration of such time, the ballots may be disposed of in the discretion of the officer or board having charge of them.

C. The officer in charge of elections shall produce the other packages or envelopes before the board of supervisors when it is in session for the purpose of canvassing the returns.

D. If a recount is ordered or a contest begun within six months, the county treasurer may be ordered by the court to deliver to it the packages or envelopes containing the ballots, and thereupon they shall be in the custody and control of the court.

§ 16-625 Electronic data and digital images; ballots; security

The officer in charge of elections shall ensure that electronic data from and electronic or digital images of ballots are protected from physical and electronic access, including unauthorized copying or transfer, and that all security measures are at least as protective as those prescribed for paper ballots.

Article 11 Official Canvass

§ 16-642 Canvass of election; postponements

A. The governing body holding an election shall meet and canvass the election as follows:

The governing board of a county shall meet and canvass as follows:

(a) For the primary election, not later than the second Monday after the election.

(b) For the general election, not later than the third Thursday after the election.

The secretary of state shall canvass as follows:

(a) For the primary election, not later than the third Thursday after the election.

(b) For the general election, not later than the third Monday after the election.

The governing body of a city, town or special district shall meet and canvass the election not less than six days and not more than twenty days following the election.

B. The governing body of a special district as defined in title 48 shall present to the board of supervisors a certified copy of the official canvass of the election at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors. For purposes of contesting a special district election as described in section 16-673, the canvass is not complete until the presentation to the board of supervisors is made.

C. If, at the time of the meeting of the governing body, the returns from any polling place in the election district where the polls were opened and an election held are found to be missing, the canvass shall be postponed from day to day until all the returns are received or until six postponements have been had. The subsection does not apply to the county board of supervisors' canvass of the primary and general election.

§ 16-643 Method of canvass

The canvass of the election returns shall be made in public by opening the returns, other than the ballots, and determining the vote of the county, by polling places, for each person voted for and the vote for and against each proposed constitutional amendment and initiated or referred measure appearing upon the ballot at such election.

§ 16-644 Effect of want of form in precinct returns

No list, tally, certificates or endorsement returned from any precinct shall be set aside or rejected for want of form, or for not being strictly in accordance with the explicit provisions of this title, if they can be clearly understood, nor shall any declaration of result, commission or certificate be withheld or denied by reason of any defect or informality in making the returns of the election in any precinct, if the facts which the returns should disclose can be definitely ascertained.

§ 16-645 Canvass and return of precinct vote; declaring nominee of party; certificate of nomination; write-in candidates

A. When the board of supervisors, or the governing body of a city or town, has completed its canvass of precinct returns, the person having the largest number of votes, or if more than one candidate is necessary, those candidates to the required number who have received the largest number of votes for the nomination for an office in the political party of which the person was set forth on the ballot as a candidate for the nomination, shall be declared the nominee of the party for that office and shall be given a certificate of nomination for that office by the board or governing body, which shall entitle the person to have the person's name placed on the official ballot at the ensuing election as the nominee of the party for the office. When canvassing write-in votes the apparent intent of the voter shall be taken into consideration to the extent possible and the standard prescribed for federal write-in candidates in section 16-543.02, subsection C applies.

B. The board of supervisors shall deliver the official canvass by electronic means to the secretary of state within thirteen calendar days after the primary election, and the secretary of state shall on or before the third Thursday following the primary election canvass the return and issue a letter declaring nomination as provided in this section to the nominees who filed nominating petitions and papers with the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-311, subsection D. For any partisan primary election, the governing body or officer in charge of elections shall prepare and transmit to the secretary of state along with the official canvass the total by party of partisan ballots selected in that primary election by voters who registered as no party preference, as independents or as members of a political party that is not qualified for representation on the ballot.

C. A certificate of election shall not be issued to a write-in candidate for precinct committeeman or a write-in candidate for a nonpartisan office unless the candidate receives a number of votes equivalent to at least the same number of signatures required by section 16-322 for nominating petitions for the same office.

D. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, a letter declaring nomination shall not be issued to a write-in candidate of a party that has not qualified for continued representation on the official ballot pursuant to section 16-804 unless the candidate receives a plurality of the votes of the party for the office for which the candidate is a candidate.

E. Except as provided by subsection C of this section, a letter declaring nomination shall not be issued to a write-in candidate of a party qualified for continued representation on the official ballot unless the candidate receives a number of votes equivalent to at least the same number of signatures required by section 16-322 for nominating petitions for the same office.

F. A certificate of election shall not be issued to presidential electors who are pledged to a write-in candidate for president unless that candidate received the highest number of votes cast for the office of president.

§ 16-646 Statement, contents and mailing of official canvass

A. When the result of the canvass is determined, a statement, known and designated as the official canvass, shall be entered on the official record of the election district that shall show:

The number of ballots cast in each precinct and in the county.
The number of ballots rejected in each precinct and in the county.
The titles of the offices voted for and the names of the persons, together with the party designation, if any, of each person voted for to fill the offices.
The number of votes by precincts and county received by each candidate.
For each candidate race in each political subdivision prescribed by section 16-204.01, the number of ballots cast and the number of active registered voters in each political subdivision and portion of a political subdivision for which a candidate may be elected.
The numbers and a brief title of each proposed constitutional amendment and each initiated or referred measure voted on.
The number of votes by precincts and county for and against such proposed amendment or measure.

B. The certified permanent copy of the official canvass for all offices and ballot measures, except offices and ballot measures in a city or town election and nonpartisan election returns, shall be mailed immediately to the secretary of state who shall maintain and preserve it as a permanent public record.

C. The board of supervisors shall first mail with a postmark or other similar date and time indicator, then deliver electronically a copy of the official canvass for all offices and ballot measures in the primary and general elections to the secretary of state in a uniform electronic computer media format that shall be agreed on between the secretary of state and all county election officials. The uniform format shall be designed to facilitate the computer analysis of election results for offices and ballot measures that are statewide or are common to more than one county. The electronic copy of the official canvass from the board of supervisors is sufficient for the secretary of state to conduct and issue the statewide canvass if the electronic copy includes a scan or other similar evidence that the paper official canvass was mailed before the electronic version was sent.

D. The certified permanent copy of the official canvass for all offices and ballot measures in a city or town election shall be filed with the appropriate city or town clerk, or in a special district election with the clerk of the board of supervisors, who shall maintain and preserve it as a permanent public record.

§ 16-647 Declaration of election to office; delivery of certificate of election

The board of supervisors shall declare elected the person receiving the highest number of votes cast for each office to be filled by the electors of the county or a subdivision thereof, and the clerk of the board shall, unless enjoined from so doing by an order of the court, deliver to each such person, upon compliance with the provisions imposed by law upon candidates for office as conditions precedent to the issuance of such certificates, a certificate of election, signed by the clerk and authenticated with the seal of office of the board of supervisors.

§ 16-648 Canvass for state offices, amendments and measures

A. On the third Monday following a general election, the secretary of state, in the presence of the governor and the attorney general, shall canvass all offices for which the nominees filed nominating petitions and papers with the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-311, subsection E.

B. The secretary of state, in the presence of the governor and the chief justice of the supreme court, shall canvass all proposed constitutional amendments and initiated or referred measures, as shown by the electronic or certified copies of the official canvass received from the several counties, and forthwith certify the result to the governor.

§ 16-649 Determination of tie vote; notice to candidates; exception

A. If two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes for the same office, and a higher number than any other candidate, whether upon the canvass by the secretary of state or the county board of supervisors, or upon recount by a court, the officer or board whose duty it is to declare the result shall determine by lot and in the presence of the candidates which candidate shall be declared elected.

B. Ten days' previous notice shall be given to candidates for state offices, and five days' previous notice shall be given to candidates for other offices, of the time and place of determining the election by lot, by the officer or board whose duty it is to declare the result of the election.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to candidates for the executive offices of the state as defined by the constitution.

D. A ballot issue that ends in a tie vote is deemed to have failed.

E. The official subject to a recall shall be certified the winner if the recall election ends in a tie vote.

§ 16-650 Declaration of election to office; delivery of certificate of election

The secretary of state shall declare elected the person receiving the highest number of votes cast for each office for which the nominees filed nominating petitions and papers with the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-311, subsection B and shall, unless enjoined from so doing by an order of court, deliver to each such person, upon compliance with the provisions imposed by law upon candidates for office as conditions precedent to the issuance of the certificates, a certificate of election, signed by the secretary of state and authenticated with the great seal of the state.

§ 16-651 Proclamation by governor on amendments and initiated and referred measures

Upon completion of the canvass by the secretary of state, the governor shall forthwith issue a proclamation, proclaiming the whole number of votes cast for and against each proposed constitutional amendment, and for and against each initiated or referred measure, and declaring the amendments or measures which are approved by a majority of those voting thereon to be law.

Article 12 Recounts

§ 16-661 Automatic recount; requirements

A. A recount of the vote is required when the canvass of returns in a primary or general election shows that the margin between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes for a particular office, or between the number of votes cast for and against initiated or referred measures or proposals to amend the Constitution of Arizona, is less than or equal to one-half of one percent of the number of votes cast for both such candidates or on such measures or proposals.

B. Subsection A of this section does not apply to elections for precinct committeemen, school district governing boards, community college district governing boards, fire district boards or fire district chiefs or secretary-treasurers or boards of other special districts.

§ 16-662 Certification to superior court of facts requiring recount

When the canvass shows that a recount is required, the secretary of state, within twenty-four hours after the last county canvass or the last day for county canvasses prescribed by section 16-642, whichever is earlier, shall, in the case of an office to be filled by electors of the entire state, a congressional district, a legislative district or a subdivision of the state greater than a county, initiated or referred measures or proposals to amend the constitution, certify the facts requiring the recount to the superior court in Maricopa county. In the case of an office to be filled by the electors of a county or subdivision of a county or precinct, the board of supervisors of such county or in the case of an office to be filled by the electors of a city or town, the city or town council of that city or town shall certify the facts requiring a recount to the superior court in the county in which the canvass was conducted.

§ 16-663 Recount of votes; method

A. The superior court to which the facts requiring a recount are certified shall promptly make and enter an order requiring a recount of the votes cast for such office, measure or proposal. The recount shall be conducted in accordance with the laws pertaining to contests of elections.

B. A court-ordered recount of votes that were cast and tabulated on electronic voting equipment shall be pursuant to section 16-664. While the recount is being conducted, and for legislative, statewide and federal candidate races only, the county chairpersons of the political parties entitled to continued representation on the ballot or the chairperson's designee shall select at random without the use of a computer five percent of the precincts for the recounted race for a hand count, and if the results of that hand count when compared to the electronic tabulation of that same race are less than the designated margins calculated pursuant to section 16-602, the recount is complete and the electronic tabulation is the official result. If the hand count results in a difference that is equal to or greater than the designated margin for that race, the procedures established in section 16-602, subsections C, D, E and F apply. The hand count conducted pursuant to this section may begin before the machine tabulation of ballots for the court-ordered recount is complete.

§ 16-664 Recount of votes by automatic tabulating system

A. In the event of a court-ordered recount of votes that were cast and tabulated on electronic voting equipment for a state primary, state general or state special election, the secretary of state shall order the ballots recounted on an automatic tabulating system to be furnished and programmed under the supervision of the secretary of state. In the event of a court-ordered recount for elections other than for the office of supervisor, the secretary of state may designate the county board of supervisors to perform the duties assigned to the secretary of state.

B. If the office of secretary of state is contested, the governor shall order the ballots recounted on an automatic tabulating system to be furnished and programmed under the supervision of the governor.

C. The programs to be used in the recount of votes pursuant to this section shall differ from the programs prescribed by section 16-445 and used in the initial tabulation of the votes.

D. The secretary of state shall conduct logic and accuracy testing on the automated tabulating system to be used in the recount of votes not more than two calendar days after the court orders a recount. Each team that is conducting a logic and accuracy test shall be supervised by a certified election officer. A person is not eligible to serve as contract staff for logic and accuracy testing on the automated tabulating system to be used in a recount of votes if that person has been affiliated with or received any income in the preceding three years from a voting system vendor for a voting system that is used in that county.

§ 16-665 Determination of results by court; distribution of copies of order of determination

A. The result of the recount shall be presented to the court, and the court shall then announce the result and make and enter an order setting forth its determination.

B. A certified copy of the order of the court determining the result shall forthwith be delivered by the clerk of the court to the following officers:

To the governor with respect to an initiative or referendum measure, or proposal to amend the Constitution of Arizona. The governor shall forthwith issue a proclamation reciting the total number of votes cast for or against the initiative or referendum measure, or amendment to the constitution, as certified by the court, and declaring such measure or amendment as approved by a majority voting thereon, as certified by the court, to be the law.
To the secretary of state with respect to offices to be filled by electors of the entire state, a congressional district, a legislative district or a subdivision of the state greater than a county. The secretary of state shall forthwith deliver to the candidate entitled thereto, as certified by the court, the certificate of election.
To the clerk of the board of supervisors with respect to offices to be filled by electors of the county or a subdivision of a county, or a precinct, or in the case of an office to be filled by the electors of a city or town, to the city or town clerk. The clerk of the board of supervisors or the city or town clerk shall forthwith deliver to the candidate entitled thereto, as certified by the court, the certificate of election.

§ 16-666 Expenses of recount

The expenses of the recount of the votes as provided in this article, if for an office to be filled by state electors, or if upon an initiative or referendum measure, or proposal to amend the constitution, shall be a state charge, and if for an office to be filled by the electors of a county or a subdivision of a county, or precinct, shall be a county charge. In the case of an office to be filled by the electors of a city or town, the expenses of the recount shall be a city or town charge.

§ 16-667 Supplementary nature of article

This article is supplemental to and not in derogation of the law relating to contest of elections and, upon the initiation of such a contest, a proceeding begun under this article shall abate.

Article 13 Contest of Elections

§ 16-671 Contest of primary elections

Contests arising out of primary elections shall be brought and determined in the same manner, as nearly as possible, as provided by law for contests of general elections.

§ 16-672 Contest of state election; grounds; venue

A. Any elector of the state may contest the election of any person declared elected to a state office, or declared nominated to a state office at a primary election, or the declared result of an initiated or referred measure, or a proposal to amend the Constitution of Arizona, or other question or proposal submitted to vote of the people, upon any of the following grounds:

For misconduct on the part of election boards or any members thereof in any of the counties of the state, or on the part of any officer making or participating in a canvass for a state election.
That the person whose right to the office is contested was not at the time of the election eligible to the office.
That the person whose right is contested, or any person acting for him, has given to an elector, inspector, judge or clerk of election, a bribe or reward, or has offered such bribe or reward for the purpose of procuring his election, or has committed any other offense against the elective franchise.
On account of illegal votes.
That by reason of erroneous count of votes the person declared elected or the initiative or referred measure, or proposal to amend the constitution, or other question or proposal submitted, which has been declared carried, did not in fact receive the highest number of votes for the office or a sufficient number of votes to carry the measure, amendment, question or proposal.

B. The contest may be brought in the superior court of the county in which the person contesting resides or in the superior court of Maricopa county.

C. In a contest of the election of a person declared elected to a state office or of an initiated or referred measure, constitutional amendment, or other question or proposal, which has been declared carried, the attorney general may intervene, and upon demand, the place of trial of the contest shall be changed to Maricopa county, if commenced in another county.

§ 16-673 Statement of contest; verification; filing

A. The elector contesting a state election shall, within five days after completion of the canvass of the election and declaration of the result thereof by the secretary of state or by the governor, file in the court in which the contest is commenced a statement in writing setting forth:

The name and residence of the party contesting the election, and that he is an elector of the state and county in which he resides.
The name of the person whose right to the office is contested, or the title of the measure, or constitutional amendment, or other proposition as it appeared upon the official ballot.
The office the election to which is contested.
The particular grounds of the contest.

B. The statement shall be verified by the affidavit of the contestor that he believes the matters and things therein contained are true.

§ 16-674 Contest of county or other election

A. An elector of a county, city, town or a political subdivision of such county, city or town, may contest the right of a person declared elected to an office to be exercised therein, or declared nominated to an office at a primary election, or a question, proposal, measure or proposition submitted to and voted on by the electors on the same grounds and in the same manner as contests of election to a state office or question, proposal, measure or proposition submitted to the vote of the electors of the state.

B. The contest may be brought in the superior court of the county in which the elector resides. If the contest involves an office voted on by the electors, the summons shall be served upon the contestee, or, if the contest involves a question, proposal, measure or proposition voted on, then the summons shall be served upon the person upon whom summons in a civil action against the county, city, town or subdivision affected is served.

§ 16-675 Summons; form; answer

A. On filing of the statement of contest, the clerk of the superior court shall issue a summons to be served on the contestee as summons in civil actions are served, except it shall require the contestee to file an answer to the statement with the clerk of the court within five days after service of the summons, exclusive of the day of service. If the answer is not filed within such period, the court shall proceed with the hearing of the contest ex parte. If the contest is on an initiative or referred measure, a proposed constitutional amendment, or other proposition or question submitted, which has been declared carried, the summons shall be served on the governor and attorney general who may appear and answer the statement of contest, or, by leave of court, an elector of the state may intervene and defend the contest.

B. If the election of a person declared elected is contested, the summons shall be in substantially the following form:

In the superior court of the state of Arizona in and for the county of

Contestant.

vs.

Contestee.

Summons.

To the above named contestee;

You are hereby notified that a resident of county, state of Arizona, has on this day filed in this court a statement of contest wherein he contests your election to the office of at the election held on the day of , 20 , a copy of which statement accompanies this summons.

You are therefore required to file your answer to said statement with the clerk of this court within five days after the service of this summons on you exclusive of the day of service or the court will proceed with the hearing of such contest ex parte.

Given under my hand and the seal of said court this day of , 20 .

Clerk of said court.

C. If the contest is on an initiative or referred measure, a proposed constitutional amendment, or other proposition or question submitted, which has been declared carried, the summons shall be in substantially the following form:

In the superior court of the state of Arizona in and for the county of .

In the matter of the contest of a certain constitutional amendment (or proposition, describing it briefly, as the case may be.)

To the honorable , governor, and the honorable , attorney general of the state of Arizona:

You are hereby notified that residing at in the county of , state of Arizona, has this day filed with the clerk of this court a statement wherein he contests the election by which the constitutional amendment (or proposition briefly describing it) was declared to have been carried. A copy of this statement is attached and served on you. You are further notified that unless an answer to this statement is filed within five days after the service of this summons on you the court will proceed with the hearing of this contest ex parte.

Given under my hand and the seal of said court this day of , 20 .

Clerk of said court.

§ 16-676 Time for hearing contest; continuance; findings of the court; judgment

A. In any contest brought under the provisions of section 16-672 or 16-674, upon the filing of the answer, or if no answer is filed, upon the expiration of the time specified in the summons, the court shall set a time for the hearing of the contest, not later than ten days after the date on which the statement of contest was filed, which may be continued for not to exceed five days for good cause shown.

B. The court shall continue in session to hear and determine all issues arising in contested elections. After hearing the proofs and allegations of the parties, and within five days after the submission thereof, the court shall file its findings and immediately thereafter shall pronounce judgment, either confirming or annulling and setting aside the election.

C. If in an election contest it appears that a person other than the contestee has the highest number of legal votes, the court shall declare that person elected and that the certificate of election of the person whose office is contested is of no further legal force or effect.

§ 16-677 Inspection of ballots before trial; petition; bond; appointment of inspectors

A. After the statement of contest has been filed and the action is at issue, either party may have the ballots inspected before preparing for trial.

B. The party applying for the inspection of ballots shall file with the clerk of the court a verified petition stating that he cannot properly prepare for trial without an inspection of the ballots and shall file with the petition a bond, approved by the clerk, with two sureties, in the principal amount of three hundred dollars, conditioned that he will pay the costs and expenses of the inspection if he fails to maintain the contest. Thereupon the court shall appoint three persons, one selected by each of the parties and one by the court, by whom the inspection shall be made. If either party fails to name a person to act in making the inspection, the court shall make the appointment.

C. The inspection of the ballots shall be made in the presence of the legal custodian of the ballots, and the compensation of the inspectors shall be fixed by the court and taxed as costs against the losing party.

§ 16-678 Inapplicability of article to contests of election of legislators

Nothing in this article shall be deemed to affect in any manner procedures relating to contests of elections of members of the legislature.

Article 14 Ratification of Amendments to United States Constitution by Convention

§ 16-701 Applicability of election laws

Except as otherwise provided in this article, the election of delegates to the convention shall be conducted and the results ascertained and certified in the same manner as elections for state officers, and all laws of this state relative to elections, except those inconsistent with this article, are made applicable to such election.

§ 16-702 Number of delegates

The number of delegates to be chosen for the convention is fifteen who shall be elected from the state at large.

§ 16-703 Qualifications of candidates for delegate; nominations

A. Candidates for the office of delegate to the convention shall be qualified electors of this state.

B. Nominations shall be by petition signed by not less than one thousand electors of the state qualified to vote at the election and shall be filed with the secretary of state.

C. Nominations shall be without party or political designation, but the nominating petitions shall contain a statement by the candidate to the effect that he favors ratification, or that he opposes ratification, and nominating petitions shall not be accepted unless the statement is contained therein.

D. The only nomination petitions which shall be effective shall be those of the fifteen nominees favoring ratification whose nominating petitions were first filed with the secretary of state, and who are each residents of a county different from the other, and those of the fifteen nominees opposing ratification whose nominating petitions were first filed with the secretary of state, and who are each residents of a county different from the other.

E. Within ten days after the petitions are filed, the secretary of state shall certify the candidates of each group to the board of supervisors of the respective counties.

F. The petitions shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than twenty days before the proclaimed date of the election.

§ 16-704 Ballots; form

A. The election shall be by ballot, separate from any other ballots to be used at the same election. The ballot shall contain a statement of the substance of the proposed amendment, appropriate instructions to the voters and perpendicular columns of equal width, headed respectively in plain type, "favors ratification" and "opposes ratification". In the column headed "favors ratification" shall be placed the names of the candidates who favor ratification. In the column headed "opposes ratification" shall be placed the names of the candidates who oppose ratification.

