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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
elections; hand count audit; selection
Purpose
Requires tabulated early ballots for the post-election hand count audit to be selected by lot, rather than randomly.
Background
After the electronic tabulation of early ballots, the chairpersons of the political parties entitled to representation in Arizona, or the chairpersons' designees must randomly select at least one batch of tabulated early ballots for use in the post-election hand count audit from each machine used in the tabulation of early ballots. The chairperson or their designee must randomly select from those ballots a number equal to 1 percent of the total number of early ballots cast or 5,000 early ballots, whichever is less. From the randomly selected early ballots the county officer in charge of elections must conduct a manual audit of the same races that are hand counted for the non-early ballot votes cast for the countywide primary, special, general and presidential preference elections (A.R.S. § 16-602).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the county chairperson or the chairperson's designee to select the batches of tabulated early ballots for a post-election hand count audit by lot, rather than randomly.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 7, 2024
AN/KS/cs