Assigned to APPROP                                                                                          AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE

 


 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1593

 

early voting; time limits; envelope

Purpose

            Prohibits mailed early ballots postmarked later than the Thursday before the election from being processed. Requires a county recorder to begin mailing early ballots 22 days, rather than 27 days, before an election. Allows a voter that received an early ballot to vote a standard ballot at a polling place if the voter surrenders the early ballot to an election board worker.

Background

            An elector may make a request to a county recorder or other officer in charge of elections beginning 93 days before an election for an official early ballot. The county recorder or other elections officer may begin distributing early ballots 27 days before the election. The county recorder must mail early ballots within 48 hours of being requested, if the request is made within 22 days of the election (A.R.S. § 16-542). A county board of supervisors or political subdivision governing body must appoint one or more early election boards to canvass and tally early election ballots. All early ballots and signed affidavit envelopes received by 7:00 p.m. on election day must be delivered to early election boards for processing (A.R.S. § 16-551).

            Any qualified elector listed as having applied for an early ballot, but who states that the elector has not voted or surrenders the early ballot to the precinct inspector must be allowed to vote a provisional ballot (A.R.S. § 16-579). When a voter votes a provisional ballot, the ballot must be placed in a separate envelope, which must contain the precinct name or number and a sworn or attested statement of the elector that the elector: 1) resides in the precinct; 2) is eligible to vote in the election; and 3) has not previously voted in the election. Provisional ballots must be verified for proper registration of the elector by the county recorder. The county recorder or officer in charge of elections must provide for a method of notifying provisional ballot voters whether the voter's ballot was verified and counted (A.R.S. § 16-584).

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

Provisions

1.   Prohibits mailed early ballots that are postmarked later than the Thursday before the election from being processed.

2.   Prohibits mailed early ballots received after 7:00 p.m. on election day from being processed, regardless of the postmark date.

3.   Allows a qualified elector who has received an early ballot to vote with a standard ballot, rather than a provisional ballot, at a polling place if the elector surrenders the early ballot to an election board worker on election day at the electors polling place or voting center.

4.   Requires an early ballot surrendered by a qualified elector to an election board worker to be spoiled.

5.   Requires a county recorder to begin mailing early ballots 22 days, rather than 27 days, before an election.

6.   Requires a county recorder, if an early ballot request is received 31 or more days before the election, to mail the early ballot to the elector between 19 and 22 days, rather than between 24 and 27 days, before the election.

7.   Requires the county recorder to mail an early ballot to an elector within 48 hours if the request for an early ballot was made within 22 days, rather than within 27 days, of the election.

8.   Requires mail ballots for special district mail ballot elections to be mailed to electors beginning 22 days, rather than 27 days, before the election.

9.   Requires the printed early ballot instructions provided by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to:

a)   state that the ballot is valid only if it is postmarked on or before the Thursday preceding the election and received by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

10.  Makes technical and conforming changes.

11.  Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee

· Removes the requirement that the officer in charge of elections provide early voters with a second internal envelope that bears the ballot affidavit.

Senate Action

GOV               2/15/21      W/D

APPROP         2/23/21      DPA     5-4-1-0

Prepared by Senate Research

February 24, 2021

MH/kja