B. The voter shall indicate his choice by making one or more marks as defined in section 16-400 in the appropriate spaces provided on the ballot. The ballot shall be so arranged that the voter may, by making a single mark as defined in section 16-400, vote for the entire group of nominees whose names are comprised in any column.

C. The ballot shall be in substantially the following form:

Proposed amendment to the Constitution

of the United States.

The Congress has proposed an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which provides (insert here the substance of the proposed amendment).

The Congress has also proposed that the said amendment shall be ratified by conventions in the states.

Instructions to voters

Do not vote for more than fifteen (15) candidates.

To vote for all candidates who favor ratification, or for all candidates who oppose ratification, make a mark in the circle at the head of the list of candidates for whom you wish to vote. If you do this, make no other mark.

To vote for an individual candidate make a mark in the square at the left of the name.

Favors Opposes

Ratification Ratification

( ) ( )

[ ] John Doe [ ] Charles Coe

[ ] Richard Roe [ ] Michael Moe

[ ] [ ]

§ 16-705 Determination of delegates; vacancies; delegate bound to vote in accordance with pre-election statement; classification

A. The fifteen candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall be the delegates to the convention.

B. If there is a vacancy in the convention caused by the death or disability of a delegate, or any other cause, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the majority vote of the delegates comprising the group from which the delegate was elected, and if the convention contains no other delegate of that group, shall be filled by the governor.

C. Delegates elected upon a platform or nomination petition statement as favoring or opposing ratification shall vote at the convention in accordance with that platform or nomination petition statement, and upon an intentional failure to do so any such delegate is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, his vote shall not be considered, and his office shall be deemed vacant to be filled as provided by this article for filling vacancies.

§ 16-706 Meeting of delegates in convention

The delegates to the convention shall meet at the capitol on the twenty-eighth day after their election at ten o'clock a.m. and shall thereupon constitute a convention to consider and vote upon the question of whether or not the proposed amendment shall be ratified.

§ 16-707 Organization of convention

The convention shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its members and shall elect its president, secretary and other officers and adopt rules.

§ 16-708 Journal of proceedings

A. The convention shall keep a journal of its proceedings in which shall be recorded the vote of each delegate on the question of ratification of the proposed amendment.

B. Upon final adjournment the journal shall be filed with the secretary of state.

§ 16-709 Certificate of ratification

If the convention agrees by vote of a majority of the total number of delegates to ratification of the proposed amendment, a certificate to that effect shall be executed by the president and secretary of the convention and transmitted to the secretary of state of Arizona, who shall transmit the certificate under his hand and the great seal of the state to the secretary of state of the United States.

§ 16-710 Compensation and mileage of delegates

Delegates shall receive ten dollars each day they are assembled in convention and mileage one way from the place of their residence to the capitol by the shortest practical route at the rate of twenty cents per mile.

§ 16-711 Congressional provisions as superseding article

If at or about the time of submitting such amendment, Congress, either in the resolution submitting the amendment or by statute, prescribes the manner in which the conventions shall be constituted, and does not except from the provisions of the statute or resolution the states which theretofore have provided for constituting such conventions, this article shall be inoperative. The convention shall in such event be constituted and shall operate as the resolution or act of Congress directs, and all officers of the state who are by the resolution or statute authorized or directed to take any action to constitute a convention for this state are authorized and directed to act thereunder and in obedience thereto with the same force and effect as if acting under a statute of this state.

Chapter 5 Political Parties

Article 1 Representation on Ballot

§ 16-801 Representation of new party on ballot at primary and general elections

A. A new political party may become eligible for recognition and shall be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing regular primary election and accorded a column on the official ballot at the succeeding general election on filing with the secretary of state a petition signed by a number of qualified electors equal to not less than one and one-third per cent of the total votes cast for governor at the last preceding general election at which a governor was elected. From this number, at least five different counties shall be included as the county of registration among the required total of qualified electors and at least ten per cent of the required total of qualified electors shall be registered in counties with populations of less than five hundred thousand persons. The petition shall:

Be verified by the affidavit of ten qualified electors of the state, asking that the signers thereof be recognized as a new political party. The status as qualified electors of the signers of the affidavit shall be certified by the county recorder of the county in which they reside.
Be in substantially the form prescribed by section 16-315.
Be captioned "petition for political party recognition".

B. Notwithstanding any other law, on recognition as a political party that is represented by an official party ballot at the primary election and accorded a ballot column at the succeeding general election, a new political party is entitled to representation as a political party on the official ballot through the next two regularly scheduled general elections for federal office immediately following recognition of the political party. After these two regularly scheduled general elections for federal office, the political party is ineligible for further representation on the ballot unless it qualifies for continued representation on the ballot as prescribed in section 16-804 or it files a new petition for recognition as a new political party pursuant to this section and section 16-803.

§ 16-802 Representation of new party on ballot for county or municipal election

A new political party shall become eligible for recognition, shall be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing primary election of a county, city or town and shall be placed on the official ballot at the succeeding regular election on filing with the officer in charge of elections of the county or the city or town clerk, as the case may be, a petition signed by a number of qualified electors equal to not less than two percent of the votes cast for county attorney in the case of a county petition or for mayor in the case of a city or town petition. The county recorder or the city or town clerk, as applicable, shall review the petitions in the same manner prescribed by section 16-803, including the selection of a random sample of twenty percent of the total signatures eligible for verification, which shall be individually verified and certified, and shall perform a calculation and projection of the total number of valid signatures and make a determination whether the party shall be recognized as prescribed by section 16-803, subsection I.

§ 16-803 Filing petition for recognition; submission of petitions to county recorder for signature verification

A. A petition for recognition of a new political party shall be filed with the secretary of state, the officer in charge of elections of the county or the city or town clerk, as the case may be, not less than two hundred fifty days before the primary election for which the party seeks recognition. A new party that seeks both state and county recognition may file the original petition with the officer in charge of elections for the county and a certified copy of the petition with the secretary of state. Any signature sheet for a new party petition that contains one or more signatures that are collected more than twenty-four months before the primary election for which the party seeks recognition is null and void and the filing officer shall remove that signature sheet from the petition and may not accept that signature sheet for filing.

B. Within seven business days after receiving a petition for statewide recognition, the secretary of state shall:

Review each sheet to determine the county of the majority of the signers and shall:

(a) Place a three or four letter abbreviation designating that county in the upper right-hand corner of the face of the petition.

(b) Remove all signatures of those not in the county of the majority on each sheet by marking an "SS" in red ink in the margin to the right of the signature line.

Remove the following signatures that are not eligible for verification by marking an "SS" in red ink in the margin to the right of the signature line:

(a) If the signature of the qualified elector is missing.

(b) If the residence address or the description of residence location is missing.

After the removal of petition sheets and signatures, count the number of signatures for verification on the remaining petition sheets and note that number in the upper right-hand corner of the face of each petition sheet immediately above the county designation.
Number the remaining petition sheets that were not previously removed and that contain signatures eligible for verification in consecutive order on the front side of each petition sheet in the upper left-hand corner.
Count all remaining petition sheets and signatures not previously removed and issue a receipt to the applicant of this total number eligible for verification.

C. The secretary of state, during the same seven business day period provided in subsection B of this section, shall select, at random, twenty percent of the total signatures eligible for verification by the county recorders of the counties in which the persons signing the petition claim to be qualified electors. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature eligible for verification has an equal chance of being included in the sample. The random sample produced shall identify each signature selected by petition page and line number. The signatures selected shall be marked according to the following procedure:

Using red ink, mark the selected signature by circling the line number and drawing a line from the base of the circle extending into the left margin.
If a signature line selected for the random sample is found to be blank or was removed from the verification process pursuant to subsection B of this section, then the next line down, even if that requires going to the next petition sheet in sequence, on which an eligible signature appears shall be selected as a substitute if that line has not already been selected for the random sample. If the next eligible line is already being used in the random sample, the secretary of state shall proceed back up the page from the signature line originally selected for the random sample to the next previous signature line eligible for verification. If that line is already being used in the random sample, the secretary of state shall continue moving down the page or to the next page from the line originally selected for the random sample and shall select the next eligible signature as its substitute for the random sample. The secretary of state shall use this process of alternately moving forward and backward until a signature eligible for verification and not already included in the random sample can be selected and substituted.

D. After the selection of the random sample, the secretary of state shall reproduce a facsimile of the front of each signature sheet on which a signature included in the random sample appears. The secretary of state shall clearly identify those signatures marked for verification by color highlighting or other similar method and shall transmit by personal delivery or certified mail to each county recorder a facsimile sheet of each signature sheet on which a signature appears of any individual who claims to be a qualified elector of that county and whose signature was selected for verification as part of the random sample.

E. Within ten business days after receiving the facsimile signature sheets from the secretary of state, the county recorder shall determine which signatures of individuals whose names were transmitted shall be disqualified for any of the following reasons:

No residence address or description of residence location is provided.
No date of signing is provided.
The signature is illegible and the signer is otherwise unidentifiable.
The address provided is illegible or nonexistent.
The individual was not a qualified elector on the date of signing the petition.
The individual was a registered voter but was not at least eighteen years of age on the date of signing the petition or affidavit.
The signature was disqualified after comparison with the signature on the affidavit of registration.
If a petitioner signed more than once, all but one otherwise valid signature shall be disqualified.
For the same reasons any signatures could have been removed by the secretary of state pursuant to this section.

F. Within the same time period provided in subsection E of this section, the county recorder shall certify to the secretary of state the following:

The name of any individual whose signature was included in the random sample and disqualified by the county recorder together with the petition page and line number of the disqualified signature.
The total number of signatures selected for the random sample and transmitted to the county recorder for verification and the total number of random sample signatures disqualified.

G. At the time of the certification, the county recorder shall:

Return the facsimile signature sheets to the secretary of state.
Send notice of the results of the certification by mail to the person or organization that submitted the petitions and to the secretary of state.

H. Within seventy-two hours after receiving the facsimile signature sheets and the certification of each county recorder, the secretary of state shall determine the total number of valid signatures by subtracting from the total number of eligible signatures in the following order:

All signatures that were found ineligible by the county recorders.
After determining the percentage of all signatures found to be invalid in the random sample, a like percentage from those signatures remaining after the subtractions performed pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection.

I. If the number of valid signatures as projected from the random sample pursuant to subsection H of this section is at least one hundred percent of the minimum number required by this section, the party shall be recognized. If the number of valid signatures as projected from the random sample is less than one hundred percent of the minimum number, the party shall not be recognized.

§ 16-804 Continued representation on basis of votes cast at last preceding general election or registered electors

A. A political organization that at the last preceding general election cast for governor or presidential electors or for county attorney or for mayor, whichever applies, not less than five per cent of the total votes cast for governor or presidential electors, in the state or in such county, city or town, is entitled to representation as a political party on the official ballot for state officers or for officers of such county or local subdivision.

B. In lieu of subsection A, a political organization is entitled to continued representation as a political party on the official ballot for state, county, city or town officers if, on October 1 of the year immediately preceding the year in which the general election for state or county officers and for city or town officers one hundred fifty-five days immediately preceding the primary election in such jurisdiction, such party has registered electors in the party equal to at least two-thirds of one percent of the total registered electors in such jurisdiction.

C. The secretary of state shall determine the political parties qualified for continued representation on the state ballot pursuant to this section by December 1 of the appropriate year. Each county recorder shall furnish to the secretary of state such information as the secretary of state may require no later than October 31 of the preceding year.

D. Each county recorder shall determine the political parties qualified for the county ballot pursuant to this section by December 1 of the appropriate year.

E. Each city or town clerk of a city or town providing for partisan elections shall determine the political parties qualified for such city or town ballot pursuant to this section one hundred forty days before the primary election.

§ 16-805 Findings of fact and statement of public policy by the legislature of the state of Arizona concerning steps which must be taken to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens of this state and the safety of this state from international Communistic conspiracy

A. Upon evidence and proof which has been presented before this legislature, other state legislatures, the Congress of the United States and in the courts of the United States and in the courts of the several states; and although recognizing that the federal constitution vests the conduct of foreign relations in the federal government and the federal constitution guarantees to the several states a republican form of government and protection against foreign invasion and domestic violence, this state has the duty of self-preservation and the taking of necessary measures to cooperate with the federal government in the preservation of the peace and safety of the state of Arizona and in order to carry out article II, section 21 of the Arizona Constitution relating to free and equal elections and article VII, section 12 of the Arizona Constitution relating to the enactment of laws to secure the purity of elections; and in order to guard against the abuse of the elective franchise by the Communist Party of the United States which from time to time has qualified as a purported legitimate political party in the state of Arizona; and in order to secure to the citizens of this state their unalienable personal rights and liberty of conscience secured by the provisions of the Constitution of Arizona and in order to protect the peace and safety of the state of Arizona from the overthrow of its constitutional government by force or violence, and of its political subdivisions, the legislature of the state of Arizona finds and declares that, unlike other political parties which have evolved their policy and programs through public means, by the reconciliation of a wide variety of individual views, and submit those policies and programs to the electorate at large for approval or disapproval, the policies and programs of the Communist Party are prescribed for it by the foreign leaders of the world Communist movement.

B. The Communist Party members have no part in determining its goals and are not permitted to voice dissent to party objectives. Unlike members of political parties, members of the Communist Party are recruited for indoctrination with respect to its objectives and methods, and are organized, instructed and disciplined to carry into action slavishly the assignments given them by their hierarchical chieftains. Unlike legitimate political parties, the Communist Party acknowledges no constitutional or statutory limitations upon its conduct or upon that of its members. The Communist Party is relatively small numerically and gives scant indication of capacity ever to attain its ends by lawful political means. The peril inherent in its operation arises not from its numbers, but from its failure to acknowledge any limitation as to the nature of its activities, and its dedication to the proposition that the present constitutional government of the United States, the governments of the several states, and the government of the state of Arizona and its political subdivisions ultimately must be brought to ruin by any available means, including resort to force and violence.

C. The establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in any country results in the suppression of all opposition to the party in power, the subordination of the rights of individuals to the state, the denial of fundamental rights and liberties which are characteristic of a representative form of government, such as freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of religious worship, and said totalitarian dictatorship ruthlessly suppresses academic freedom and inquiry into any human knowledge except the official doctrines of the dictatorship. This results in the maintenance of control over the people through fear, terrorism and brutality.

D. It is the public policy of this state to protect the safety of the constitutional government of the state of Arizona by constitutional means and at the same time protect the rights of the members of our free society to speak, to assemble and to inquire, including the principle of academic freedom which by fostering healthy self-criticism is especially vital in the progress of man's moral values and in man's exploration of the secrets of the atom on this planet and in outer space. To protect the safety of this state and the right of free citizens in a free society to inquire and to understand totalitarianism, it is essential that the schools, colleges and universities teach objectively and critically the governmental and social forms of past and present totalitarian slave states, including the foreign languages spoken therein. The rights set forth in this subsection do not include the right to embrace Communism or to attempt to persuade others to embrace Communism.

E. The direction and control of the world Communist movement is vested in and exercised by the Communist dictatorship of a foreign country.

F. The Communist dictatorship of such foreign country, in exercising such direction and control and in furthering the purposes of the world Communist movement, establishes or causes the establishment of, and utilizes, in various countries, action organizations which are not free and independent organizations, but are sections of a worldwide Communist organization and are controlled, directed and subject to the discipline of the Communist dictatorship of such foreign country.

G. The Communist action organizations so established and utilized in various countries, acting under such control, direction and discipline, endeavor to carry out the objectives of the world Communist movement by bringing about the overthrow of existing governments by any available means, including force or violence if necessary, and setting up Communist totalitarian dictatorships which will be subservient to the most powerful existing Communist totalitarian dictatorship. Although such organizations usually designate themselves as political parties, they are in fact constituent elements of the worldwide Communist movement and promote the objectives of such movement by conspiratorial and coercive tactics, instead of through the democratic processes of a free elective system or through the freedom-preserving means employed by a legitimate political party which operates as an agency by which people govern themselves.

H. In the United States and in this state those individuals who knowingly and wilfully participate in the world Communist movement, when they so participate, in effect repudiate their allegiance to the United States and this state, and in effect transfer their allegiance to the foreign country in which is vested the direction and control of the world Communist movement.

I. The Communist movement in the several states is an organization numbering thousands of adherents, rigidly and ruthlessly disciplined. Awaiting and seeking to advance at a moment when the several states may be so far extended by foreign engagements, so far divided in counsel, or so far in industrial or financial straits, that overthrow of the government of the United States and of the several states by force or violence may seem possible of achievement, it seeks converts far and wide by an extensive system of schooling and indoctrination. Such preparations by Communist organizations in other countries, including the recent events in the neighboring country of Cuba, have aided in supplanting existing governments. The Communist organization in the United States and in the several states, pursuing its stated objectives, the recent successes of Communist methods in other countries and the nature and control of the world Communist movement itself, present a clear and present danger to the security of the government of the United States, the governments of the several states and the government of the state of Arizona, including its political subdivisions, that make it necessary that the state of Arizona enact appropriate legislation, recognizing the existence of such worldwide Communist conspiracy, and designed to prevent it from accomplishing its purposes in this state and its political subdivisions. Therefore, the Communist Party should not be permitted to avail itself of the privileges, rights and immunities conferred by law upon legitimate political parties.

§ 16-806 Proscription of Communist Party of United States, its successors, and subsidiary organizations

The Communist Party of the United States, or any successors of such party regardless of the assumed name, the object of which is to overthrow by force or violence the government of the United States, or the government of the state of Arizona, or its political subdivisions shall not be entitled to be recognized or certified as a political party under the laws of the state of Arizona and shall not be entitled to any of the privileges, rights or immunities attendant upon legal political bodies recognized under the laws of the state of Arizona, or any political subdivision thereof; whatever rights, privileges or immunities shall have heretofore been granted to said Communist Party of the United States as defined in this section, or to any of its subsidiary organizations, by reason of the laws of the state of Arizona, or of any political subdivision thereof, are hereby terminated and shall be void.

§ 16-807 Political parties trust fund

A. A political parties trust fund is established with the state treasurer as trustee and administrator. Monies in the fund consist of contributions from individuals pursuant to section 43-612 plus interest accruing to the fund.

B. Except as provided in subsections C and D of this section, on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 each year the state treasurer shall distribute the monies in the fund to the state committees of political parties according to the party designated on the contribution pursuant to section 43-612.

C. Before December 31 each year the department of revenue shall determine its costs in administering the political party income tax refund checkoff under section 43-612 and this section and notify the state treasurer of that amount. The state treasurer shall deduct, for deposit in the state general fund, this amount from monies otherwise distributable to political parties as follows:

Costs specifically attributable to initially listing a political party on the return form shall be deducted from the amount otherwise distributable to that political party.
All remaining administrative costs shall be divided and deducted equally from the amounts distributable to all political parties.

D. If an amount deducted under subsection C of this section for administrative costs exceeds the amount distributable to a political party, the excess deduction shall be carried forward as a liability of that party until paid. If the political party no longer qualifies to be listed on the income tax return form, any amount remaining unpaid under this subsection shall be included in the administrative costs deducted under subsection C, paragraph 2 of this section in the first year the party is not listed.

E. Monies contributed or accruing to the fund are not state revenues for purposes of any constitutional limitation or prohibition and are not subject to lapsing under section 35-190.

Article 2 Party Organization and Government

§ 16-821 County committee; vacancy in office of precinct committeeman

A. At the primary election the members of a political party entitled to representation pursuant to section 16-804 residing in each precinct shall choose one of their number as a county precinct committeeman, and the members shall choose one additional precinct committeeman for each one hundred twenty-five voters or major fraction thereof registered in the party in the precinct as reported pursuant to section 16-168, subsection G on January 2 of the year in which the general election is held. The whole number of precinct committeemen of a political party shall constitute the county committee of the party.

B. The board of supervisors upon the recommendation of the county chairman, or the recommendation of a committee designated in the bylaws of the county committee for that purpose, shall determine when a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman. If a vacancy exists, the vacancy shall be filled by the board of supervisors from a list of names submitted by the county chairman of the appropriate political party. Only a precinct committeeman elected at the primary election prior to the date of a state or county committee organizing meeting shall be permitted to vote at such meeting. The criteria used to establish when a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman shall be as established in section 38-291.

§ 16-822 Precinct committeemen; eligibility; vacancy; duties; term

A. Any member of a recognized political party who is a registered voter in the precinct is eligible to seek the office of precinct committeeman of that party in that precinct.

B. If the number of persons who file nominating petitions for an election to fill precinct committeeman positions is less than or equal to the number of precinct committeeman positions, the county board of supervisors may cancel the election for those positions not sooner than one hundred five days before the election and appoint the person who filed the nominating petition to fill the position. If no person has filed a nominating petition to fill a position, the position is deemed vacant and shall be filled as otherwise provided by law. A precinct committeeman who is appointed pursuant to this subsection after filing a nominating petition shall be deemed an elected precinct committeeman.

C. If the number of persons who file nominating petitions for an election to fill precinct committeeman positions is more than the number of precinct committeeman positions for a recognized political party in a precinct, an additional ballot style shall be prepared for the political party in that precinct, which shall include the office of precinct committeeman. Only persons who are registered as members of that political party in that precinct may vote that precinct committeeman ballot style.

D. In addition to other provisions of law regarding removal from office, a vacancy shall exist in the office of precinct committeeman when the precinct committeeman moves from the precinct from which elected or changes political party from the party in which the precinct committeeman was elected.

E. The minimum duties of a precinct committeeman shall be to assist the precinct committeeman's political party in voter registration and to assist the voters of that political party to vote on election days. Additional duties shall be as provided for in the state committee bylaws of the precinct committeeman's political party.

F. The term of office of a precinct committeeman is two years and begins on October 1 after the primary election at which the precinct committeeman was a candidate and continues until October 1 after the following primary election at which a precinct committeeman is elected.

§ 16-823 Legislative district committee; organization; boundary change; reorganization

A. A political party entitled to representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-801 or 16-804 may establish a district party committee for any legislative district as prescribed by law.

