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HUNTER SMITH LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH INTERN |
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ANNA NGUYEN |
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LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST ELECTIONS COMMITTEE Telephone: (602) 926-3171 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
RESEARCH STAFF
TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
DATE: March 14, 2024
SUBJECT: Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2497, relating to petitions; electronic signatures
Purpose
Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to provide a secure, online petition signature collection system (E-Qual) for candidates for judicial office.
Background
In 2014, the Legislature enacted legislation that requires
the SOS to provide for E-Qual for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition
by way of a secure internet portal and requires the E-Qual to authorize and
verify the identity of those qualified elector's eligible to sign a candidate's
petition. Any nomination
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 must be
prepared and filed and include a minimum number of required nomination
petition signatures. Statute prescribes the minimum number of signatures that a
nomination petition must include as follows: 1) at least
one-fourth of the qualified signers in the state, for a state office excluding
members of the Legislature; and 2) at least one percent of the qualified
signers in the county or district, for a county office or superior court judge
(A.R.S. §§ 16-322 and 16-333; Laws 2014, Ch. 45).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the SOS to provide for E-Qual for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition for candidates for judicial offices that require nomination petitions and the office of clerk of the superior court that allows candidates to collect up to the full amount of required nomination petition signatures by way of a secure internet portal.
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
