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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
ballots; election day; identification
Purpose
Allows early ballots returned to a voting location on election day after confirming the voter's identification to be removed from the voting location by two authorized election workers who complete a chain of custody log and delivered to an official elections facility. Requires the chain of custody log to be available for inspection within 48 hours after election day. Deems the early ballot of a voter who is issued an early ballot during the early voting period after confirming identification as ready for tabulating.
Background
In order to receive a ballot at a voting location an elector must present: 1) a valid form of identification bearing their photograph, name and address; 2) two different items containing the name and address of the elector that is the same name and address in the precinct register; or 3) a valid form of identification that does not appear to be the same address as in the precinct register and one item containing the name and address of the elector that is the same as in the precinct register (A.R.S. § 16-579).
Upon opening the polls, the inspector at a polling place must produce a sealed package of official ballots and publicly open the ballots and deliver one book or block to the judges. The other books or blocks of ballots must remain with the inspector until called for by the judges and required for voting. One of the judges must keep the ballots within the polling place in plain view of the public. A person may not take or remove a ballot from the polling place before the polls are closed (A.R.S. § 16-572).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Stipulates that, if a voter is issued an early ballot at a voting location during the early voting period after presenting and confirming valid identification, the voter's ballot is ready for tabulating and exempt from signature verification.
3. Requires the chain of custody log for the early ballots returned at voting locations on election day to be available for inspection within 48 hours after election day by the public, the political parties, the committees representing ballot measures on the ballot and the candidates on the ballot.
4. Specifies that a designated receiving site must be an official elections facility and may not be a third-party vendor.
5. Requires the two authorized election workers to each be a member of a different political party of the two largest political parties.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Allows certain early ballots returned to a voting location to be removed from the voting location by two authorized election workers who have completed a chain of custody log and who deliver the ballots to an official elections facility.
2. Requires the two authorized election workers to each be a member of a different political party.
3. Specifies that the early ballots removed from a voting location by authorized election workers may not be delivered to a third-party vendor.
4. Requires the chain of custody log located at the voting location to include the total count of the early ballots being transported.
5. Requires the chain of custody log for early ballots returned at voting locations on election day to be available for inspection within 48 hours after election day.
6. Removes the requirement that an early ballot must be received by the county or deposited at a polling place by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before an election.
7. Removes the requirement that a voter who delivers their own early ballot present and confirm identification before depositing the voter’s own early ballot in a secure ballot box.
8. Removes the requirement that a voter only deliver the voter’s own ballot.
9. Reinserts the exemption of a family member, household member and caregiver of a voter from the requirements relating to ballot abuse.
10. Reinserts the definitions of family member, household member and caregiver.
11. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action
ELEC 2/13/23 DP 5-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 22, 2023
AN/slp