B. A district party committee established pursuant to subsection A of this section shall consist of the precinct committeemen residing in the district and elected pursuant to section 16-821.

C. Each district party committee established pursuant to subsection A of this section shall meet no earlier than the second Saturday after the general election provided for in section 16-211 and no later than the first Saturday in the following December and organize by electing from its membership a chairman, two vice chairmen, a secretary and a treasurer. The latter two offices may be filled by the same person. In addition, the district party committee shall elect state committeemen as prescribed by section 16-825. The chairman of the district committee is ex officio a member of the county committee of the county in which a plurality of the district's registered voters resides.

D. Each district party committee established pursuant to subsection A of this section shall meet after the effective date of reapportionment legislation that realigns or changes legislative district boundaries and organize according to the new boundaries, electing from its membership a chairman, two vice chairmen, a secretary and a treasurer. The latter two offices may be filled by the same person. In addition, the district party committee shall elect state committeemen as prescribed by section 16-825. The chairman of the district committee is ex officio a member of the county committee of the county in which a plurality of the district's registered voters resides. The effective date for reapportionment legislation as provided in this subsection shall be as provided in article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona.

E. In the event the reapportionment legislation is challenged in court or by the United States justice department, the district organizations in effect before the passage of the reapportionment legislation shall continue to function along with the new district organizations created in accordance with subsection D of this section until the final settlement or adjudication of any legal challenge to the reapportionment legislation. On the final settlement or adjudication of any legal challenge to the reapportionment legislation the district organizations in effect before the enactment of the reapportionment legislation are considered dissolved.

F. If the boundaries of any district are changed as a result of legal action, each district party committee in that district shall meet as soon as possible and organize according to the boundaries that result from the legal action. On organization pursuant to this subsection all prior district organizations are dissolved.

G. For the purposes of the election prescribed in subsection D of this section the district committee shall consist of all precinct committeemen residing in the district who were serving in that position at least thirty days before the enactment of reapportionment legislation.

H. The chairman of the legislative district committee shall give notice of the time and place of the meetings prescribed by this section by United States mail to each precinct committeeman at least ten days before the date of the meeting. If the precinct committeeman has provided a valid e-mail address and has authorized the chairman to give notice to the precinct committeeman by e-mail instead of by United States mail, the chairman of the legislative district committee shall provide notice of the meeting by e-mail at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

§ 16-824 Meeting, organization and officers of county committee

A. The county committee shall meet for the purpose of organizing no earlier than ten days after the last organizing meeting of the legislative districts that are part of the county, and in any event no later than the second Saturday in January of the year following a general election. The county committee shall elect from its membership a chairman, a first vice chairman, a second vice chairman, a secretary and a treasurer. The latter two offices may be filled by the same person. In addition, and if there is no legislative district committee for a district in that county, the county committee shall elect state committeemen as prescribed by section 16-825. The chairman of the county committee shall be ex officio a member of the state committee.

B. The chairman of the county committee shall give notice of the time and place of the meeting by United States mail to each precinct committeeman at least ten days before the date of the meeting. If the precinct committeeman has provided a valid e-mail address and has authorized the chairman to give notice to the precinct committeeman by e-mail instead of by United States mail, the chairman of the county committee shall provide notice of the meeting by e-mail at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

§ 16-825 State committee

The state committee of each party shall consist, in addition to the chairman of the several county committees, of one member of the county committee for every three members of the county committee elected pursuant to section 16-821. The state committeemen shall be chosen at the first meeting of the legislative district committee as prescribed by section 16-823 or, if there is no legislative district committee, at the first meeting of the county committee from the committee's elected membership.

§ 16-825.01 State committee; vacancy; filling of vacancy

A. In counties with populations of less than five hundred thousand persons, a vacancy shall exist in the state committee when a member moves from the county from which elected. In counties with populations of five hundred thousand or more persons, a vacancy shall exist in the state committee when a member moves from the legislative district from which elected. All members must be a member of their county committee.

B. In the event of a vacancy in the office of state committeeman, in counties with populations of less than five hundred thousand persons, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment made by the state chairman with the advice and consent of the county chairman of the county in which the vacancy occurred. In counties with populations of five hundred thousand or more persons, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment made by the state chairman with the advice and consent of the county chairman of the county in which the vacancy occurred and the district chairman of the district in which the vacancy occurred, and shall be filled by a person who resides in the same district in which the vacancy occurred.

§ 16-826 Meeting, organization and officers of state committee

A. The state committee shall meet no earlier than ten days after the last county meeting of the party and in any event no later than the fourth Saturday in January following a general election and organize by electing from its membership a chairman, a secretary and a treasurer.

B. The chairman of the state committee shall cause notice of the time and place of the meeting to be mailed by United States mail to each state committeeman at least ten days before the date of the meeting. If the state committeeman has provided a valid e-mail address and has authorized the chairman to give notice to the precinct committeeman by e-mail instead of by United States mail, the chairman of the state committee shall provide notice of the meeting by e-mail at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

§ 16-827 Executive committee of state committee

The executive committee of the state committee shall consist of the elected officers of the state committee, the national committeeman and committeewoman, the county chairman and first and second county vice-chairmen from each county, and three members at large from each congressional district. State committee bylaws may provide for additional voting or ex officio members of the executive committee of the state committee. The chairman of the state committee shall be ex officio chairman of the executive committee.

§ 16-828 Proxies

A. A political party may choose, through its bylaws, to allow the use of proxies at its meetings, in which event the following shall be minimum regulations:

No proxy shall be given by a member of the state committee for use at a meeting of the committee except to a qualified elector of the county where the member resides.
No proxy shall be given by a member of the county committee for use at a meeting of the committee except to a qualified elector of the precinct where the member resides.

B. The duration of any proxy so given shall extend only for the length of the meeting for which it is given.

C. Every proxy shall be attested by a notary public or two witnesses.

Chapter 6 Campaign Contributions and Expenses

Article 1 General Provisions

§ 16-901 Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Advertisement" means information or materials, other than nonpaid social media messages, that are mailed, e-mailed, posted, distributed, published, displayed, delivered, broadcasted or placed in a communication medium and that are for the purpose of influencing an election.
"Affiliate" means any organization that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a corporation, limited liability company or labor organization.
"Agent" means any person who has actual authority, either express or implied, to represent or make decisions on behalf of another person.
"Ballot measure expenditure" means an expenditure made by a person that expressly advocates the support or opposition of a clearly identified ballot measure.
"Best effort" means that a committee treasurer or treasurer's agent makes at least one written effort, including an attempt by e-mail, text message, private message through social media or other similar communication, or at least one oral effort that is documented in writing to identify the contributor of an incomplete contribution.
"Calendar quarter" means a period of three consecutive calendar months ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31.
"Candidate" means an individual who receives contributions or makes expenditures or who gives consent to another person to receive contributions or make expenditures on behalf of that individual in connection with the candidate's nomination, election or retention for any public office.
"Candidate committee" includes the candidate.
"Clearly identified candidate" means that the name or a description, image, photograph or drawing of the candidate appears or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
"Committee" means a candidate committee, a political action committee or a political party.
"Contribution" means any money, advance, deposit or other thing of value that is made to a person for the purpose of influencing an election. Contribution includes:

(a) A contribution that is made to retire campaign debt from a previous election cycle.

(b) Money or the fair market value of anything that is directly or indirectly provided to an elected official for the specific purpose of defraying the expense of communications with constituents.

(d) A loan that is made to a committee for the purpose of influencing an election, to the extent the loan remains outstanding.

"Control" means to possess, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or to cause the direction of the management or policies of another organization, whether through voting power, ownership, contract or otherwise.
"Coordinate", "coordinated" or "coordination" means the coordination of an expenditure as prescribed by section 16-922.
"Coordinated party expenditures" means expenditures that are made by a political party to directly pay for goods or services on behalf of its nominee.
"District office" means an elected office established or organized pursuant to title 15 or 48.
"Earmarked" means a designation, instruction or encumbrance between the transferor of a contribution and a transferee that requires the transferee to make a contribution to a clearly identified candidate.
"Election" means any election for any ballot measure in this state or any candidate election during a primary, general, recall, special or runoff election for any office in this state other than a federal office and a political party office prescribed by chapter 5, article 2 of this title.
"Election cycle" means the two-year period beginning on January 1 in the year after a statewide general election and ending on December 31 in the year of a statewide general election or, for cities and towns, the two-year period beginning on the first day of the calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's second, runoff or general election is scheduled and ending on the last day of the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's immediately following second, runoff or general election is scheduled, however that election is designated by the city or town. For the purposes of a:

(a) Recall election, "election cycle" means the period between issuance of a recall petition serial number and the latest of the following:

(i) The date of the recall election that is called pursuant to section 19-209.

(ii) The date that a resignation is accepted pursuant to section 19-208.

(iii) The date that the receiving officer provides notice pursuant to section 19-208.01 that the number of signatures is insufficient.

(b) Special election, "election cycle" means the period between the date of issuance of a proclamation or order calling the special election and the last day of the calendar quarter in which the special election is held.

"Employee" means an individual who is entitled to compensation for labor or services performed for the individual's employer.
"Employer" means any person that pays compensation to and directs the labor or services of any individual in the course of employment.
"Enforcement officer" means the attorney general or the county, city or town attorney with authority to collect fines or issue penalties with respect to a given election pursuant to section 16-938.
"Entity" means a corporation, limited liability company, labor organization, partnership, trust, association, organization, joint venture, cooperative, unincorporated organization or association or other organized group that consists of more than one individual.
"Excess contribution" means a contribution that exceeds the applicable contribution limits for a particular election.
"Exclusive insurance contract" means an insurance producer's contract with an insurer that does either of the following:

(a) Prohibits the producer from soliciting insurance business for any other insurer.

(b) Requires a right of first refusal on all lines of insurance business written by the insurer and solicited by the producer.

"Expenditure" means any purchase, payment or other thing of value that is made by a person for the purpose of influencing an election.
"Family contribution" means any contribution that is provided to a candidate's committee by the parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, child or sibling of the candidate or the candidate's spouse, including the spouse of any of the listed family members, regardless of whether the relation is established by marriage or adoption.
"Filing officer" means the secretary of state or the county, city or town officer in charge of elections for that jurisdiction who accepts statements and reports for those elections pursuant to section 16-928.
"Firewall" means a written policy that precludes one person from sharing information with another person.
"Identification" or "identify" means:

(a) For an individual, the individual's first and last name, residence location or street address and occupation and the name of the individual's primary employer.

(b) For any other person, the person's full name and physical location or street address.

"Incomplete contribution" means any contribution that is received by a committee for which the contributor's complete identification has not been obtained.
"Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person, other than a candidate committee, that complies with both of the following:

(a) Expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.

(b) Is not made in cooperation or consultation with or at the request or suggestion of the candidate or the candidate's agent.

"In-kind contribution" means a contribution of goods, services or anything of value that is provided without charge or at less than the usual and normal charge.
"Insurance producer" means a person that:

(a) Is required to be licensed to sell, solicit or negotiate insurance.

(b) Has an exclusive insurance contract with an insurer.

"Itemized" means that each contribution received or expenditure made is set forth separately.
"Labor organization" means any employee representation organization that exists for the purpose of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment or other conditions of employment.
"Legislative office" means the office of representative in the state house of representatives or senator in the state senate.
"Mega PAC status" means official recognition that a political action committee has received contributions from five hundred or more individuals in amounts of ten dollars or more in the four-year period immediately before application to the secretary of state.
"Nominee" means a candidate who prevails in a primary election for partisan office and includes the nominee's candidate committee.
"Person" means an individual or a candidate, nominee, committee, corporation, limited liability company, labor organization, partnership, trust, association, organization, joint venture, cooperative or unincorporated organization or association.
"Personal monies" means any of the following:

(a) Assets to which the individual or individual's spouse has either legal title or an equitable interest.

(b) Salary and other earned income from bona fide employment of the individual or individual's spouse.

(d) Bequests to the individual or individual's spouse.

(e) Income to the individual or individual's spouse from revocable trusts for which the individual or individual's spouse is a beneficiary.

(f) Gifts of a personal nature to the individual or individual's spouse that would have been given regardless of whether the individual became a candidate or accepted a contribution.

(g) The proceeds of loans obtained by the individual or individual's spouse that are secured by collateral or security provided by the individual or individual's spouse.

(h) Family contributions.

"Political action committee" means an entity that is required to register as a political action committee pursuant to section 16-905.
"Political party" means a committee that meets the requirements for recognition as a political party pursuant to chapter 5 of this title.
"Primary purpose" means an entity's predominant purpose. Notwithstanding any other law or rule, an entity is not organized for the primary purpose of influencing an election if all of the following apply at the time the contribution or expenditure is made:

(a) The entity has tax exempt status under section 501(a) of the internal revenue code.

(b) Except for a religious organization, assembly or institution, the entity has properly filed a form 1023 or form 1024 with the internal revenue service or the equivalent successor form designated by the internal revenue service.

(d) The entity has properly filed a form 990 with the internal revenue service or the equivalent successor form designated by the internal revenue service in compliance with the most recent filing deadline established by internal revenue service regulations or policies.

"Retention" means the election process by which a superior court judge, appellate court judge or supreme court justice is retained in office as prescribed by article VI, section 38 or 40, Constitution of Arizona.
"Separate segregated fund" means a fund established by a corporation, limited liability company, labor organization or partnership that is required to register as a political action committee.
"Social media messages" means forms of communication, including internet sites for social networking or blogging, through which users create a personal profile and participate in online communities to share information, ideas and personal messages.
"Sponsor" means any person that establishes, administers or contributes financial support to the administration of a political action committee or that has common or overlapping membership or officers with that political action committee.
"Standing committee" means a political action committee or political party that is active in more than one reporting jurisdiction in this state and that files a statement of organization in a format prescribed by the secretary of state.
"Statewide office" means the office of governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, corporation commissioner or mine inspector.
"Surplus monies" means those monies of a terminating committee that remain after all of the committee's expenditures have been made, all debts have been extinguished and the committee ceases accepting contributions.

§ 16-901.01 Limitations on certain unreported expenditures and contributions

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. For the purposes of this chapter, "expressly advocates" means:

Conveying a communication containing a phrase such as "vote for," "elect," " reelect," "support," "endorse," "cast your ballot for," "(name of candidate) in (year)," "(name of candidate) for (office)," "vote against," "defeat," "reject" or a campaign slogan or words that in context can have no reasonable meaning other than to advocate the election or defeat of one or more clearly identified candidates.
Making a general public communication, such as in a broadcast medium, newspaper, magazine, billboard or direct mailer referring to one or more clearly identified candidates and targeted to the electorate of that candidate(s) that in context can have no reasonable meaning other than to advocate the election or defeat of the candidate(s), as evidenced by factors such as the presentation of the candidate(s) in a favorable or unfavorable light, the targeting, placement or timing of the communication or the inclusion of statements of the candidate(s) or opponents.

B. A communication within the scope of subsection A, paragraph 2 shall not be considered as one that expressly advocates merely because it presents information about the voting record or position on a campaign issue of three or more candidates, so long as it is not made in coordination with a candidate, political party, agent of the candidate or party or a person who is coordinating with a candidate or candidate's agent.

Article 1.1 Establishment of Committee

§ 16-905 Committee qualification; requirements; exemption; adjustments

A. A candidate for election or retention shall register as a candidate committee if the candidate receives contributions or makes expenditures, in any combination, of at least one thousand dollars in connection with that candidacy.

B. For city and town elections, a candidate for election or retention shall register as a candidate committee if the candidate receives contributions or makes expenditures, in any combination, of at least five hundred dollars in connection with that candidacy.

C. An entity shall register as a political action committee if both of the following apply:

The entity is organized for the primary purpose of influencing the result of an election.
The entity knowingly receives contributions or makes expenditures, in any combination, of at least one thousand dollars in connection with any election during a calendar year.

D. A filing officer or enforcement officer shall make a rebuttable presumption that an entity is organized for the primary purpose of influencing the result of an election if the entity meets any of the following:

Except for a religious organization, assembly or institution, claims tax exempt status but had not filed form 1023 or form 1024 with the internal revenue service, or the equivalent successor form designated by the internal revenue service, before making a contribution or expenditure.
Made a contribution or expenditure and at that time had its tax exempt status revoked by the internal revenue service.
Made a contribution or expenditure and at that time failed to file form 990 with the internal revenue service, or the equivalent successor form designated by the internal revenue service, if required by law.

E. Except as prescribed in subsections B and C of this section and section 16-938, a filing officer, enforcement officer or other officer of a city, town, county or other political subdivision of this state may not require an entity that claims tax exempt status under section 501(a) of the internal revenue code and that remains in good standing with the internal revenue service to do any of the following:

Register or file as a political action committee.
Report or otherwise disclose personally identifying information relating to individuals who have made contributions to that entity.
Disclose its schedule B, form 990.
Submit to an audit or subpoena or produce evidence regarding a potential campaign finance violation.

F. A fund that is established by a corporation, limited liability company, labor organization or partnership for the purpose of influencing the result of an election shall register as a political action committee.

G. An entity may register as a political party committee only as prescribed in chapter 5 of this title.

H. A committee is not subject to state income tax and is not required to file a state income tax return.

I. The dollar amounts prescribed by subsections A and C of this section shall be increased every two years pursuant to section 16-931.

§ 16-906 Committee statement of organization; amendment; committee limitation

A. A committee shall file a statement of organization with the filing officer within ten days after qualifying as a committee.

B. A statement of organization shall include the following committee information:

The committee name, mailing address, e-mail address, website, if any, and telephone number, if any, and the type of committee. The committee name shall include:

(a) For a candidate committee, the candidate's first or last name and, if the candidate has a candidate committee open for more than one office, the office sought.

(b) For a political action committee that is sponsored, the sponsor's name or commonly known nickname.

The name, mailing address, e-mail address, website, if any, and telephone number of any sponsor.
The name, physical location or street address, e-mail address, telephone number, occupation and employer of the committee's chairperson and treasurer. For a candidate committee, the candidate may serve as both chairperson and treasurer.
For a candidate committee for a partisan office, the candidate's party affiliation.
A listing of all banks or other financial institutions used by the committee.
A statement that the committee chairperson and committee treasurer have read the filing officer's campaign finance and reporting guide, agree to comply with this article and articles 1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7 of this chapter, and agree to accept all notifications and service of process via the e-mail address provided by the committee.

C. A committee shall file an amended statement of organization within ten days after any change in committee information.

D. On filing a statement of organization, the filing officer shall issue an identification number to the committee.

E. A standing committee shall file a statement of organization with the secretary of state and a copy of the statement in each jurisdiction in which the committee is active. Only the secretary of state shall issue an identification number.

F. A candidate may have only one committee in existence for the same office during the same election cycle.

G. On filing a statement of organization, a political action committee or political party may perform any lawful activity, including making contributions, making expenditures or conducting issue advocacy, without establishing a separate committee for each activity or specifying each activity in its statement of organization.

§ 16-907 Committee recordkeeping; treasurer; accounts

A. A committee treasurer is the custodian of the committee's books and accounts. A committee may not make a contribution, expenditure or disbursement without the authorization of the treasurer or the treasurer's designated agent.

B. All committee monies shall be deposited in one or more bank accounts held by the financial institutions listed in the committee's statement of organization. Committee bank accounts shall be segregated as follows:

Committee monies shall be segregated in different bank accounts from personal monies.
Contributions from individuals, partnerships, candidate committees, political action committees or political parties shall be segregated in different bank accounts from contributions from other donors.
Contributions to a political party to defray operating expenses or support party-building activities shall be segregated in different bank accounts from contributions used to support candidates.
For a committee that is a political party, the committee may commingle monies from any source in a single bank account if the account is maintained as prescribed in 11 Code of Federal Regulations section 106.7.
For contributions intended to influence a recall election, the committee shall segregate those contributions into bank accounts that are different from those intended to influence any other election and those recall contributions may not be used to influence any other election.

C. A committee shall exercise its best effort to obtain the required information for any incomplete contribution received that is required to be itemized and reported. The committee shall clearly ask for identification and inform the contributor that the committee is required by law to seek identification. Notwithstanding section 16-901, paragraph 29, subdivision (a), a person whose residential address is protected from public disclosure pursuant to section 16-153 is not required to disclose the person's residential address and shall instead provide an alternate mailing address. The committee shall report in an amended report any contributor identification obtained after the contribution has been disclosed on a campaign finance report.

D. A committee shall keep records of the following:

All contributions made or received by the committee.
The identification of any contributor that contributes in the aggregate at least $50 to the committee during the election cycle, the date and amount of each contribution and the date of deposit into the committee's account.
Cumulative totals contributed by each contributor during the election cycle.
The name and address of every person that receives a contribution, expenditure or disbursement from the committee, including the date and amount, and, for any expenditure or disbursement, the purpose of the expenditure or disbursement.

E. A committee may accept a cash contribution.

F. A committee may accept a contribution by written or electronic instrument, including a check, credit card, payroll deduction, online payment or electronic transfer, if the contributor is an account holder of the instrument. Unless designated as a joint contribution, a contribution shall be attributed to the account holder that signs the instrument or authorizes the transaction.

G. A committee shall preserve all records required to be kept by this section for two years following the end of the election cycle.

H. On request of the filing officer or enforcement officer, a committee that has filed a statement of organization shall produce any of the records required to be kept pursuant to this section to the filing officer or enforcement officer.

I. A person that qualifies as a committee as prescribed by section 16-905 shall report all contributions, expenditures and disbursements that occurred before qualifying as a committee and shall maintain and produce records as prescribed by this section.

§ 16-908 Mega PAC status qualification

A. A political action committee may apply to the secretary of state for mega PAC status.

B. A political action committee qualifies for mega PAC status if it receives at least ten dollars in contributions from at least five hundred individuals in the four-year period immediately before application to the secretary of state.

C. If the applicant demonstrates it has met the requirements for mega PAC status, the secretary of state shall provide written certification to the political action committee of its mega PAC status, which status is valid for four years.

