ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

HB 2181: write-ins; residency; filing deadline

Sponsor: Representative Kavanagh, LD 23

Committee on Government & Elections

Overview

Requires a person who wants to be a write-in election candidate to be a qualified elector and resident of the designated area they want to represent for 120 days before the election.

History

Current statute requires a person desiring to become a write-in candidate for an elective office in any election to file a nomination paper that is signed by the candidate and gives certain identifying information for the candidate. The write-in candidate must file the nomination paper no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 40th day before the election. A candidate running as a write-in candidate to fill a vacancy or for an election that may be canceled, must file their nomination paper no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth and 76th day before the election, respectively.

A person that does not file a timely nomination paper cannot be counted in the tally of ballots and the filing officer cannot accept the nomination paper of a candidate for state or local office unless the candidate provides or has provided the financial disclosure statement for that office (A.R.S. § 16-312).

Provisions

1. Stipulates that a write-in candidate must be a qualified elector of the county, city, town or district the person proposes to represent and a resident of the designated area for 120 days before the date of the election. (Sec. 1)

2. Increases the time period for a write in candidate to file the nomination paper to no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 76th day before election. (Sec. 1)

3. Makes a technical change. (Sec. 1)

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7. HB 2181

8. Initials SJ/AG Page 0 Government & Elections

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