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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session |
Senate: JUDE DP 4-3-0-0 | 3rd Read: 17-12-1-0 |
SB 1097: elections; voting centers; polling places
Sponsor: Senator Hoffman, LD 15
Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections
Overview
Requires certain public offices, including public schools with gymnasiums, to serve as polling places when requested to do so by the officer in charge of elections.
History
Public Schools as Polling Places
Public schools are required to serve as polling places when requested to do so by the officer in charge of elections unless the principal provides a written statement indicating a reason the election cannot be held in the school. Specifically, public schools are exempt from serving as polling places if the principal asserts, in a written statement, that sufficient space is not available or if doing so would jeopardize the safety or welfare of the children (A.R.S. § 16-411).
Designation of Voting Centers
The Legislature authorized the use of voting centers in lieu of or in addition to specifically designated polling places in 2011. Polling places are specifically designated locations where voters in a particular precinct must vote. Voting centers are locations within a county where registered voters may vote regardless of which precinct the individual lives in. The Board of Supervisors may establish polling places, voting centers or any combination of the two, including co-location of precinct-based polling places or voting centers that also serve as polling places for specific precincts (A.R.S. § 16-411).
Voting for Employees
A person can absent themselves from work for the purposes of voting if there are less than three consecutive hours between the opening of the polls and the beginning of their regular workshift or between the end of their regular workshift and the closing of the polls. A person must notify the employer of such absence before election day and the employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent (A.R.S. § 16-402).
Provisions
School Holidays
1. Requires a school operated by a school district to close on every regular primary and general election day. (Sec. 1)
2. Establishes that teachers and staff must receive or conduct in-service training or development training on the listed election days and receive compensation. (Sec. 1)
3. Prohibits teachers and staff from using personal, vacation or other leave time during the listed election days. (Sec. 1)
4. Clarifies that employees are allowed to take time off to vote in the listed elections. (Sec. 1)
Public Offices & Schools as Polling Places
5. Requires a state, county, municipality or school district office, upon an officer in charge of elections' request, to provide sufficient space for a polling place for specified elections. (Sec. 2)
6. Requires schools with gymnasiums operated by a school district to serve as polling places. (Sec. 2)
7. Exempts a public school from any state, local or school district requirements that would prevent the school from serving as a polling place. (Sec. 2)
8. Removes the ability of a school principal to deny a request to use the school as a polling place when requested to do so by the officer in charge of elections. (Sec. 2)
9. Clarifies that a public school that is requested to serve as a polling place is exempt from any state, local or school district requirement that would prevent or otherwise limit the use of the public school and its gymnasium as a polling place. (Sec. 2)
Miscellaneous
10. Authorizes counties to use voting centers provided they are used in addition to specifically designated polling places. (Sec. 2)
11. Defines gymnasium. (Sec. 2)
12. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1-3)
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16. SB 1097
17. Initials JH Page 0 Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections
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