Article 1.2 Contributions

§ 16-911 Exemption from definition of contribution

A. A person may make any contribution not otherwise prohibited by law.

B. The following are not contributions:

The value of an individual's volunteer services or expenses that are provided without compensation or reimbursement, including the individual's:

(a) Travel expenses.

(b) Use of real or personal property.

(d) Use of e-mail, internet activity or social media messages, only if the individual's use is not paid for by the individual or any other person and if the e-mails, social media messages or other internet activities do not contain or include transmittal of a paid advertisement or paid fund-raising solicitation.

The costs incurred for covering or carrying a news story, commentary or editorial by a broadcasting station or cable television operator, video service provider, an internet website, a newspaper or another periodical publication, including an internet-based or electronic publication, if the cost for the news story, commentary or editorial is not paid for by and the medium is not owned or under the control of a candidate or committee.
Any payment to defray the expense of an elected official meeting with constituents or attending an informational tour, conference, seminar or presentation, if the payor or the elected official does not attempt to influence the result of an election and the payment is reported if required pursuant to title 38, chapter 3.1 or title 41, chapter 7, article 8.1, or both.
The payment by a political party to support its nominee, including:

(a) The printing or distribution of, or postage expenses for, voter guides, sample ballots, pins, bumper stickers, handbills, brochures, posters, yard signs and other similar materials distributed through the party.

(b) Coordinated party expenditures.

The payment by any person to defray a political party's operating expenses or party-building activities, including:

(a) Party staff and personnel.

(b) Studies and reports.

(d) Party conventions and party meetings.

(e) Construction, purchase or lease of party buildings or facilities.

The value of any of the following to a committee:

(a) Interest earned on the committee's deposits or investments.

(b) Transfers between committees to reimburse expenses and distribute monies raised through a joint fund-raising effort, if the transfers comply with an agreement to reimburse and distribute monies that was executed before the joint fund-raising effort occurred.

(d) An extension of credit for goods and services on a committee's behalf by a creditor if the terms are substantially similar to extensions of credit to nonpolitical debtors that are of similar risk and size of obligation. The creditor must make a commercially reasonable attempt to collect the debt, except that if an extension of credit remains unsatisfied by the committee after six months the committee is deemed to have received a contribution but the creditor is not deemed to have made a contribution.

The value of nonpartisan communications that are intended to encourage voter registration and turnout efforts.
Any payment to a filing officer for arguments in a publicity pamphlet.
The payment by any sponsor or its affiliate for the costs of establishing, administering and soliciting contributions from its employees, members, executives, stockholders and retirees and their families to the sponsor's separate segregated fund.
Any payment by any entity for the costs of communicating with its employees, members, executives, stockholders and retirees and their families about any subject, without regard to whether those communications are made in coordination with any candidate or candidate's agent.
The value of allowing a candidate or a committee's representative to appear at any private residence or at the facilities of any entity to speak about the candidate's campaign or about a ballot measure, if the venue is furnished by the venue's owner, is not paid for by a third party and is not a sports stadium, coliseum, convention center, hotel ballroom, concert hall or other similar arena that is generally open to the public.
The costs of hosting a debate or candidates' forum, if at least two opposing candidates, with respect to any given office sought, or representatives of at least two opposing ballot measure campaigns, with respect to any measure on the ballot, are invited with the same or similar advance notice and method of invitation.
The preparation and distribution of voter guides, subject to the following:

(a) A featured candidate or ballot measure shall not receive greater prominence or substantially more space in the voter guide than any other candidate or ballot measure.

(b) The voter guide shall not include any message that constitutes express advocacy.

Monies that are loaned by a financial institution in the ordinary course of business and not for the purpose of influencing the results of an election, except that the loan is deemed a pro rata contribution by any endorser or guarantor, other than the candidate's spouse.
The costs of publishing a book or producing a documentary, if the publication and production are for distribution to the general public through traditional distribution mechanisms or a fee is obtained for the purchase of the publication or viewing of the documentary.

C. This section does not imply that any transactions that are not specifically listed in subsection B of this section are contributions unless those transactions otherwise meet the definition of contribution as defined in section 16-901.

§ 16-912 Individual contribution limits; requirements

A. An individual may not contribute more than the following amounts per election cycle:

Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for city, town, county or district office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for legislative office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for statewide office.

B. An individual may make unlimited contributions to persons other than candidate committees.

C. An individual may only make contributions using personal monies, except that a contribution from an unemancipated minor child shall be treated as a contribution by the child's custodial parent or parents.

§ 16-913 Candidate committee contribution limits; requirements

A. A candidate committee shall not make contributions to a candidate committee for another candidate.

B. A candidate committee may transfer unlimited contributions to any one or more other candidate committees for that same candidate under the following conditions:

A candidate committee for a city or town candidate shall not transfer contributions to that same candidate's committee for a statewide or legislative office.
If a candidate committee for a city or town office transfers contributions to a candidate committee for a county office for that same candidate, the candidate committee for the county office shall not transfer contributions to a statewide or legislative candidate committee for that same candidate during the twenty-four months immediately following that transfer of contributions to the county candidate committee.
Contributions originally made to the transferring candidate committee are deemed to be contributions to the receiving candidate committee. On transfer, an individual's aggregate contributions to both candidate committees during the election cycle shall not exceed the individual's contribution limit for that candidate.

C. A candidate committee shall not knowingly accept contributions in excess of the contribution limits prescribed by law. A candidate committee that unknowingly accepts an excess contribution shall refund or reattribute any excess contribution within sixty days after receipt of the contribution. A candidate committee may reattribute an excess contribution only if both of the following apply:

The excess contribution was received from an individual contributor.
The individual contributor authorizes the candidate committee to reattribute the excess amount to another individual who was identified as a joint account holder in the original instrument used to make the excess contribution.

D. A candidate committee may accept contributions only from an individual, a partnership, a candidate committee, a political action committee or a political party.

E. A candidate committee may make unlimited contributions to a person other than a candidate's committee.

F. A candidate may contribute unlimited personal monies to the candidate's own candidate committee.

§ 16-914 Political action committee contribution limits; requirements

A. A political action committee without mega PAC status may not contribute more than the following amounts per election cycle:

Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for city, town, county or district office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for legislative office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for statewide office.

B. A political action committee with mega PAC status may contribute twice the amounts prescribed in subsection A of this section per election cycle if the political action committee provides the recipient candidate committee a copy of the political action committee's certification of mega PAC status.

C. A political action committee may only contribute to a candidate committee using monies contributed by an individual, a partnership, a candidate committee, a political action committee or a political party.

D. A political action committee may make unlimited contributions to persons other than candidate committees.

§ 16-915 Political party contribution limits; requirements

A. A political party may not contribute more than the following amounts per election cycle:

Ten thousand dollars to the party's nominee for a city, town, county or district office.
Ten thousand dollars to the party's nominee for legislative office.
One hundred thousand dollars to the party's nominee for statewide office.

B. A political party may only contribute to nominees using monies contributed by an individual, a partnership, a candidate committee, a political action committee or a political party.

C. A political party shall not contribute to candidate committees other than nominees.

D. A political party may make unlimited contributions to persons other than candidate committees and nominees.

§ 16-916 Corporation, limited liability company and labor organization contributions; separate segregated fund; limits; requirements

A. A corporation, limited liability company or labor organization shall not make contributions to a candidate committee.

B. A corporation, limited liability company or labor organization may make unlimited contributions to persons other than candidate committees.

C. A corporation, limited liability company or labor organization may sponsor a separate segregated fund. Employees, members, executives, stockholders and retirees and their families of a corporation, limited liability company or labor organization and any subsidiary or affiliate of a corporation, limited liability company or labor organization may make contributions to the separate segregated fund, subject to the following:

The separate segregated fund must register as a political action committee.
The sponsor or its affiliate may pay the administrative, personnel and fund-raising expenses of its separate segregated fund, which shall not be deemed contributions to the fund.
The sponsor or its separate segregated fund may solicit contributions from the sponsor's, sponsor's affiliates' or sponsor's subsidiaries' employees, members, executives, stockholders and retirees and their families. The following additional restrictions apply:

(a) With respect to an insurer, an insurer or its separate segregated fund may also solicit contributions from an insurance producer's employees, members, executives, stockholders and retirees and their families.

(b) With respect to a trade association or membership organization, the association or organization may solicit contributions from its members' employees, executives, stockholders, subsidiaries and retirees and their families.

A sponsor or its affiliate or a trade association or membership organization may facilitate the making of contributions to its separate segregated fund by establishing a payroll deduction system or other similar payment transfer method.
A sponsor, trade association, membership organization or separate segregated fund may rely on the federal election commission's written guidance interpreting 52 United States Code section 30118(b) and rules adopted under that section when interpreting this subsection, if otherwise consistent with this article and articles 1, 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7 of this chapter.

§ 16-917 Partnership contribution limits; requirements

A. A partnership may not contribute more than the following amounts per election cycle:

Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for city, town, county or district office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for legislative office.
Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars to a candidate committee for statewide office.

B. A partnership may make unlimited contributions to persons other than candidate committees.

C. Partnership contributions are subject to the following:

Partnership contributions shall be attributed to each contributing partner as designated by the partnership. The partnership shall provide the recipient committee written notice identifying the contributing partners and the amount attributed to each.
Partnership contributions shall count against both the partnership's and the individual partners' contribution limits to a recipient. The portion attributed to each partner shall be aggregated with the individual partner's nonpartnership contributions to that recipient and shall not exceed the individual partner's contribution limit.
The partnership shall not attribute any contribution to a partner that is a corporation, limited liability company or labor organization.
Partnership contributions need not be accompanied by the signature of each contributing partner.

D. A partnership may establish a separate segregated fund as prescribed in section 16-916.

§ 16-918 Earmarking prohibited

A contributor shall not give and a committee shall not accept a contribution that has been earmarked for a candidate.

Article 1.3 Expenditures

§ 16-921 Exemptions from definition of expenditure

A. A person may make any expenditure not otherwise prohibited by law.

B. The following are not expenditures:

The value of an individual's volunteer services or expenses that are provided without compensation or reimbursement, including the individual's:

(a) Travel expenses.

(b) Use of real or personal property.

The value of any news story, commentary or editorial by any broadcasting station, cable television operator, video service provider, programmer or producer, newspaper, magazine, website or other periodical publication that is not owned or operated by a candidate, a candidate's spouse or any committee.
The payment by any person to defray a political party's operating expenses or party-building activities, including:

(a) Party staff and personnel.

(b) Studies and reports.

(d) Party conventions and party meetings.

(e) Construction, purchase or lease of party buildings or facilities.

The value of any of the following to a committee:

(a) Interest earned on the committee's deposits or investments.

(b) Transfers between committees to reimburse expenses and distribute monies raised through a joint fund-raising effort, except that contributions shall be allocated as described in the fund-raising solicitation and expenses shall be allocated in the same proportion as contributions.

The value of nonpartisan communications that are intended to encourage voter registration and turnout efforts.
Any payment by a person that is not a committee to a filing officer for arguments in a publicity pamphlet.
Any payment for legal or accounting services that are provided to a committee.
The payment of costs of publishing a book or producing a documentary, if the publication and production are for distribution to the general public through traditional distribution mechanisms or a fee is obtained for the purchase of the publication or viewing of the documentary.

C. This section does not imply that any transactions that are not specifically listed in subsection B of this section are expenditures unless those transactions otherwise meet the definition of expenditure as defined in section 16-901.

§ 16-922 Independent and coordinated expenditures

A. Any person may make independent expenditures.

B. An expenditure is not an independent expenditure if either of the following applies:

There is actual coordination with respect to an expenditure between a candidate or candidate's agent and the person making the expenditure or that person's agent.
Both of the following apply:

(a) The expenditure is based on nonpublic information about a candidate's or candidate committee's plans or needs that the candidate or candidate's agent provides to the person making the expenditure or that person's agent.

(b) The candidate or candidate's agent provides the nonpublic information with an intent toward having the expenditure made.

C. In evaluating whether an expenditure is an independent expenditure, a filing officer or enforcement officer may consider the following to be rebuttable evidence of coordination:

Any agent of the person making the expenditure is also an agent of the candidate whose election or whose opponent's defeat is being advocated by the expenditure.
In the same election cycle, the person making the expenditure or that person's agent is or has been authorized to raise or spend monies on the candidate's behalf.
In the same election cycle, the candidate is or has been authorized to raise money or solicit contributions on behalf of the person making the expenditure.

D. Notwithstanding subsection C of this section, coordination does not exist under either of the following:

If the person making the expenditure maintains a firewall between the person and that person's agent in compliance with all of the following:

(a) The person's agent did not participate in deciding to make the expenditure or in deciding the content, timing or targeting of the expenditure.

(b) The person making the expenditure has a written policy establishing the firewall and its requirements.

Solely because an agent of a person making the expenditure serves or has served on a candidate's host committee for a fund-raising event.

E. An expenditure that is coordinated with a candidate, other than a coordinated party expenditure, is deemed an in-kind contribution to the candidate.

F. An entity that makes an independent expenditure, other than an individual or a committee, shall file independent expenditure reports pursuant to section 16-926, subsection H.

Article 1.4 Reporting Requirements and Disclosure Statements

§ 16-925 Advertising and fundraising disclosure statements

A. A person that makes an expenditure for an advertisement or fundraising solicitation, other than an individual, shall include the following disclosures in the advertisement or solicitation:

The words "paid for by", followed by the name of the person making the expenditure for the advertisement or fundraising solicitation.
Whether the expenditure was authorized by any candidate, followed by the identity of the authorizing candidate, if any.

B. In addition to the disclosure required by subsection A of this section, a political action committee that makes an expenditure for an advertisement shall include a disclosure stating:

The names of the three political action committees making the largest aggregate contributions to the political action committee making the expenditure, if those aggregate contributions exceed $20,000 during the election cycle, as calculated at the time the advertisement was distributed for publication, display, delivery or broadcast.
The aggregate percentage of out-of-state contributors as calculated at the time the advertisement was produced for publication, display, delivery or broadcast. The disclosure shall state "paid for by _____" as prescribed by subsection A of this section, followed by "with _____% from out-of-state contributors" with the blank to be filled by the aggregate percentage prescribed by this paragraph.

C. If a disclosure contains any acronym or nickname that is not commonly known, the disclosure shall also spell out the acronym or provide the full name.

D. If the advertisement is:

Broadcast on radio, the disclosure shall be clearly spoken at the beginning or end of the advertisement.
Delivered by hand or by mail, the disclosure shall be clearly readable, and if the advertisement is paid for by a political action committee, the disclosure shall be displayed in a height that is at least ten percent of the vertical height of the advertisement.
Delivered electronically, the disclosure shall be clearly readable.
Displayed on a sign or billboard, the disclosure shall be displayed in a height that is at least four percent of the vertical height of the sign or billboard, except that if the advertisement is paid for by a political action committee, the disclosure shall be displayed in a height that is at least ten percent of the vertical height of the sign or billboard.
Broadcast on television or in a video or film, both of the following requirements apply:

(a) The disclosure shall be both written and spoken at the beginning or end of the advertisement, except that if the written disclosure statement is displayed for the greater of at least one-sixth of the broadcast duration or four seconds, a spoken disclosure statement is not required.

(b) The written disclosure statement shall be printed in letters that are displayed in a height that is at least four percent of the vertical picture height, except that if the advertisement is paid for by a political action committee, the written disclosure statement shall be displayed in a height that is at least ten percent of the vertical picture height.

E. This section does not apply to:

Social media messages, text messages or messages sent by a short message service.
Advertisements that are placed as a paid link on a website, if the message is not more than two hundred characters in length and the link directs the user to another website that complies with this section.
Advertisements that are placed as a graphic or picture link, if the statements required in this section cannot be conveniently printed due to the size of the graphic or picture and the link directs the user to another website that complies with this section.
Bumper stickers, pins, buttons, pens and similar small items on which the statements required in this section cannot be conveniently printed.
A solicitation of contributions by a separate segregated fund.
A communication by a tax-exempt organization solely to its members.
A published book or a documentary film or video.

§ 16-926 Campaign finance reports; contents

A. A committee shall file campaign finance reports with the filing officer. The secretary of state's instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452 shall prescribe the format for all reports and statements.

B. A campaign finance report shall set forth:

The amount of cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period.
Total receipts during the reporting period, including:

(a) An itemized list of receipts in the following categories, including the source, amount and date of receipt, together with the total of all receipts in each category:

(i) Contributions from in-state individuals whose contributions exceed $100 for that election cycle, including identification of the contributor's occupation and employer. Notwithstanding section 16-901, paragraph 29, subdivision (a), a person whose residential address is protected from public disclosure pursuant to section 16-153 is not required to disclose the person's residential address and shall instead provide an alternate mailing address.

(ii) Contributions from out-of-state individuals, including identification of the contributor's occupation and employer.

(iii) Contributions from candidate committees.

(iv) Contributions from political action committees.

(v) Contributions from political parties.

(vi) Contributions from partnerships.

(vii) For a political action committee or political party, contributions from corporations and limited liability companies, including identification of the corporation's or limited liability company's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(viii) For a political action committee or political party, contributions from labor organizations, including identification of the labor organization's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(ix) For a candidate committee, a candidate's contribution of personal monies.

(x) All loans, including identification of any endorser or guarantor other than a candidate's spouse, and the contribution amount endorsed or guaranteed by each.

(xi) Rebates and refunds.

(xii) Interest on committee monies.

(xiii) The fair market value of in-kind contributions received.

(xiv) Extensions of credit that remain outstanding, including identification of the creditor and the purpose of the extension.

(b) The aggregate amount of contributions from all in-state individuals whose contributions do not exceed $100 for the election cycle.

An itemized list of all disbursements in excess of $250 during the reporting period in the following categories, including the recipient, the recipient's address, a description of the disbursement and the amount and date of the disbursement, together with the total of all disbursements in each category:

(a) Disbursements for operating expenses.

(b) Contributions to candidate committees.

(d) Contributions to political parties.

(e) Contributions to partnerships.

(f) For a political action committee or political party, contributions to corporations and limited liability companies, including identification of the corporation's or limited liability company's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(g) For a political action committee or political party, contributions to labor organizations, including identification of the labor organization's file number issued by the corporation commission.

(h) Repayment of loans.

(i) Refunds of contributions.

(j) Loans made.

(k) The value of in-kind contributions provided.

(l) Independent expenditures that are made to advocate the election or defeat of a candidate, including identification of the candidate, office sought by the candidate, election date, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(m) Expenditures to advocate the passage or defeat of a ballot measure, including identification of the ballot measure, ballot measure serial number, election date, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(n) Expenditures to advocate for or against the issuance of a recall election order or for the election or defeat of a candidate in a recall election, including identification of the officer to be recalled or candidate supported or opposed, mode of advertising and distribution or publication date.

(o) Any other disbursements or expenditures.

The total sum of all receipts and disbursements for the reporting period.
A certification by the committee treasurer, issued under penalty of perjury, that the contents of the report are true and correct.

C. For the purposes of reporting under subsection B of this section:

A contribution is deemed to be received either on the date the committee knowingly takes possession of the contribution or the date of the check or credit card payment. For an in-kind contribution of services, the contribution is deemed made either on the date the services are performed or the date the committee receives the services.
An expenditure or disbursement is deemed made either on the date the committee authorizes the monies to be spent or the date the monies are withdrawn from the committee's account. For a transaction by check, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee signs the check. For a credit card transaction on paper, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee signs the authorization to charge the credit card. For an electronic transaction, an expenditure or disbursement is deemed made on the date the committee electronically authorizes the charge. For an agreement to purchase goods or services, the expenditure or disbursement is deemed made either on the date the parties enter into the agreement or the date the purchase order is issued.
A committee may record its transactions using any of the methods authorized by this subsection but for each type of contribution, expenditure or disbursement made or received, the committee shall use a consistent method of recording transactions throughout the election cycle.

D. The amount of an in-kind contribution of services shall be equal to the usual and normal charges for the services on the date performed.

E. If any receipt or disbursement is earmarked, the committee shall report the identity of the person to whom the receipt or disbursement is earmarked.

F. Candidate committee reports shall be cumulative for the election cycle to which they relate. Political action committee and political party reports shall be cumulative for a two-year election cycle ending in the year of a statewide general election. If there has been no change during the reporting period in an item listed in the immediately preceding report, only the amount need be carried forward.

G. For a political action committee that receives individual contributions through a payroll deduction plan, that committee is not required to separately itemize each contribution received from the contributor during the reporting period. In lieu of itemization, the committee may report all of the following:

The aggregate amount of contributions received from the contributor through the payroll deduction plan during the reporting period.
The individual's identity.
The amount deducted per pay period.

H. An entity that makes independent expenditures or ballot measure expenditures in excess of $1,000 during a reporting period shall file an expenditure report with the filing officer for the applicable reporting period. Expenditure reports shall identify the candidate or ballot measure supported or opposed, office sought by the candidate, if any, election date, mode of advertising and first date of publication, display, delivery or broadcast of the advertisement.

§ 16-927 Campaign finance reporting period

A. A political action committee and political party shall file a campaign finance report covering each reporting period as follows:

For a calendar quarter without an election, the political action committee or political party shall file a quarterly report. The quarterly report shall be:

(a) Filed not later than the fifteenth day of the month after the calendar quarter.

(b) Complete through the last day of the calendar quarter.

For a calendar quarter with an election, the political action committee or political party shall file a preelection and postelection report as follows:

(a) A preelection report shall be:

(i) Filed not later than fifteen days before the election.

(ii) Complete from the first day of the applicable calendar quarter through the seventeenth day before the election.

(b) A postelection report shall be:

(i) Filed not later than the fifteenth day after the applicable calendar quarter.

(ii) Complete from the sixteenth day before the election through the last day of the applicable calendar quarter.

B. A candidate committee for a statewide candidate shall file campaign finance reports covering each reporting period as follows:

A quarterly report that is filed for each calendar quarter every year. A quarterly report shall be filed not later than the fifteenth day of the month after the calendar quarter.
In addition to the reports prescribed by paragraph 1 of this subsection, a postprimary report that is complete through the primary election and that is filed not later than fifteen days after the primary election.

C. A candidate committee for a legislative, county, city or town candidate shall file campaign finance reports covering each reporting period as follows:

An annual report that is filed for each year other than the year of the general election for the office that candidate is seeking. For a city or town candidate, the year of the city's or town's second, runoff or general election for the office that candidate is seeking, however designated by the city or town, is deemed the year of the general election for that candidate. An annual report shall be complete through the end of the calendar year and shall be filed not later than January 15.
A quarterly report that is filed for each calendar quarter in the year of the general election for the office that candidate is seeking. A quarterly report shall be filed not later than the fifteenth day of the month after the calendar quarter.
In addition to the quarterly reports for the year of the general election for the office that candidate is seeking as prescribed by paragraph 2 of this subsection, a postprimary report that is complete through the primary election and that is filed not later than fifteen days after the primary election. For a city or town candidate, the first or primary election for the office that candidate is seeking, however designated by the city or town, is deemed the primary election for that office. A postprimary report shall be complete through the primary election and shall be filed not later than fifteen days after the primary election.

D. The reporting period for a candidate committee's first campaign finance report of the election cycle shall include the entire election cycle to date.

E. A committee shall file campaign finance reports until terminated.

§ 16-928 Filing officer; statements and reports

A. A person that is required to file any statements and reports required by this article and articles 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7 of this chapter shall file with the filing officer in charge of that election, as follows:

The secretary of state is the filing officer for statewide and legislative elections, including retention elections for supreme court justices and court of appeals judges. The secretary of state is also the filing officer for committees that support or oppose a recall election or the circulation of a petition for a recall election for a statewide or legislative officeholder, for committees that support or oppose a statewide initiative or referendum or other statewide ballot measure, question or proposition or the circulation of a petition for a statewide initiative or referendum or other statewide ballot measure, question or proposition.
The county officer in charge of elections is the filing officer for county, school district, community college district and special taxing district elections, including retention elections for superior court judges. The county officer in charge of elections is also the filing officer for committees that support or oppose a recall election or the circulation of a petition for a recall election for an officeholder of a county office, a school district governing board office, a community college district governing board office or a special taxing district governing board office, for committees that support or oppose a county, school district, community college district or special taxing district initiative or referendum or other ballot measure, question or proposition, including bond, tax, budget and budget override measures or that oppose or support the circulation of a petition for a county, school district, community college district or special taxing district initiative or referendum or other county, school district, community college district or special taxing district ballot measure, question or proposition.
The city or town clerk is the filing officer for city and town elections. The city or town clerk is also the filing officer for committees that support or oppose a recall election or the circulation of a petition for a recall election for a city or town officeholder, for committees that support or oppose a city or town initiative or referendum or other city or town ballot measure, question or proposition or the circulation of a petition for a city or town initiative or referendum or other city ballot measure, question or proposition.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, a standing committee shall file reports only with the secretary of state.

C. A filing officer shall provide the option for electronic filing and shall make all statements and reports publicly available on the internet. A filing officer may comply with this section by opting into the secretary of state's electronic filing system.

Article 1.5 Biennial Financial Adjustments

§ 16-931 Biennial adjustments; committee registration; contribution limits

A. In January of each odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall increase:

The committee registration thresholds specified in section 16-905, subsections A and C by one hundred dollars.
The contribution limits specified in article 1.2 of this chapter by one hundred dollars.

B. The secretary of state shall publish the revised amounts and make the amounts available to election officials, candidates, committees and the public.

Article 1.6 Committee Termination

§ 16-933 Transfer and disposal of committee monies; limitations

A. A committee that intends to terminate shall dispose of surplus monies as follows:

Return surplus monies to the contributor.
Contribute surplus monies pursuant to and within the limits prescribed in article 1.2 of this chapter.
In the case of a candidate committee, contribute surplus monies to a candidate committee for another candidate under the following conditions:

(a) The candidate committee makes the contribution after the time period for filing a nomination paper pursuant to section 16-311, subsection A.

(b) The candidate associated with the candidate committee that makes the contribution did not file a nomination paper to run for election in the current election cycle.

(c) In the case of a candidate committee for legislative office, the candidate committee makes the contribution when the legislature is not in regular legislative session.

(d) The candidate committee makes the contribution within the limits prescribed for individuals in section 16-912.

Donate surplus monies to a nonprofit organization that has tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code.
In the case of a statewide or legislative candidate committee and subject to section 41-133, transfer surplus monies to the candidate's officeholder expense account.

B. Surplus monies shall not be used for or converted to personal use.

C. This section does not preclude the repayment of a loan to a committee.

§ 16-934 Termination statement; filing; contents

A. A committee may terminate only when the committee treasurer files a termination statement with the filing officer with whom the committee's statement of organization was filed.

B. In the termination statement, the committee treasurer shall certify under penalty of perjury that all of the following apply:

The committee will no longer receive any contributions or make any disbursements.
The committee either:

(a) Has no outstanding debts or obligations.

(b) Has outstanding debts or obligations, or both, that are all more than five years old, and that the committee's creditors have agreed to discharge the debts and obligations and have agreed to the termination of the committee.

Any surplus monies have been disposed of and that the committee has no cash on hand.
All contributions and expenditures have been reported, including any disposal of surplus monies.

C. A filing officer may reject the termination statement if it appears to the filing officer that the requirements in subsection B of this section have not been satisfied.

D. After a termination statement is filed, a committee:

Is not required to file any subsequent campaign finance reports.
Shall have no further receipts or disbursements without filing a new statement of organization.

E. A standing committee may terminate its activities in a particular reporting jurisdiction, and remain active in other reporting jurisdictions, by filing a statement of that intent with the filing officer in each reporting jurisdiction.

Article 1.7 Enforcement

§ 16-937 Failure to file; penalties; notice; suspension

A. If a committee fails to timely file a complete report as prescribed by articles 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 of this chapter, the filing officer shall send a written notice by e-mail to the committee within five days after the filing deadline that identifies the late report, describes how fines accrue and identifies methods of payment.

B. A committee that fails to timely file a report shall pay the filing officer a penalty of ten dollars for each day that the filing is late during the first fifteen days after the filing deadline and twenty-five dollars for each subsequent day that the filing is late. Penalties accrue until the late report is filed.

C. If a committee fails to file a complete report within thirty days after the filing deadline and after providing notice pursuant to subsection A of this section, the filing officer may notify the appropriate enforcement officer prescribed in this article.

D. For any political action committee or political party that fails to file three consecutive complete reports, the filing officer shall send by e-mail to the committee a notice of temporary suspension and the following apply:

On receipt, the committee's authority to operate in the jurisdiction is temporarily suspended.
The notice shall state that failure to comply with all filing and payment requirements within thirty days after the date of the notice shall result in permanent suspension of the committee's authority to operate in that jurisdiction.

E. After compliance with subsection D of this section, the filing officer may permanently suspend the committee and shall notify the committee by e-mail and is not required to provide any further notice. Permanent or temporary suspension does not eliminate a committee's continuing obligation to file reports and pay any outstanding and accruing penalties provided by law.

§ 16-938 Enforcement authority; investigation; reasonable cause; notice of violation; appeal

A. Notwithstanding section 16-1021, on receipt of a complaint from a third party, a filing officer is the sole public officer who is authorized to initiate an investigation into alleged violations of this article and articles 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 of this chapter, including the alleged failure to register as a committee. A filing officer shall limit an investigation to violations that are within the filing officer's jurisdiction. If the filing officer declares a conflict of interest, the filing officer may refer the investigation to any other filing officer in this state who agrees to accept the referral. A filing officer shall not accept a complaint from a third party unless the complaint is filed by an individual who submits evidence that the individual is an identifiable human being. Any third-party complaint that is submitted by an entity shall be submitted by an individual on behalf of that entity and shall include evidence that the individual is an identifiable human being.

B. The secretary of state shall establish guidelines in the instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452 that outline the procedures, timelines and other processes that apply to investigations by all filing officers in this state.

C. If after providing the subject of an investigation a reasonable opportunity to respond, the filing officer has reasonable cause to believe a person violated this article or article 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 or 1.6 of this chapter, the filing officer shall refer the matter to the enforcement officer as follows:

For matters investigated by the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall notify the attorney general.
For matters investigated by a county filing officer, the county filing officer shall notify the county attorney.
For matters investigated by a city or town filing officer, the city or town filing officer shall notify the city or town attorney.

D. Before a reasonable cause determination is made as prescribed in subsection C of this section, a filing officer, an enforcement officer and any other public officer or employee may not order a person to register as a committee and do not have audit or subpoena powers to compel the production of evidence or the attendance of witnesses concerning a potential campaign finance violation. A filing officer may request the voluntary production of evidence or attendance of witnesses in making a reasonable cause determination.

E. Only after receiving a referral from the filing officer, the enforcement officer may:

Conduct an investigation using the enforcement officer's subpoena powers, except that the enforcement officer shall not compel a person to file campaign finance reports unless the enforcement officer has determined that the person is a committee.
Serve the alleged violator with a notice of violation. The notice shall state with reasonable particularity the nature of the violation, shall specify the penalty imposed and shall require compliance within twenty days after the date of issuance of the notice. The enforcement officer shall impose a presumptive civil penalty equal to the value or amount of money that has been received, spent or promised in violation of this article and articles 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 of this chapter, except that after a finding of special circumstances, the enforcement officer may impose a penalty of up to three times the amount of the presumptive civil penalty, based on the severity, extent or wilful nature of the alleged violation. If the notice of violation requires a person to file campaign finance reports, the reports are not required to be filed until the enforcement officer's notice of violation has been upheld after any timely appeal.
Keep any nonpublic information gathered by the enforcement officer in the course of the committee status investigation confidential until the final disposition of any appeal of the enforcement order.

F. The enforcement officer has the sole and exclusive authority to initiate any applicable administrative or judicial proceedings to enforce an alleged violation of this article and articles 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 of this chapter that have been referred by the filing officer.

G. If the alleged violator:

Takes corrective action within twenty days after the date of the issuance of the notice of violation by the enforcement officer, the alleged violator is not subject to any penalty.
Does not take corrective action within twenty days after the date of issuance of the notice of violation by the enforcement officer, the enforcement officer shall impose the penalty set forth in the notice and shall provide formal notice that the imposition of the penalty may be appealed to the superior court.

H. Within thirty days after receiving the notice of the penalty from the enforcement officer, the alleged violator may file a notice of appeal in the superior court. The alleged violator shall provide a copy of the notice of appeal to the enforcement officer.

I. At the hearing on an appeal filed pursuant to subsection H of this section, the superior court shall conduct a trial de novo and the enforcement officer has the burden of proving any alleged violation by a preponderance of the evidence.

J. Any complaint that is filed pursuant to this section is deemed dismissed if the filing officer does not resolve or rule on the complaint within one hundred eighty days after the complaint is filed and does not extend the deadline for resolving or ruling on the complaint.

Article 2 Citizens Clean Elections Act

§ 16-940 Findings and declarations

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The people of Arizona declare our intent to create a clean elections system that will improve the integrity of Arizona state government by diminishing the influence of special-interest money, will encourage citizen participation in the political process, and will promote freedom of speech under the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions. Campaigns will become more issue-oriented and less negative because there will be no need to challenge the sources of campaign money.

B. The people of Arizona find that our current election-financing system:

Allows Arizona elected officials to accept large campaign contributions from private interests over which they have governmental jurisdiction;
Gives incumbents an unhealthy advantage over challengers;
Hinders communication to voters by many qualified candidates;
Effectively suppresses the voices and influence of the vast majority of Arizona citizens in favor of a small number of wealthy special interests;
Undermines public confidence in the integrity of public officials;
Costs average taxpayers millions of dollars in the form of subsidies and special privileges for campaign contributors;
Drives up the cost of running for state office, discouraging otherwise qualified candidates who lack personal wealth or access to special-interest funding; and
Requires that elected officials spend too much of their time raising funds rather than representing the public.

§ 16-941 Limits on spending and contributions for political campaigns

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a participating candidate:

Shall not accept any contributions, other than a limited number of five-dollar qualifying contributions as specified in section 16-946 and early contributions as specified in section 16-945, except in the emergency situation specified in section 16-954, subsection F.
Shall not make expenditures of more than a total of five hundred dollars of the candidate's personal monies for a candidate for the legislature or more than one thousand dollars for a candidate for statewide office.
Shall not make expenditures in the primary election period in excess of the adjusted primary election spending limit.
Shall not make expenditures in the general election period in excess of the adjusted general election spending limit.
Shall comply with section 16-948 regarding campaign accounts and section 16-953 regarding returning unused monies to the citizens clean elections fund described in this article.

B. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a nonparticipating candidate shall not accept contributions in excess of an amount that is twenty per cent less than the limits specified in section 16-905, subsections A through E, as adjusted by the secretary of state pursuant to section 16-905, subsection H. Any violation of this subsection shall be subject to the civil penalties and procedures set forth in section 16-905, subsections J through M and section 16-924.

C. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a candidate, whether participating or nonparticipating:

If specified in a written agreement signed by the candidate and one or more opposing candidates and filed with the citizens clean elections commission, shall not make any expenditure in the primary or general election period exceeding an agreed-upon amount lower than spending limits otherwise applicable by statute.
Shall continue to be bound by all other applicable election and campaign finance statutes and rules, with the exception of those provisions in express or clear conflict with this article.

D. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any person who makes independent expenditures related to a particular office cumulatively exceeding five hundred dollars in an election cycle, with the exception of any expenditure listed in section 16-920 and any independent expenditure by an organization arising from a communication directly to the organization's members, shareholders, employees, affiliated persons and subscribers, shall file reports with the secretary of state in accordance with section 16-958 so indicating, identifying the office and the candidate or group of candidates whose election or defeat is being advocated and stating whether the person is advocating election or advocating defeat.

§ 16-942 Civil penalties and forfeiture of office

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The civil penalty for a violation of any contribution or expenditure limit in section 16-941 by or on behalf of a participating candidate shall be ten times the amount by which the expenditures or contributions exceed the applicable limit.

B. In addition to any other penalties imposed by law, the civil penalty for a violation by or on behalf of any candidate of any reporting requirement imposed by this chapter shall be one hundred dollars per day for candidates for the legislature and three hundred dollars per day for candidates for statewide office. The penalty imposed by this subsection shall be doubled if the amount not reported for a particular election cycle exceeds ten percent of the adjusted primary or general election spending limit. No penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection shall exceed twice the amount of expenditures or contributions not reported. The candidate and the candidate's campaign account shall be jointly and severally responsible for any penalty imposed pursuant to this subsection.

C. Any campaign finance report filed indicating a violation of section 16-941, subsections A or B or section 16-941, subsection C, paragraph 1 involving an amount in excess of ten percent of the sum of the adjusted primary election spending limit and the adjusted general election spending limit for a particular candidate shall result in disqualification of a candidate or forfeiture of office.

D. Any participating candidate adjudged to have committed a knowing violation of section 16-941, subsection A or subsection C, paragraph 1 shall repay from the candidate's personal monies to the fund all monies expended from the candidate's campaign account and shall turn over the candidate's campaign account to the fund.

E. All civil penalties collected pursuant to this article shall be deposited into the fund.

§ 16-943 Criminal violations and penalties

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. A candidate, or any other person acting on behalf of a candidate, who knowingly violates section 16-941 is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Any person who knowingly pays any thing of value or any compensation for a qualifying contribution as defined in section 16-946 is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

C. Any person who knowingly provides false or incomplete information on a report filed under section 16-958 is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 16-945 Limits on early contributions

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. A participating candidate may accept early contributions only from individuals and only during the exploratory period and the qualifying period, subject to the following limitations:

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no contributor shall give, and no participating candidate shall accept, contributions from a contributor exceeding one hundred dollars during an election cycle.
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, early contributions to a participating candidate from all sources for an election cycle shall not exceed, for a candidate for governor, forty thousand dollars or, for other candidates, ten per cent of the sum of the original primary election spending limit and the original general election spending limit.
Qualifying contributions specified in section 16-946 shall not be included in determining whether the limits in this subsection have been exceeded.

B. Early contributions specified in subsection A of this section and the candidate's personal monies specified in section 16-941, subsection A, paragraph 2 may be spent only during the exploratory period and the qualifying period. Any early contributions not spent by the end of the qualifying period shall be paid to the fund.

C. If a participating candidate has a debt from an election campaign in this state during a previous election cycle in which the candidate was not a participating candidate, then, during the exploratory period only, the candidate may accept, in addition to early contributions specified in subsection A of this section, contributions subject to the limitations in section 16-941, subsection B, or may exceed the limit on personal monies in section 16-941, subsection A, paragraph 2, provided that such contributions and monies are used solely to retire such debt.

§ 16-946 Qualifying contributions

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. During the qualifying period, a participating candidate may collect qualifying contributions, which shall be paid to the fund.

B. To qualify as a qualifying contribution, a contribution must be:

Made by a qualified elector as defined in section 16-121, who at the time of the contribution is registered in the electoral district of the office the candidate is seeking and who has not given another qualifying contribution to that candidate during that election cycle.
Made by a person who is not given anything of value in exchange for the qualifying contribution.
In the sum of five dollars, exactly.
Received unsolicited during the qualifying period or solicited during the qualifying period by a person who is not employed or retained by the candidate and who is not compensated to collect contributions by the candidate or on behalf of the candidate.
If made by check or money order, made payable to the candidate's campaign committee, or if in cash, deposited in the candidate's campaign committee's account.
Accompanied by a three-part reporting slip that includes the printed name, registration address and signature of the contributor, the name of the candidate for whom the contribution is made, the date and the printed name and signature of the solicitor. An electronic signature as defined in section 41-351 is deemed to comply with this paragraph.

C. A copy of the reporting slip shall be given as a receipt to the contributor, and another copy shall be retained by the candidate's campaign committee. Delivery of an original reporting slip to the secretary of state shall excuse the candidate from disclosure of these contributions on campaign finance reports filed under article 1 of this chapter.

§ 16-947 Certification as a participating candidate

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. A candidate who wishes to be certified as a participating candidate shall file, before the end of the qualifying period, an application with the secretary of state, in a form specified by the citizens clean elections commission.

B. The application shall identify the candidate, the office that the candidate plans to seek and the candidate's party, if any, and shall contain the candidate's signature, under oath, certifying that:

The candidate has complied with the restrictions of section 16-941, subsection A during the election cycle to date.
The candidate's campaign committee and exploratory committee have filed all campaign finance reports required under article 1 of this chapter during the election cycle to date and that they are complete and accurate.
The candidate will comply with the requirements of section 16-941, subsection A during the remainder of the election cycle and, specifically, will not accept private contributions.

C. The commission shall act on the application within one week. Unless, within that time, the commission denies an application and provides written reasons that all or part of a certification in subsection B of this section is incomplete or untrue, the candidate shall be certified as a participating candidate. If the commission denies an application for failure to file all complete and accurate campaign finance reports or failure to make the certification in subsection B, paragraph 3 of this section, the candidate may reapply within two weeks of the commission's decision by filing complete and accurate campaign finance reports and another sworn certification.

D. A candidate shall be denied certification if that candidate was removed from office by the commission or if the candidate is delinquent in payment of a debt to the commission. If the debt is paid in full or if the candidate is current on a payment agreement with the commission, the candidate may apply for certification as a participating candidate and is eligible to be certified if otherwise qualified by law.

§ 16-948 Controls on participating candidates' campaign accounts

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. A participating candidate shall conduct all financial activity through a single campaign account of the candidate's campaign committee. A participating candidate shall not make any deposits into the campaign account other than those permitted under section 16-945 or 16-946.

B. A candidate may designate other persons with authority to withdraw monies from the candidate's campaign account. The candidate and any person so designated shall sign a joint statement under oath promising to comply with the requirements of this title.

C. The candidate or a person authorized under subsection B of this section shall pay monies from a participating candidate's campaign account directly to the person providing goods or services to the campaign and shall identify, on a report filed pursuant to article 1.4 of this chapter, the full name and street address of the person and the nature of the goods and services and compensation for which payment has been made. The following payments made directly or indirectly from a participating candidate's campaign account are unlawful contributions:

A payment made to a private organization that is exempt under section 501(a) of the internal revenue code and that is eligible to engage in activities to influence the outcome of a candidate election.
A payment made directly or indirectly to a political party.

D. Notwithstanding subsection C of this section, a campaign committee may establish one or more petty cash accounts, which in aggregate shall not exceed one thousand dollars at any time. No single expenditure shall be made from a petty cash account exceeding one hundred dollars.

E. Monies in a participating candidate's campaign account shall not be used to pay fines or civil penalties, for costs or legal fees related to representation before the commission, or for defense of any enforcement action under this chapter. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent a participating candidate from having a legal defense fund.

F. A participating candidate shall not use clean elections monies to purchase goods or services that bear a distinctive trade name, trademark or trade dress item, including a logo, that is owned by a business or other entity that is owned by that participating candidate or in which the candidate has a controlling interest. The use of goods or services that are prohibited by this subsection is deemed to be an unlawful in-kind contribution to the participating candidate.

§ 16-949 Controls on spending from citizens clean elections fund

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. The commission shall not spend, on all costs incurred under this article during a particular calendar year, more than five dollars times the number of Arizona resident personal income tax returns filed during the previous calendar year. The commission may exceed this limit during a calendar year, provided that it is offset by an equal reduction of the limit during another calendar year during the same four-year period beginning January 1 immediately after a gubernatorial election.

B. The commission may use up to ten per cent of the amount specified in subsection A of this section for reasonable and necessary expenses of administration and enforcement, including the activities specified in section 16-956, subsection A, paragraphs 3 through 7 and subsections B and C. Any portion of the ten per cent not used for this purpose shall remain in the fund.

C. The commission may apply up to ten per cent of the amount specified in subsection A of this section for reasonable and necessary expenses associated with public education regarding participation as a candidate or a contributor, or regarding the functions, purpose and technical aspects of the act. Reasonable and necessary expenditures made pursuant to section 16-956 are not included in this subsection.

D. The commission may spend monies in the fund for the reasonable and necessary expenses to implement the act but shall not use monies in the fund to promote the benefits of the clean elections act. Expenditures made pursuant to subsection C of this section or in section 16-956, subsection A are deemed not to constitute promoting the benefits of the clean elections act. Expenditures pursuant to this subsection shall not be included in the limits prescribed in subsection C of this section.

E. The state treasurer shall administer a citizens clean elections fund from which costs incurred under this article shall be paid. The auditor general shall review the monies in, payments into and expenditures from the fund no less often than every four years.

§ 16-950 Qualification for clean elections funding

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. A candidate who has made an application for certification may also apply, in accordance with subsection B of this section, to receive funds from the citizens clean elections fund, instead of receiving private contributions.

B. To receive any clean elections funding, the candidate must present to the secretary of state no later than one week after the end of the qualifying period a list of names of persons who have made qualifying contributions pursuant to section 16-946 on behalf of the candidate. The list shall be divided by county. At the same time, the candidate must tender to the secretary of state the original reporting slips identified in section 16-946, subsection C for persons on the list and an amount equal to the sum of the qualifying contributions collected. The secretary of state shall deposit the amount into the fund.

C. The secretary of state shall select at random a sample of five per cent of the number of nonduplicative names on the list for a candidate for a statewide office and twenty per cent of the number of nonduplicative names on the list for a candidate for legislative office and shall forward facsimiles of the selected reporting slips to the county recorders for the counties of the addresses specified in the selected slips. Within ten days, the county recorders shall provide a report to the secretary of state identifying as disqualified any slips that are unsigned or undated or that the recorder is unable to verify as matching a person who is registered to vote in the electoral district of the office the candidate is seeking on the date specified on the slip. The secretary of state shall multiply the number of slips not disqualified by twenty for statewide candidates, and shall multiply the number of slips not disqualified by five for legislative candidates, and if the result is greater than one hundred ten per cent of the quantity required, shall approve the candidate for funds, and if the result is less than one hundred ten per cent of the quantity required, the secretary of state shall forward facsimiles of all of the slips to the county recorders for verification, and the county recorders shall check all slips in accordance with the process above. A county recorder shall not check slips already verified. A county recorder shall report verified totals daily to the secretary of state until a determination is made that a sufficient number of verified slips has been submitted. If a sufficient number of verified slips has been submitted to one or more county recorders, the county recorders may stop the verification process.

D. To qualify for clean elections funding, a candidate must have been approved as a participating candidate pursuant to section 16-947 and have obtained the following number of qualifying contributions:

For a candidate for legislature, two hundred.
For candidate for mine inspector, five hundred.
For a candidate for treasurer, superintendent of public instruction or corporation commission, one thousand five hundred.
For a candidate for secretary of state or attorney general, two thousand five hundred.
For a candidate for governor, four thousand.

E. To qualify for clean elections funding, a candidate must have met the requirements of this section and either be an independent candidate or meet the following standards:

To qualify for funding for a party primary election, a candidate must have properly filed nominating papers and nominating petitions with signatures pursuant to chapter 3, articles 2 and 3 of this title in the primary of a political organization entitled to continued representation on the official ballot in accordance with section 16-804.
To qualify for clean elections funding for a general election, a candidate must be a party nominee of such a political organization.

§ 16-951 Clean elections funding

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. At the beginning of the primary election period, the commission shall pay from the fund to the campaign account of each candidate who qualifies for clean elections funding:

For a candidate who qualifies for clean elections funding for a party primary election, an amount equal to the original primary election spending limit.
For an independent candidate who qualifies for clean elections funding, an amount equal to seventy percent of the sum of the original primary election spending limit and the original general election spending limit.
For a qualified participating candidate who is unopposed for an office in that candidate's primary, in the primary of any other party and by any opposing independent candidate, an amount equal to five dollars times the number of qualifying contributions for that candidate certified by the commission.

B. At any time after the first day of January of an election year, any candidate who has met the requirements of section 16-950 may sign and cause to be filed a nomination paper in the form specified by section 16-311, subsection A, with a nominating petition and signatures, instead of filing such papers after the earliest time set for filing specified by that subsection. Upon such filing and verification of the signatures, the commission shall pay the amount specified in subsection A of this section immediately, rather than waiting for the beginning of the primary election period.

C. At the beginning of the general election period, the commission shall pay from the fund to the campaign account of each candidate who qualifies for clean elections funding for the general election, except those candidates identified in subsection A, paragraph 2 or subsection D of this section, an amount equal to the original general election spending limit.

D. At the beginning of the general election period, the commission shall pay from the fund to the campaign account of a qualified participating candidate who has not received funds pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 3 of this section and who is unopposed by any other party nominee or any opposing independent candidate an amount equal to five dollars times the number of qualifying contributions for that candidate certified by the commission.

E. The special original general election spending limit, for a candidate who has received funds pursuant to subsection A, paragraphs 2 or 3 or subsection D of this section, shall be equal to the amount that the commission is obligated to pay to that candidate.

§ 16-952 One-party-dominant legislative district

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

Upon applying for clean elections funding pursuant to section 16-950, a participating candidate for the legislature in a one-party-dominant legislative district who is qualified for clean elections funding for the party primary election of the dominant party may choose to reallocate a portion of funds from the general election period to the primary election period. At the beginning of the primary election period, the commission shall pay from the fund to the campaign account of a participating candidate who makes this choice an extra amount equal to fifty per cent of the original primary election spending limit, and the original primary election spending limit for the candidate who makes this choice shall be increased by the extra amount. If a participating candidate who makes this choice becomes qualified for clean elections funding for the general election, the amount the candidate receives at the beginning of the general election period shall be reduced by the extra amount received at the beginning of the primary election period, and the original general election spending limit for that candidate shall be reduced by the extra amount. For the purpose of this subsection, a one-party-dominant legislative district is a district in which the number of registered voters registered in the party with the highest number of registered voters exceeds the number of registered voters registered to each of the other parties by an amount at least as high as ten per cent of the total number of voters registered in the district. The status of a district as a one-party-dominant legislative district shall be determined as of the beginning of the qualifying period.

§ 16-953 Return of monies to the citizens clean elections fund

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. At the end of the primary election period, a participating candidate who has received monies pursuant to section 16-951, subsection A, paragraph 1 shall return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above an amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made during the primary election period and for goods or services directed to the primary election.

B. At the end of the general election period, a participating candidate shall return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above an amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made before the general election and for goods or services directed to the general election.

C. A participating candidate shall pay all uncontested and unpaid bills referenced in this section no later than thirty days after the primary or general election. A participating candidate shall make monthly reports to the commission concerning the status of the dispute over any contested bills. Any monies in a candidate’s campaign account after payment of bills shall be returned promptly to the fund.

D. If a participating candidate is replaced pursuant to section 16-343, and the replacement candidate files an oath with the secretary of state certifying to section 16-947, subsection B, paragraph 3, the campaign account of the participating candidate shall be transferred to the replacement candidate and the commission shall certify the replacement candidate as a participating candidate without requiring compliance with section 16-950 or the remainder of section 16-947. If the replacement candidate does not file such an oath, the campaign account shall be liquidated and all remaining monies returned to the fund.

E. If a participating candidate who has received monies pursuant to section 16-951, subsection A, paragraph 1 does not qualify for the ballot for the primary election, the participating candidate shall:

Return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above the amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made before the date the candidate failed to qualify for the primary ballot.
Return to the commission, within fourteen days, all remaining assets purchased with public funds in that election cycle, including all political signs. The disqualified participating candidate is not required to return political signs purchased in a previous election cycle.
Repay any monies paid to a family member unless the participating candidate demonstrates that the payment made was for goods or services actually provided before disqualification of the candidate and the payment was for fair market value. For the purposes of this paragraph, "family member" means a parent, grandparent, spouse, child or sibling of the candidate or a parent or spouse of any of those persons.

§ 16-954 Disposition of excess monies

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. Beginning January 1, 1999, an additional surcharge of ten per cent shall be imposed on all civil and criminal fines and penalties collected pursuant to section 12-116.01 and shall be deposited into the fund.

B. At least once per year, the commission shall project the amount of monies that the fund will collect over the next four years and the time such monies shall become available. Whenever the commission determines that the fund contains more monies than the commission determines that it requires to meet current debts plus expected expenses, under the assumption that expected expenses will be at the expenditure limit in section 16-949, subsection A, and taking into account the projections of collections, the commission shall designate such monies as excess monies and so notify the state treasurer, who shall thereupon transfer the excess monies to the general fund.

C. At least once per year, the commission shall project the amount of clean elections funding for which all candidates will have qualified pursuant to this article for the following calendar year. By the end of each year, the commission shall announce whether the amount that the commission plans to spend the following year pursuant to section 16-949, subsection A exceeds the projected amount of clean elections funding. If the commission determines that the fund contains insufficient monies or the spending cap would be exceeded were all candidates' accounts to be fully funded, the commission may include in the announcement specifications for decreases in the following parameters, based on the commission's projections of collections and expenses for the fund, including that the fund will provide monies under section 16-951 as a fraction of the amounts there specified.

D. If the commission cannot provide participating candidates with all monies specified under sections 16-951 and 16-952, as decreased by any announcement pursuant to subsection C of this section, the commission shall allocate any reductions in payments proportionately among candidates entitled to monies and shall declare an emergency. Upon declaration of an emergency, a participating candidate may accept private contributions to bring the total monies received by the candidate from the fund and from such private contributions up to the adjusted spending limits, as decreased by any announcement made pursuant to subsection C of this section.

§ 16-955 Citizens clean election commission; structure

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The citizens clean elections commission is established consisting of five members. No more than two members of the commission shall be members of the same political party. No more than two members of the commission shall be residents of the same county. No one shall be appointed as a member who does not have a registration pursuant to chapter 1 of this title that has been continuously recorded for at least five years immediately preceding appointment with the same political party or as an independent.

B. The candidates for vacant commissioner positions shall be persons who are committed to enforcing this article in an honest, independent and impartial fashion and to seeking to uphold public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system. Each candidate shall be a qualified elector who has not, in the previous five years in this state, been appointed to, been elected to or run for any public office, including precinct committeeman, or served as an officer of a political party.

C. Initially, the commission on appellate court appointments shall nominate five slates, each having three candidates, before January 1, 1999. No later than February 1, 1999, the governor shall select one candidate from one of the slates to serve on the commission for a term ending January 31, 2004. Next, the highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is not a member of the same political party as the governor shall select one candidate from another one of the slates to serve on the commission for a term ending January 31, 2003. Next, the second-highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is a member of the same political party as the governor shall select one candidate from one of the three remaining slates to serve on the commission for a term ending January 31, 2002. Next, the second-highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is not a member of the same political party as the governor shall select one candidate from one of the two remaining slates to serve on the commission for a term ending January 31, 2001. Finally, the third-highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is a member of the same political party as the governor shall elect one candidate from the last slate to serve on the commission for a term ending January 31, 2000. For the purposes of this section, the ranking of officials holding statewide office shall be governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, corporation commissioners in order of seniority, mine inspector, senate majority and minority leaders and house majority and minority leaders.

D. One commissioner shall be appointed for a five-year term beginning February 1 of every year beginning with the year 2000. Before February 1 of each year beginning in the year 2000, the governor and the highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is not a member of the same political party as the governor shall alternate filling such vacancies. The vacancy in the year 2000 shall be filled by the governor.

E. Members of the commission may be removed by the governor, with concurrence of the senate, for substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, inability to discharge the powers and duties of office or violation of this section, after written notice and opportunity for a response.

F. If a commissioner does not complete the commissioner's term of office for any reason, a replacement shall be selected within thirty days after the vacancy occurs. The highest-ranking official holding a statewide office who is a member of the political party of the official who nominated the commissioner who vacated office shall nominate the replacement, who shall serve as commissioner for the unexpired portion of the term. A vacancy or vacancies shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all of the powers of the board.

G. Commissioners are eligible to receive compensation in an amount of two hundred dollars for each day on which the commission meets and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2.

H. The commissioners shall elect a chair to serve for each calendar-year period from among their members whose terms expire after the conclusion of that year. Three commissioners shall constitute a quorum.

I. A member of the commission shall serve no more than one term and is not eligible for reappointment. No commissioner, during the commissioner's tenure or for three years thereafter, shall seek or hold any other public office, serve as an officer of any political committee or employ or be employed as a lobbyist.

J. The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall not be a member of the commission and who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The executive director is eligible to receive compensation set by the board within the range determined under section 38-611. The executive director, subject to title 41, chapter 4, articles 5 and 6, shall employ, determine the conditions of employment and specify the duties of administrative, secretarial and clerical employees as the director deems necessary.

§ 16-956 Voter education and enforcement duties

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. The commission shall:

Develop a procedure for publishing a document or section of a document having a space of predefined size for a message chosen by each candidate. For the document that is delivered before the primary election, the document shall contain the names of every candidate for every statewide, legislative district and countywide office, including the board of supervisors, in that primary election without regard to whether the candidate is a participating candidate or a nonparticipating candidate. For the document that is delivered before the general election, the document shall contain the names of every candidate for every statewide, legislative district and countywide office, including the board of supervisors, in that general election without regard to whether the candidate is a participating candidate or a nonparticipating candidate. The commission shall deliver one copy of each document to every household that contains a registered voter. For the document that is delivered before the primary election, the delivery may be made over a period of days but shall be sent in time to be delivered to households before the earliest date for receipt by registered voters of any requested early ballots for the primary election. The commission may deliver the second document over a period of days but shall send the second document in order to be delivered to households before the earliest date for receipt by registered voters of any requested early ballots for the general election. The primary election and general election documents published by the commission shall comply with all of the following:

(a) For any candidate who does not submit a message pursuant to this paragraph, the document shall include with the candidate's listing the words "no statement submitted".

(b) The document shall have printed on its cover the words "citizens clean elections commission voter education guide" and the words "primary election" or "general election" and the applicable year. The document shall also contain at or near the bottom of the document cover in type that is no larger than one-half the size of the type used for "citizens clean elections commission voter education guide" the words "paid for by the citizens clean elections fund".

(c) In order to prevent voter confusion, the document shall be easily distinguishable from the publicity pamphlet that is required to be produced by the secretary of state pursuant to section 19-123.

Sponsor debates among candidates, in the manner determined by the commission. The commission shall require participating candidates to attend and participate in debates and may specify by rule penalties for nonparticipation. The commission shall invite and permit nonparticipating candidates to participate in debates.
Prescribe forms for reports, statements, notices and other documents required by this article. The commission shall not require a candidate to use a reporting system other than the reporting system jointly approved by the commission and the office of the secretary of state.
Prepare and publish instructions setting forth methods of bookkeeping and preservation of records to facilitate compliance with this article and explaining the duties of persons and committees under this article.
Produce a yearly report describing the commission's activities and any recommendations for changes of law, administration or funding amounts and accounting for monies in the fund.
Adopt rules to implement the reporting requirements of section 16-958, subsections D and E.
Enforce this article, ensure that money from the fund is placed in candidate campaign accounts or otherwise spent as specified in this article and not otherwise, monitor reports filed pursuant to this chapter and financial records of candidates as needed and ensure that money required by this article to be paid to the fund is deposited in the fund. The commission shall not take action on any external complaint that is filed more than ninety days after the postelection report is filed or ninety days after the completion of the canvass of the election to which the complaint relates, whichever is later.

B. The commission may subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance and testimony, administer oaths and affirmations, take evidence and require by subpoena the production of any books, papers, records or other items material to the performance of the commission's duties or the exercise of its powers.

C. The commission may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this article and to govern procedures of the commission. The commission shall propose and adopt rules in public meetings, with at least sixty days allowed for interested parties to comment after the rules are proposed. The commission shall also file the proposed rule in the format prescribed in section 41-1022 with the secretary of state's office for publication in the Arizona administrative register. After consideration of the comments received in the sixty day comment period, the commission may adopt the rule in an open meeting. Any rules given final approval in an open meeting shall be filed in the format prescribed in section 41-1022 with the secretary of state's office for publication in the Arizona administrative register. Any rules adopted by the commission shall only be applied prospectively from the date the rule was adopted.

D. Rules adopted by the commission are not effective until January 1 in the year following the adoption of the rule, except that rules adopted by unanimous vote of the commission may be made immediately effective and enforceable.

E. If, in the view of the commission, the action of a particular candidate or committee requires immediate change to a commission rule, a unanimous vote of the commission is required. Any rule change made pursuant to this subsection that is enacted with less than a unanimous vote takes effect for the next election cycle.

F. Based on the results of the elections in any quadrennial election after 2002, and within six months after such election, the commission may adopt rules changing the number of qualifying contributions required for any office from those listed in section 16-950, subsection D by no more than twenty percent of the number applicable for the preceding election.

§ 16-957 Enforcement procedure

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. If the commission finds that there is reason to believe that a person has violated any provision of this article, the commission shall serve on that person an order stating with reasonable particularity the nature of the violation and requiring compliance within fourteen days. During that period, the alleged violator may provide any explanation to the commission, comply with the order, or enter into a public administrative settlement with the commission.

B. Upon expiration of the fourteen days, if the commission finds that the alleged violator remains out of compliance, the commission shall make a public finding to that effect and issue an order assessing a civil penalty in accordance with section 16-942, unless the commission publishes findings of fact and conclusions of law expressing good cause for reducing or excusing the penalty. The violator has fourteen days from the date of issuance of the order assessing the penalty to appeal to the superior court as provided in title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

C. Any candidate in a particular election contest who believes that any opposing candidate has violated this article for that election may file a complaint with the commission requesting that action be taken pursuant to this section. If the commission fails to make a finding under subsection A of this section within thirty days after the filing of such a complaint, the candidate may bring a civil action in the superior court to impose the civil penalties prescribed in this section.

§ 16-958 Manner of filing reports

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. Any person who has previously reached the dollar amount specified in section 16-941, subsection D for filing an original report shall file a supplemental report each time previously unreported independent expenditures specified by that subsection exceeds one thousand dollars. Such reports shall be filed at the times specified in subsection B of this section and shall identify the dollar amount being reported, the candidate and the date, and no other detail is required in reports made pursuant to this section.

B. Any person who must file an original report pursuant to section 16-941, subsection D or who must file a supplemental report for previously unreported amounts pursuant to subsection A of this section shall file as follows:

Before the beginning of the primary election period, the person shall file a report on the first of each month, unless the person has not reached the dollar amount for filing an original or supplemental report on that date.
Thereafter, except as stated in paragraph 3 of this subsection, the person shall file a report on any Tuesday by which the person has reached the dollar amount for filing an original or supplemental report.
During the last two weeks before the primary election and the last two weeks before the general election, the person shall file a report within one business day of reaching the dollar amount for filing an original or supplemental report.

C. Any filing under this article on behalf of a candidate may be made by the candidate's campaign committee. All candidates shall deposit any check received by and intended for the campaign and made payable to the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, and all cash received by and intended for the campaign, in the candidate's campaign account before the due date of the next report specified in subsection B of this section. No candidate or person acting on behalf of a candidate shall conspire with a donor to postpone delivery of a donation to the campaign for the purpose of postponing the reporting of the donation in any subsequent report.

D. The secretary of state shall immediately notify the commission of the filing of each report under this section and deliver a copy of the report to the commission, and the commission shall promptly mail or otherwise deliver a copy of each report filed pursuant to this section to all participating candidates opposing the candidate identified in section 16-941, subsection D.

E. Any report filed pursuant to this section or section 16-916, subsection A, paragraph 1 or subsection B shall be filed in electronic format. The secretary of state shall distribute computer software to political committees to accommodate such electronic filing.

F. During the primary election period and the general election period, all candidates shall make available for public inspection all bank accounts, campaign finance reports and financial records relating to the candidate's campaign, either by immediate disclosure through electronic means or at the candidate's campaign headquarters, in accordance with rules adopted by the commission.

§ 16-959 Inflationary and other adjustments of dollar values

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. Every two years, the secretary of state shall modify the dollar values specified in the following parts of this article, in the manner specified by section 16-905, subsection H, to account for inflation: section 16-941, subsection A, paragraph 2 or subsection D; section 16-942, subsection B; section 16-945, subsection A, paragraphs 1 and 2; section 16-948, subsection C; section 16-955, subsection G; and section 16-961, subsections G and H. In addition, the secretary of state shall make a similar inflation adjustment by modifying the dollar values in section 16-949, subsection A to reflect cumulative inflation since the enactment of this article. In addition, every two years, the secretary of state shall change the dollar values in section 16-961, subsections G and H in proportion to the change in the number of Arizona resident personal income tax returns filed during the previous calendar year.

B. Based on the results of the elections in any quadrennial election after 2002, and within six months after such election, the commission may adopt rules in a public meeting reallocating funds available to all candidates between the primary and general elections by selecting a fraction for primary election spending limits that is between one-third and one-half of the spending limits for the election as a whole. For each office, the primary election spending limit shall be modified to be the sum of the primary and general spending limits times the selected fraction, and the general election spending limit shall be modified to be the same sum times one less the selected fraction.

§ 16-960 Severability

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

If a provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are severable. In any court challenge to the validity of this article, the commission and Arizonans for clean elections shall have standing to intervene.

§ 16-961 Definitions

(Caution: 1998 Prop 105 applies)

A. The terms "candidate's campaign committee," "contribution," "expenditures," "exploratory committee," "independent expenditure," "personal monies," "political committee" and "statewide office" are defined in section 16-901.

B. 1. "Election cycle" means the period between successive general elections for a particular office.

"Exploratory period" means the period beginning on the day after a general election and ending the day before the start of the qualifying period.
"Qualifying period" means the period beginning on the first day of August in a year preceding an election and ending one week before the primary election.
"Primary election period" means the nine-week period ending on the day of the primary election.
"General election period" means the period beginning on the day after the primary election and ending on the day of the general election.
For any recall election, the qualifying period shall begin when the election is called and last for thirty days, there shall be no primary election period and the general election period shall extend from the day after the end of the qualifying period to the day of the recall election. For recall elections, any reference to "general election" in this article shall be treated as if referring to the recall election.

C. 1. "Participating candidate" means a candidate who becomes certified as a participating candidate pursuant to section 16-947.

"Nonparticipating candidate" means a candidate who does not become certified as a participating candidate pursuant to section 16-947.
Any limitation of this article that is applicable to a participating candidate or a nonparticipating candidate shall also apply to that candidate's campaign committee or exploratory committee.

D. "Commission" means the citizens clean elections commission established pursuant to section 16-955.

E. "Fund" means the citizens clean elections fund defined by this article.

F. 1. "Party nominee" means a person who has been nominated by a political party pursuant to section 16-301 or 16-343.

"Independent candidate" means a candidate who has properly filed nominating papers and nominating petitions with signatures pursuant to section 16-341.
"Unopposed" means with reference to an election for:

(a) A member of the house of representatives, opposed by no more than one other candidate who has qualified for the ballot and who is running in the same district.

(b) A member of the corporation commission, opposed by a number of candidates who have qualified for the ballot that is fewer than the number of corporation commission seats open at that election and for which the term of office ends on the same date.

(c) All other offices, opposed by no other candidate who has qualified for the ballot and who is running in that district or running for that same office and term.

G. "Primary election spending limits" means:

For a candidate for the legislature, twelve thousand nine hundred twenty-one dollars.
For a candidate for mine inspector, forty-one thousand three hundred forty-nine dollars.
For a candidate for treasurer, superintendent of public instruction or the corporation commission, eighty-two thousand six hundred eighty dollars.
For a candidate for secretary of state or attorney general, one hundred sixty-five thousand three hundred seventy-eight dollars.
For a candidate for governor, six hundred thirty-eight thousand two hundred twenty-two dollars.

H. "General election spending limits" means amounts fifty per cent greater than the amounts specified in subsection G of this section.

I. 1. "Original" spending limit means a limit specified in subsections G and H of this section, as adjusted pursuant to section 16-959, or a special amount expressly set for a particular candidate by a provision of this title.

"Adjusted" spending limit means an original spending limit as further adjusted pursuant to section 16-952.

Chapter 6.1 Campaign Media Spending

Article 1 Disclosure of Original Source of Monies

§ 16-971 Definitions

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Business income" means:

(a) Monies received by a person in commercial transactions in the ordinary course of the person's regular trade, business or investments.

(b) Membership or union dues that do not exceed $5,000 from any one person in a calendar year.

"Campaign media spending":

(a) Means spending monies or accepting in-kind contributions to pay for any of the following:

(i) A public communication that expressly advocates for or against the nomination, or election of a candidate.

(ii) A public communication that promotes, supports, attacks or opposes a candidate within six months preceding an election involving that candidate.

(iii) A public communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate within ninety days before a primary election until the time of the general election and that is disseminated in the jurisdiction where the candidate's election is taking place.

(iv) A public communication that promotes, supports, attacks or opposes the qualification or approval of any state or local initiative or referendum.

(v) A public communication that promotes, supports, attacks or opposes the recall of a public officer.

(vi) An activity or public communication that supports the election or defeat of candidates of an identified political party or the electoral prospects of an identified political party, including partisan voter registration, partisan get-out-the-vote activity or other partisan campaign activity.

(vii) Research, design, production, polling, data analytics, mailing or social media list acquisition or any other activity conducted in preparation for or in conjunction with any of the activities described in items (i) through (vi) of this subdivision.

(b) Does not include spending monies or accepting in-kind contributions for any of the following:

(i) A news story, commentary or editorial by any broadcasting station, cable television operator, video service provider, programmer or producer, newspaper, magazine, website or other periodical publication that is not owned or operated by a candidate, a candidate's spouse or a candidate committee, political party or political action committee.

(ii) A nonpartisan activity intended to encourage voter registration and turnout.

(iii) Publishing a book or producing a documentary, if the publication or production is for distribution to the general public through traditional distribution mechanisms or if a fee is required to purchase the book or view the documentary.

(iv) Primary or nonpartisan debates between candidates or between proponents and opponents of a state or local initiative or referendum and announcements of those debates.

"Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 16-901.
"Candidate committee" has the same meaning as in section 16-901.
"Commission" means the citizens clean elections commission.
"Contribution" means money, donation, gift, loan or advance or other thing of value, including goods and services.
"Covered person"

(a) Means any person whose total campaign media spending or acceptance of in-kind contributions to enable campaign media spending, or a combination of both, in an election cycle is more than $50,000 in statewide campaigns or more than $25,000 in any other type of campaigns. For the purposes of this chapter, the amount of a person's campaign media spending includes campaign media spending made by entities established, financed, maintained or controlled by that person.

(b) Does not include:

(i) Individuals who spend only their own personal monies for campaign media spending.

(ii) Organizations that spend only their own business income for campaign media spending.

(iii) A candidate committee.

(iv) A political action committee or political party that receives not more than $20,000 in contributions, including in-kind contributions, from any one person in an election cycle.

"Election cycle" means the time beginning the day after general election day in even-numbered years and continuing through the end of general election day in the next even-numbered year.
"Expressly advocates" has the same meaning as in section 16-901.01.
"Identity" means:

(a) In the case of an individual, the name, mailing address, occupation and employer of the individual

(b) In the case of any other person, the name, mailing address, federal tax status and state of incorporation, registration or partnership, if any.

"In-kind contribution" means a contribution of goods, services or anything of value that is provided without charge or at less than the usual and normal charge.
"Original monies" means business income or an individual's personal monies.
"Person" includes both a natural person and an entity such as a corporation, limited liability company, labor organization, partnership or association, regardless of legal form.
"Personal monies"

(a) Means any of the following:

(i) Any asset of an individual that, at the time the individual engaged in campaign media spending or transferred monies to another person for such spending, the individual had legal control over and rightful title to.

(ii) Income received by an individual or the individual's spouse, including salary and other earned income from bona fide employment, dividends and proceeds from the individual's personal investments or bequests to the individual, including income from trusts established by bequests.

(iii) A portion of assets that are jointly owned by the individual and the individual's spouse equal to the individual's share of the asset under the instrument of conveyance or ownership. If no specific share is indicated by an instrument of conveyance or ownership, the value is one-half the value of the property or asset.

(b) Does not mean any asset or income received from any person for the purpose of influencing any election.

"Political action committee" has the same meaning as in section 16-901.
"Political party" has the same meaning as in section 16-901.
"Public communication"

(a) Means a paid communication to the public by means of broadcast, cable, satellite, internet or another digital method, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mass mailing or another mass distribution, telephone bank or any other form of general public political advertising or marketing, regardless of medium.

(b) Does not include communications between an organization and its employees, stockholders or bona fide members.

"Traceable monies" means:

(a) Monies that have been given, loaned or promised to be given to a covered person and for which no donor has opted out of their use or transfer for campaign media spending pursuant to section 16-972.

(b) Monies used to pay for in-kind contributions to a covered person to enable campaign media spending.

"Transfer records" means a written record of the identity of each person that directly or indirectly contributed or transferred more than $2,500 of original monies used for campaign media spending, the amount of each contribution or transfer and the person to whom those monies were transferred.

§ 16-972 Campaign media spending; transfer records; written notice; donor opt-out; disclosure of previous records

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. A covered person must maintain transfer records. The covered person must maintain these records for at least five years and provide the records on request to the commission.

B. Before the covered person may use or transfer a donor's monies for campaign media spending, the donor must be notified in writing that the monies may be so used and must be given an opportunity to opt out of having the donation used or transferred for campaign media spending. The notice under this subsection must:

Inform donors that their monies may be used for campaign media spending and that information about donors may have to be reported to the appropriate government authority in this state for disclosure to the public.
Inform donors that they can opt out of having their monies used or transferred for campaign media spending by notifying the covered person in writing within twenty-one days after receiving the notice.
Comply with rules adopted by the commission pursuant to this chapter to ensure that the notice is clearly visible and that it accomplishes the purposes of this section.

C. The notice required by this section may be provided to the donor before or after the covered person receives a donor's monies, but the donor's monies may not be used or transferred for campaign media spending until at least twenty-one days after the notice is provided or until the donor provides written consent pursuant to this section, whichever is earlier.

D. Any person that donates to a covered person more than $5,000 in traceable monies in an election cycle must inform that covered person in writing, within ten days after receiving a written request from the covered person, of the identity of each other person that directly or indirectly contributed more than $2,500 in original monies being transferred and the amount of each other person's original monies being transferred. If the original monies were previously transferred, the donor must disclose all such previous transfers of more than $2,500 and identify the intermediaries. The donor must maintain these records for at least five years and provide the records on request to the commission.

E. Any person that makes an in-kind contribution to a covered person of more than $5,000 in an election cycle to enable campaign media spending must inform that covered person in writing, at the time the in-kind contribution is made or promised to be made, of the identity of each other person that directly or indirectly contributed or provided more than $2,500 in original monies used to pay for the in-kind contribution and the amount of each other person's original monies so used. If the original monies were previously transferred, the in-kind donor must disclose all such previous transfers of more than $2,500 and identify the intermediaries. The in-kind donor must maintain these records for at least five years and provide the records on request to the commission.

§ 16-973 Disclosure reports; exceptions

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Within five days after first spending monies or accepting in-kind contributions totaling $50,000 or more during an election cycle on campaign media spending in statewide campaigns or $25,000 or more during the election cycle in any other type of campaigns, a covered person shall file with the secretary of state an initial report that discloses all of the following:

The identity of the person that owns or controls the traceable monies.
The identity of any entity established, financed, maintained or controlled by the person that owns or controls the traceable monies and that maintains its own transfer records and that entity's relationship to the covered person.
The name, mailing address and position of the individual who is the custodian of the transfer records.
The name, mailing address and position of at least one individual who controls, directly or indirectly, how the traceable monies are spent.
The total amount of traceable monies owned or controlled by the covered person on the date the report is made.
The identity of each donor of original monies who contributed, directly or indirectly, more than $5,000 of traceable monies or in-kind contributions for campaign media spending during the election cycle to the covered person and the date and amount of each of the donor's contributions.
The identity of each person that acted as an intermediary and that transferred, in whole or in part, traceable monies of more than $5,000 from original sources to the covered person and the date, amount and source, both original and intermediate, of the transferred monies.
The identity of each person that received from the covered person disbursements totaling $10,000 or more of traceable monies during the election cycle and the date and purpose of each disbursement, including the full name and office sought of any candidate or a description of any ballot proposition that was supported, opposed or referenced in a public communication that was paid for, in whole or in part, with the disbursed monies.
The identity of any person whose total contributions of traceable monies to the covered person constituted more than half of the traceable monies of the covered person at the start of the election cycle.

B. After a covered person makes an initial report, each time the covered person spends monies or accepts in-kind contributions totaling an additional $25,000 or more during an election cycle on campaign media spending in statewide campaigns or an additional $15,000 or more on campaign media spending during an election cycle in any other type of campaigns, that covered person shall file with the secretary of state within three days after spending monies or accepting the in-kind contribution a report that discloses any information that has changed since the most recent report was made pursuant to this section.

C. When the information required pursuant to subsection A, paragraphs 1 through 4 of this section has changed since it was previously reported, the changed information shall be reported to the secretary of state within twenty days, except that there is no obligation to report changes that occur more than one year after the most recent report should have been filed pursuant to this section.

D. To determine the sources, intermediaries and amounts of indirect contributions received, a covered person may rely on the information it received pursuant to section 16-972, unless the covered person knows or has reason to know that the information relied on is false or unreliable.

E. When a covered person transfers more than $5,000 in traceable monies to another covered person, or after receiving the required notice under section 16-972, subsection B, fails to opt out of having previously transferred monies used for campaign media spending, a transfer record must be provided to the recipient covered person that identifies each person that directly or indirectly contributed more than $2,500 of the original monies being transferred, the amount of each person's original monies being transferred, and any other person that previously transferred the original monies.

F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the identity of an original source that is otherwise protected from disclosure by law or a court order or that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commission that there is a reasonable probability that public knowledge of the original source's identity would subject the source or the source's family to a serious risk of physical harm shall not be disclosed or included in a disclaimer.

G. This section does not require public disclosure of or a disclaimer regarding the identity of an original source that contributes, directly or through intermediaries, $5,000 or less in monies or in-kind contributions during an election cycle to a covered person for campaign media spending.

H. All disclosure reports made pursuant to this section shall be made electronically to the secretary of state and to any other body as directed by law. Officials shall promptly make the information public and provide it to the commission electronically. All disclosure reports are subject to penalty of perjury.

I. Except as provided in subsection J of this section, a political action committee or political party that is a covered person may satisfy the timing requirements for reporting in this section by filing the periodic campaign finance reports as required by law for political action committees and political parties, provided that the disclosures required by this section are included in those periodic reports, including the requirement to identify the original sources of traceable monies who gave, directly or indirectly, and any intermediaries who transferred, directly or indirectly, more than $5,000 in traceable monies to the covered person during the election cycle.

J. If a political action committee or political party that is a covered person spends monies or accepts in-kind contributions within 20 days of an election that would require a report under this section, it shall file a report pursuant to this section within 3 days of that spending or in-kind contribution.

§ 16-974 Citizens clean elections commission; powers and duties; rules

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The commission is the primary agency authorized to implement and enforce this chapter. The commission may do any of the following:

Adopt and enforce rules.
Issue and enforce civil subpoenas, including third-party subpoenas.
Initiate enforcement actions.
Conduct fact-finding hearings and investigations.
Impose civil penalties for noncompliance, including penalties for late or incomplete disclosures and for any other violations of this chapter.
Seek legal and equitable relief in court as necessary.
Establish the records persons must maintain to support their disclosures.
Perform any other act that may assist in implementing this chapter.

B. If the commission imposes a civil penalty on a person and that person does not timely seek judicial review, the commission may file a certified copy of its order requiring payment of the civil penalty with the clerk of the superior court in any county of this state. The clerk shall treat the commission order in the same manner as a judgment of the superior court. A commission order filed pursuant to this subsection has the same effect as a judgment of the superior court and may be recorded, enforced or satisfied in the same manner. A filing fee is not required for an action filed under this subsection.

C. The commission shall establish disclaimer requirements for public communications by covered persons. A political action committee that complies with these requirements need not separately comply with the requirements prescribed in section 16-925, subsection B. Public communications by covered persons shall state, at a minimum, the names of the top three donors who directly or indirectly made the three largest contributions of original monies during the election cycle to the covered person. If it is not technologically possible for a public communication disseminated on the internet or by social media message, text message or short message service to provide all the information required by this subsection, the public communication must provide a means for viewers to obtain, immediately and easily, the required information without having to receive extraneous information.

D. The commission's rules and any commission enforcement actions pursuant to this chapter are not subject to the approval of or any prohibition or limit imposed by any other executive or legislative governmental body or official. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, rules adopted pursuant to this chapter are exempt from title 41, chapters 6 and 6.1.

E. The commission shall establish a process to reimburse the secretary of state and any other agency that incurs costs to implement or enforce this chapter.

F. The commission may adjust the contribution and expenditure thresholds in this chapter to reflect inflation.

§ 16-975 Structured transactions prohibited

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A person may not structure or assist in structuring, or attempt or assist in an attempt to structure any solicitation, contribution, donation, expenditure, disbursement or other transaction to evade the reporting requirements of this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to this chapter.

§ 16-976 Penalties; separate account; use of monies; surcharge

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The civil penalty for any violation of this chapter shall be at least the amount of the undisclosed or improperly disclosed contribution and not more than three times that amount. For violations of section 16-975, the relevant amount for the purposes of calculating the civil penalty is the amount determined by the commission to constitute a structured transaction.

B. Civil penalties collected for violations of this chapter shall be deposited in a separate account in the citizens clean elections fund established pursuant to chapter 6, article 2 of this title and used to defray the costs of implementing and enforcing this chapter. Any monies in this account that are not used to implement and enforce this chapter may be used for other commission-approved purposes.

C. An additional surcharge of one percent shall be imposed on civil and criminal penalties and the proceeds deposited in the account in the citizens clean elections fund established pursuant to subsection B of this section. The surcharge shall be suspended for one to three years at a time if the commission determines that, during that period, it can perform the actions required by this chapter without the monies from the surcharge.

§ 16-977 Complaints; investigations; civil action

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Any qualified voter in this state may file a verified complaint with the commission against a person that fails to comply with the requirements of this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. The complaint must state the factual basis for believing that there has been a violation of this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.

B. If the commission determines that the complaint, if true, states the factual basis for a violation of this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this chapter, the commission shall investigate the allegations and provide the alleged violator with an opportunity to be heard.

C. If the commission dismisses at any time the complaint or takes no substantive enforcement action within ninety days after receiving the complaint, the complainant may bring a civil action against the commission to compel it to take enforcement action, and the court shall review de novo whether the commission's dismissal or failure to act was reasonable. In any matter in which the civil penalty for the alleged violation could be greater than $50,000, any claim or defense by the commission of prosecutorial discretion is not a basis for dismissing or failing to act on the complaint. A court may award the prevailing party in a civil action under this subsection its reasonable attorneys' fees.

§ 16-978 Legislative, county and municipal provisions

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Nothing in this act prevents the legislature, a county board of supervisors or a municipal government from enacting or enforcing additional or more stringent disclosure provisions for campaign media spending than those contained in this chapter. Additional or more stringent disclosure requirements for campaign media spending further the purposes of this chapter.

B. To the extent the provisions of this chapter conflict with any state law, this chapter governs.

§ 16-979 Legal defense; standing; legal counsel

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. A political action committee formed to support the voters' right to know act or any of that committee's officers may intervene as of right in any legal action brought to challenge the validity of this chapter or any of its provisions.

B. The commission has standing to defend this chapter on behalf of this state in any legal action brought to challenge the validity of this chapter or any of its provisions.

C. Notwithstanding any law, the commission has exclusive and independent authority to select legal counsel to represent the commission regarding its duties under this chapter and to defend this chapter if its validity is challenged.

Chapter 7 Penal Provisions

Article 1 General Provisions

§ 16-1001 Applicability of penal provisions

The provisions of this title defining crimes involving elections and crimes against the elective franchise, and prescribing penalties therefor, apply to any general, primary or special election or to any election called by a board of supervisors for any purpose for which the board is authorized by law to call an election.

§ 16-1002 Counterfeiting or distributing unlawful ballots; classification

A person who counterfeits a ballot, or who circulates or gives to another a counterfeit ballot, knowing at the time that the ballot has not been issued pursuant to the election laws of the state, is guilty of a class 5 felony.

§ 16-1003 False endorsement, knowing destruction or delay in delivery of ballot; classification

A person who knowingly forges or falsely makes the official endorsement of a ballot, knowingly destroys or defaces a ballot, or knowingly delays the delivery of a ballot, is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1004 Interference with or corruption of election officer; interference with voting equipment; violation; classification

A. A person who at any election knowingly interferes in any manner with an officer of such election in the discharge of the officer's duty, or who induces an officer of an election or officer whose duty it is to ascertain, announce or declare the result of such election, to violate or refuse to comply with the officer's duty or any law regulating the election, is guilty of a class 5 felony.

B. A person who knowingly modifies the software, hardware or source code for voting equipment without receiving approval or certification pursuant to section 16-442 is guilty of a class 5 felony.

C. A person who knowingly impersonates any election official, including an election board member or other poll worker or a challenger or party representative designated pursuant to section 16-590, is guilty of a class 6 felony.

§ 16-1005 Ballot abuse; violation; classification

A. Any person who knowingly marks a voted or unvoted ballot or ballot envelope with the intent to fix an election for that person's own benefit or for that of another person is guilty of a class 5 felony.

B. It is unlawful to offer or provide any consideration to acquire a voted or unvoted early ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

C. It is unlawful to receive or agree to receive any consideration in exchange for a voted or unvoted ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

D. It is unlawful to possess a voted or unvoted ballot with the intent to sell the voted or unvoted ballot of another person. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

E. A person or entity that knowingly solicits the collection of voted or unvoted ballots by misrepresenting itself as an election official or as an official ballot repository or is found to be serving as a ballot drop off site, other than those established and staffed by election officials, is guilty of a class 5 felony.

F. A person who knowingly collects voted or unvoted ballots and who does not turn those ballots in to an election official, the United States postal service or any other entity permitted by law to transmit post is guilty of a class 5 felony.

G. A person who engages or participates in a pattern of ballot fraud is guilty of a class 4 felony. For the purposes of this subsection, "pattern of ballot fraud" means the person has offered or provided any consideration to three or more persons to acquire the voted or unvoted ballot of a person.

H. A person who knowingly collects voted or unvoted early ballots from another person is guilty of a class 6 felony. An election official, a United States postal service worker or any other person who is allowed by law to transmit United States mail is deemed not to have collected an early ballot if the official, worker or other person is engaged in official duties.

I. Subsection H of this section does not apply to:

An election held by a special taxing district formed pursuant to title 48 for the purpose of protecting or providing services to agricultural lands or crops and that is authorized to conduct elections pursuant to title 48.
A family member, household member or caregiver of the voter. For the purposes of this paragraph:

(a) "Caregiver" means a person who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility or adult foster care home.

(b) "Collects" means to gain possession or control of an early ballot.

(d) "Household member" means a person who resides at the same residence as the voter.

§ 16-1006 Changing vote of elector by corrupt means or inducement; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person knowingly by force, threats, menaces, bribery or any corrupt means, either directly or indirectly:

To attempt to influence an elector in casting his vote or to deter him from casting his vote.
To attempt to awe, restrain, hinder or disturb an elector in the free exercise of the right of suffrage.
To defraud an elector by deceiving and causing him to vote for a different person for an office or for a different measure than he intended or desired to vote for.

B. A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a class 5 felony.

§ 16-1007 Election officer ascertaining or disclosing elector's vote; classification

An officer of an election, unless lawfully assisting a voter, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, who knowingly:

Previous to the closing of the polls, attempts to find out for whom the elector has voted.
Opens or permits the folded ballot of an elector which has been delivered to the election official to be opened or examined previous to depositing it in the ballot box.
Makes or places a mark or device on a folded ballot with the intent to ascertain for whom any elector has voted.
Without consent of the elector, discloses the name of any person whom the election official has fraudulently or illegally discovered to have been voted for by the elector.

§ 16-1008 Election officer changing vote of elector by menace or reward; classification

An officer of an election who, while acting as such, knowingly induces an elector, either by menace, reward or promise thereof, to vote differently than the elector intended or desired to vote, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1009 Failure or refusal to perform duty by election officer; classification

A public officer upon whom a duty is imposed by this title, who knowingly fails or refuses to perform that duty in the manner prescribed by law, is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1010 Refusal by election officer to perform duty; violation of election law; classification

A person charged with performance of any duty under any law relating to elections who knowingly refuses to perform such duty, or who, in his official capacity, knowingly acts in violation of any provision of such law, is guilty of a class 6 felony unless a different punishment for such act or omission is prescribed by law.

§ 16-1011 Counterfeiting election returns; violation; classification

A. A person who knowingly forges or counterfeits returns of an election purporting to have been held at a precinct or place where no election was in fact held, or who knowingly substitutes, forges or counterfeits returns of election instead of the true returns for a precinct or place where an election was actually held, is guilty of a class 3 felony.

B. A person who knowingly substitutes, forges, counterfeits or tampers with ballot tabulations or totals or election results by electronic means or through the use of a computer, machine or other device is guilty of a class 3 felony. This subsection does not apply to the casting or tallying of ballots as provided by law or to the substitution or duplication of ballots as prescribed by sections 16-573, 16-574 and 16-621.

C. Notwithstanding sections 13-907 and 13-908, a person who is convicted under this section shall not be automatically restored the right to vote.

§ 16-1012 Intimidation of elector by employer; classification

A. It is unlawful for an employer knowingly:

In paying employees the salary or wages due them, to enclose their pay in envelopes upon which there is written or printed any political mottoes, devices or arguments, containing threats, express or implied, intended or calculated to influence the political opinions, views or actions of the employees.
Within ninety days of an election provided by law, to put up or otherwise exhibit in any place where his employees are working or are present in the course of employment a handbill, notice or placard containing a threat, notice or information that if any particular ticket or candidate is elected or defeated work in his place or establishment will cease in whole or in part, or his establishment will be closed, or the wages of his workmen will be reduced, or other threats, express or implied, intended or calculated to influence the political opinions or actions of his employees.

B. An employer, whether acting in his individual capacity or as an officer or agent of a corporation, who violates a provision of this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1013 Coercion or intimidation of elector; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person knowingly:

Directly or indirectly, to make use of force, violence or restraint, or to inflict or threaten infliction, by himself or through any other person, of any injury, damage, harm or loss, or in any manner to practice intimidation upon or against any person, in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting for a particular person or measure at any election provided by law, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting at an election.
By abduction, duress or any forcible or fraudulent device or contrivance whatever, to impede, prevent or otherwise interfere with the free exercise of the elective franchise of any voter, or to compel, induce or to prevail upon a voter either to cast or refrain from casting his vote at an election, or to cast or refrain from casting his vote for any particular person or measure at an election.

B. A person, whether acting in his individual capacity or as an officer or agent of a corporation, who violates a provision of this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1014 Corruption of electors; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person, directly or indirectly, by himself or through any other person knowingly:

To treat, give, pay, loan, contribute, offer or promise money or other valuable consideration, or to give, offer or promise an office, place or employment, or to promise or to procure or endeavor to procure an office, place or employment, to or for a voter, or to or for any other person, to induce the voter to vote or refrain from voting at an election for any particular person or measure, or to induce the voter to go to the polls, or remain away from the polls at an election, or on account of the voter having voted or refrained from voting for any particular person or measure, or having gone to the polls or remained away from the polls at an election.
To advance or pay or cause to be paid, money or other valuable consideration to or for the use of any other person with the intent that it, or any part thereof, be used for bribery at any election provided by law, or to knowingly pay or cause to be paid money or other valuable thing to any person in discharge or repayment of money, wholly or in part expended for bribery at any election.
To receive, agree or contract for, before, during or after an election provided by law, money, gifts, loans or other valuable consideration, office, place or employment for himself or other person, for voting or agreeing to vote, or for going or agreeing to go to the polls, or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting for a particular person or measure, or for inducing any person to vote or refrain from voting, or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular person or measure at an election.

B. A person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1015 Election wagers; classification

A person who, before or during an election provided by law, knowingly makes, offers or accepts a bet or wager, or takes a share or interest in, or in any manner becomes a party to the bet or wager, or provides or agrees to provide money to be used by another in making the bet or wager, upon any contingency whatever arising out of such election, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1016 Illegal voting; pollution of ballot box; removal or destruction of ballot box, poll lists or ballots; violation; classification

A person is guilty of a class 5 felony who:

Not being entitled to vote, knowingly votes.
Knowingly votes more than once at any election.
Knowingly votes in two or more jurisdictions in this state for which residency is required for lawful voting and the person is not a resident of all jurisdictions in which the person voted. For the purposes of this paragraph, a person has only one residence for the purpose of voting.
Knowingly votes in this state in an election in which a federal office appears on the ballot and votes in another state in an election in which a federal office appears on the ballot and the election day for both states is the same date.
Knowingly gives to an election official two or more ballots folded together.
Knowingly changes or destroys a ballot after it has been deposited in the ballot box.
Knowingly adds a ballot to those legally cast at any election, by fraudulently introducing the ballot into the ballot box either before or after the ballots in the ballot box have been counted.
Knowingly adds to or mixes with ballots lawfully cast, other ballots, while they are being canvassed or counted, with intent to affect the result of the election, or to exhibit the ballots as evidence on the trial of an election contest.
Knowingly and unlawfully carries away, conceals or removes a poll list, ballot or ballot box from the polling place, or from possession of the person authorized by law to have custody thereof.
Knowingly destroys a polling list, ballot or ballot box with the intent to interrupt or invalidate the election.
Knowingly detains, alters, mutilates or destroys ballots or election returns.
Knowingly provides a mechanism for voting to another person who is registered in another state, including by forwarding an early ballot addressed to the other person.

§ 16-1017 Unlawful acts by voters with respect to voting; classification

A voter who knowingly commits any of the following acts is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor:

Makes a false statement as to the voter's inability to mark a ballot.
Interferes with a voter within the seventy-five foot limit of the polling place as posted by the election marshal or within seventy-five feet of the main outside entrance to an on-site early voting location established by a county recorder pursuant to section 16-542, subsection A.
Endeavors while within the seventy-five foot limit for a polling place or on-site early voting location to induce a voter to vote for or against a particular candidate or issue.
Prior to the close of an election defaces or destroys a sample ballot posted by election officers, or defaces, tears down, removes or destroys a card of instructions posted for the instruction of voters.
Removes or destroys supplies or conveniences furnished to enable a voter to prepare the voter's ballot.
Hinders the voting of others.
Votes in a county in which the voter no longer resides, except as provided in section 16-125.

§ 16-1018 Additional unlawful acts by persons with respect to voting; classification

A person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor:

Knowingly electioneers on election day within a polling place or in a public manner within seventy-five feet of the main outside entrance of a polling place or on-site early voting location established by a county recorder pursuant to section 16-542, subsection A.
Intentionally disables or removes from the polling place, on-site early voting location or custody of an election official a voting machine or a voting record.
Knowingly removes an official ballot from a polling place before closing the polls.
Shows another voter's ballot to any person after it is prepared for voting in such a manner as to reveal the contents, except to an authorized person lawfully assisting the voter. A voter who makes available an image of the voter's own ballot by posting on the internet or in some other electronic medium is deemed to have consented to retransmittal of that image and that retransmittal does not constitute a violation of this section.
Knowingly solicits a voter to show the voter's ballot, or receives from a voter a ballot prepared for voting, unless the person is an election official or unless otherwise authorized by law.
Knowingly receives an official ballot from a person other than an election official having charge of the ballots.
Knowingly delivers an official ballot to a voter, unless the voter is an election official.
Except for a completed ballot transmitted by an elector by fax or other electronic format pursuant to section 16-543, knowingly places a mark on the voter's ballot by which it can be identified as the one voted by the voter.
After having received a ballot as a voter, knowingly fails to return the ballot to the election official before leaving the polling place or on-site early voting location.

§ 16-1019 Political signs; printed materials; tampering; violation; classification; definitions

A. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign of any candidate for public office or in support of or opposition to any ballot measure, question or issue or knowingly remove, alter or deface any political mailers, handouts, flyers or other printed materials of a candidate or in support of or opposition to any ballot measure, question or issue that are delivered by hand to a residence for the period commencing seventy-one days before an election and ending fifteen days after the election, except that for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who advances to the general election, the period ends fifteen days after the general election. For a sign that supports or opposes a ballot measure, question or issue, this subsection applies only for the election at which the ballot measure, question or issue is scheduled to appear on the ballot and for the period commencing seventy-one days before that election and ending fifteen days after that election.

B. This section does not apply to the removal, alteration, defacing or covering of a political sign or other printed materials by the candidate or the authorized agent of the candidate in support of whose election the sign or materials were placed, by a person authorized by the committee in support of or opposition to a ballot measure, question or issue that provided the sign or printed materials, by the owner or authorized agent of the owner of private property on which such signs or printed materials are placed with or without permission of the owner or placed in violation of state law or county, city or town ordinance or regulation.

C. Notwithstanding any other statute, ordinance or regulation, a city, town or county of this state shall not remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign if the following conditions are met:

The sign is placed in a public right-of-way that is owned or controlled by that jurisdiction.
The sign supports or opposes a candidate for public office or it supports or opposes a ballot measure, question or issue.
The sign is not placed in a location that is hazardous to public safety, obstructs clear vision in the area or interferes with the requirements of the Americans with disabilities act (42 United States Code sections 12101 through 12213 and 47 United States Code sections 225 and 611).
The sign has a maximum area of sixteen square feet, if the sign is located in an area zoned for residential use, or a maximum area of thirty-two square feet if the sign is located in any other area.
The sign contains the name and telephone number or website address of the candidate or campaign committee contact person.

D. If the city, town or county deems that the placement of a political sign constitutes an emergency, the jurisdiction may immediately relocate the sign. The jurisdiction shall notify the candidate or campaign committee that placed the sign within twenty-four hours after the relocation. If a sign is placed in violation of subsection C of this section and the placement is not deemed to constitute an emergency, the city, town or county may notify the candidate or campaign committee that placed the sign of the violation. If the sign remains in violation at least twenty-four hours after the jurisdiction notified the candidate or campaign committee, the jurisdiction may remove the sign. The jurisdiction shall contact the candidate or campaign committee contact and shall retain the sign for at least ten business days to allow the candidate or campaign committee to retrieve the sign without penalty.

E. A city, town or county employee acting within the scope of the employee's employment is not liable for an injury caused by the failure to remove a sign pursuant to subsection D of this section unless the employee intended to cause injury or was grossly negligent.

F. Subsection C of this section does not apply to commercial tourism, commercial resort and hotel sign free zones as those zones are designated by municipalities. The total area of those zones shall not be larger than three square miles, and each zone shall be identified as a specific contiguous area where, by resolution of the municipal governing body, the municipality has determined that based on a predominance of commercial tourism, resort and hotel uses within the zone the placement of political signs within the rights-of-way in the zone will detract from the scenic and aesthetic appeal of the area within the zone and deter its appeal to tourists. Not more than two zones may be identified within a municipality.

G. A city, town or county may prohibit the installation of a sign on any structure owned by the jurisdiction.

H. Subsection C of this section applies only during the period commencing seventy-one days before an election and ending fifteen days after the election, except that for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who advances to the general election, the period ends fifteen days after the general election. For a sign that supports or opposes a ballot measure, question or issue, subsection C of this section applies only for the election at which the ballot measure, question or issue is scheduled to appear on the ballot and for the period commencing seventy-one days before that election and ending fifteen days after that election.

I. This section does not apply to state highways or routes, or overpasses over those state highways or routes.

J. For the purposes of this section:

"General election" means the general election as prescribed by section 16-211.
"Primary election" means an election that is held as prescribed by section 16-201.

§ 16-1020 Signing of petitions; violation; classification

A person knowingly signing any name other than his own to a nomination petition or a petition for formation, alteration or dissolution of a special district, except in a circumstance where he signs for a person, in the presence of and at the specific request of such person who is incapable of signing his own name because of physical infirmity, or knowingly signing his name more than once to a nomination petition or a petition for formation, alteration or dissolution of a special district, or who is not at the time of signing a qualified elector entitled to vote at the election initiated by the petition, is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 16-1021 Enforcement by attorney general and county, city or town attorney

In any election for state office, members of the legislature, justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals or statewide initiative or referendum the attorney general may enforce the provisions of this title through civil and criminal actions. In any election for county, city or town office, community college district governing board, judge or a county, city or town initiative or referendum, the appropriate county, city or town attorney may enforce the provisions of this title through civil and criminal actions. In any special district election, the county attorney of any county in which the district or a portion of the district is located or the attorney general may enforce the laws governing such election.

§ 16-1022 Campaign finance violations; classification

A. It is unlawful for a corporation, limited liability company or labor organization to make a contribution to a candidate committee. A corporation, limited liability company or labor organization that violates this subsection is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. The individual through whom the violation is effected is guilty of a class 6 felony. This subsection does not apply to a committee that is incorporated or organized for limitation of liability.

B. It is unlawful for any person to make a contribution in the name of another person, knowingly permit a person's name to be used to effect a contribution in the name of another person or knowingly accept a contribution made by a person in the name of another person. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 6 felony.

C. It is unlawful for any person to make a contribution or expenditure using money or anything of value secured by physical force, job discrimination or financial reprisal, including threats of any force, discrimination or reprisal. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 6 felony.

D. It is unlawful for any person to make a contribution or expenditure using dues, fees or other monies required as a condition of membership in a labor organization or as a condition of employment. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 6 felony.

§ 16-1023 Digital impersonation of candidate or other person; relief; applicability; definitions

A. A candidate for public office or political party office who will appear on the ballot in this state or any citizen of this state may bring an action for digital impersonation within two years after the date that the person knows, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should know, that a digital impersonation of the person who is bringing the action was published. The sole remedy on this cause of action is preliminary and permanent declaratory relief except as otherwise expressly provided by this section. To prevail on an action prescribed by this section, a plaintiff must prove all of the following:

That a digital impersonation of the person was published to one or more other persons without the person's consent.
That at the time of publication either of the following applies:

(a) The publisher did not reasonably convey to the persons to whom the publication was made that the recording or image was a digital impersonation or that its authenticity was disputed.

(b) It would not be obvious to a reasonable person that the recording or image was a digital impersonation.

B. If the digital impersonation is or is part of a paid advertisement, a cause of action for digital impersonation may be brought only against the person or entity that originated, ordered, placed or paid for the advertisement.

C. A provider of an interactive computer service may not be subject to an action for digital impersonation for publishing information that is provided by another information content provider.

D. A person who brings an action for digital impersonation may file a complaint and a motion for preliminary declaratory relief in the superior court. The plaintiff shall make diligent efforts to both serve and provide prompt actual notice to all defendants. The publisher of the alleged digital impersonation has the right to appear, be heard and present evidence before the court's entry of preliminary declaratory relief, but a defendant's failure to appear does not preclude a court from granting preliminary declaratory relief.

E. The court shall rule on the motion for preliminary declaratory relief within two days after the date that the complaint and motion are received by the judicial officer who is assigned to the case, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and court holidays. Preliminary declaratory relief may be granted against a defendant who does not appear only if the plaintiff's complaint is verified and a declaration is filed that states why with the exercise of reasonable diligence the defendant could not be served. If the court grants preliminary declaratory relief against a defendant who does not appear, the order granting the relief must be filed promptly in the clerk's office and entered in the record and must state all of the following:

The date and hour the order was issued.
Why the order was issued without notice.
The date and hour the order expires.
Any additional information that the judicial officer believes is necessary or appropriate to effectuate the order.

F. Preliminary declaratory relief may be granted only if the plaintiff proves the elements of digital impersonation prescribed by subsection A of this section and at least one of the following additional elements:

The person is a candidate for public office or political party office and an election is scheduled to be held for that public office or political party office within one hundred eighty days of the date that the relief is requested.
The digital impersonation depicts the person engaging in a sexual act or depicts the unclothed breasts, buttocks or genitals of the person.
The digital impersonation depicts the person engaging in a criminal act.
In the absence of preliminary declaratory relief, the person can be reasonably expected to suffer significant personal or financial hardship or loss of employment opportunities.
In the absence of preliminary declaratory relief, the person's reputation will be irreparably harmed.

G. If the defendant does not appear and contest the claim and no other party intervenes as a defendant, the plaintiff is not entitled to taxable costs.

H. If a defendant has not been served within ninety days after the date of filing and no party has appeared or intervened as a defendant in intervention, the claims against that defendant shall be dismissed and any preliminary relief that was granted shall expire unless the court finds that the interests of justice require otherwise.

I. In addition to declaratory relief as prescribed in subsections A through F of this section, a plaintiff in an action for digital impersonation may obtain injunctive relief and damages only if the elements of digital impersonation prescribed in subsection A of this section and all of the following elements are proven:

The digital impersonation depicts the person engaging in a sexual act or depicts the unclothed breasts, buttocks or genitals of the person, appeals to prurient interests and offends local community standards.
The plaintiff was not a public figure, including a limited public figure, at the time the cause of action accrued.
The publication was made with actual knowledge that the recording or image was a digital impersonation or the publisher failed to take reasonable corrective action within twenty-one days after the publisher had actual knowledge that the recording or image was a digital impersonation. Reasonable corrective action includes removing or disabling access to the digital impersonation and publishing to the same audience a statement that the publication was a digital impersonation.

J. If preliminary declaratory relief is granted, any factual or legal determinations made by the court shall not be considered by the trier of fact or the court at any later stage of the proceeding or in any other proceeding.

K. The standard of proof for actions prescribed by this section is:

For preliminary declaratory relief, clear and convincing evidence.
For injunctive relief and damages, clear and convincing evidence.
For permanent declaratory relief, a preponderance of the evidence.

L. A plaintiff who brings an action under this section may file a complaint in the superior court for the county in which the plaintiff resides or, if the plaintiff is a candidate for President of the United States, in Maricopa county or in any county in which one of the candidate's political party's appointees for elector resides.

M. A parent or guardian of a minor child or incapacitated person may seek relief under this section on the minor child's or incapacitated person's behalf.

N. This section shall be narrowly construed in favor of both free and open discourse on matters of public concern and artistic expression and shall not be construed so as to abrogate any cause of action otherwise available.

O. All parties to a contested action seeking permanent declaratory relief, permanent injunctive relief or damages and that is brought pursuant to this section have the right to trial by jury.

P. This section applies fourteen days after the effective date of this section.

Q. For the purposes of this section:

"Digital impersonation" means synthetic media, typically video, audio or still image, that meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Has been digitally manipulated to convincingly replace one person's likeness or voice with that of another using deep generative methods and artificial intelligence techniques, or for which one person's likeness or voice has otherwise been simulated using deep generative methods and artificial intelligence techniques.

(b) Was created with the intention to deceive or lead reasonable listeners or viewers into believing that the content is authentic.

(c) Would lead reasonable viewers or listeners to believe that it is a true and accurate depiction of the impersonated person's voice or likeness and is something the impersonated person said or did.

(d) Is not commentary, parody, satire, criticism or artistic expression.

(e) Was not created by the impersonated person or with the impersonated person's consent.

"Election" means any election in this state, including a primary, presidential preference, special or general election.
"Information content provider" means any person or entity that is responsible, in whole or in part, for the creation or development of information provided through the internet or any other interactive computer service.
"Interactive computer service" means any information service, system or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.
"Political party office" means an office to which persons are elected within a political party.
"Public office":

(a) Means any office to which persons are elected by ballot at an election administered by this state or a political subdivision of this state.

(b) Includes the office of President of the United States where a candidate's name or a candidate's political party appointees for elector will appear on the ballot in this state.

§ 16-1024 Deepfakes; candidates; exemptions; civil liability; definitions

A. Within ninety days before an election at which a candidate for elected office will appear on the ballot, a person that acts as a creator shall not create and distribute a synthetic media message that the person knows is a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of that candidate who is on that ballot unless the synthetic media message includes a clear and conspicuous disclosure that conveys to a reasonable person that the media includes content generated by artificial intelligence.

B. This section does not apply to:

Media that constitutes satire or parody.
An interactive computer service as defined in 47 United States Code section 230.

C. A person who fails to make the disclosure required under this section is liable for the civil penalty prescribed by section 16-937, subsection B, for each day that they distribute the deceptive and fraudulent deepfake without such disclosure.

D. For the purposes of this section:

"Creator":

(a) Means any person that uses artificial intelligence or other digital technology to generate synthetic media.

(b) Does not include the provider of any technology used in the creation of synthetic media.

"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate with knowledge of its falsity and the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate and that is intentionally calculated to mislead a reasonable person into concluding that a real individual said or did something that they did not say or do in reality.
"Synthetic media" means an image, audio recording or video recording of an individual's appearance, speech or conduct that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio or video.

Chapter 8 Establishment of Legislative and Congressional Districts

Article 1 In General

§ 16-1101 Redistricting; legislative district designation

Notwithstanding any other law, the legislative district that contains the city of Prescott, as the first territorial capital, is designated as legislative district one. If the city of Prescott is located in more than one legislative district, the legislative district that contains the largest percentage of the city's population is designated as district one.

§ 16-1103 Legislative and congressional redistricting; census enumeration

For purposes of adopting legislative and congressional district boundaries, the legislature or any entity that is charged with recommending or adopting legislative or congressional district boundaries shall make its recommendations or determinations using population data from the United States bureau of the census identical to those from the actual enumeration conducted by the bureau for the apportionment of the representatives of the United States house of representatives in the United States decennial census and shall not use census bureau population counts derived from any other means, including the use of statistical sampling, to add or subtract population by inference.