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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
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HB 2022: elections; July primary; curing; observers
Sponsor: Representative Kolodin, LD 3
Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections
Overview
An emergency measure that changes the primary election date to the last Tuesday in July. Changes the ballot signature cure deadline for elections that include a federal office. Expands the types of voting locations at which party representatives may observe and challenge. Allows nomination and local initiative petition forms circulated with the former August primary election date to remain valid for the July primary election.
History
Currently, political subdivisions in Arizona that conduct both a primary election and a general election may only hold candidate elections during even-numbered years and on the following dates:
1) beginning in 2020 and later, the first Tuesday in August for the primary election; and
2) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November for the general election.
Political subdivisions that conduct only a single candidate election may hold that election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Special and recall elections may be held on these same dates and, in addition, on the second Tuesday in March and the third Tuesday in May of an even-numbered year. As currently enacted, the next primary election for many political subdivisions is scheduled for August 4, 2026 (A.R.S. § 16-204).
The county chairman of each political party may designate, for each precinct, party representatives and alternates to observe and act as challengers only at polling places located within the precinct (A.R.S. § 16-590).
Provisions
1. Changes the primary election date from the first Tuesday in August to the last Tuesday in July. (Sec. 1, 2, 3)
2. Modifies, for elections that include a federal office, the deadline to cure missing or mismatched ballot signatures to no later than five calendar days after the election. (Sec. 4)
3. Allows the county chairman of each party, for each ballot replacement location, to designate by written appointment a party representative and alternates to serve as observers. (Sec. 5)
4. Specifies that such a party representative must be a resident of Arizona and registered to vote in Arizona. (Sec. 5)
5. Broadens the types of voting locations for which a county chairman may designate either a party agent or a party representative, together with the alternates for that designee, to act as challengers. (Sec. 6)
6. Allows, as session law, signatures collected on a nomination petition or a municipal or county initiative petition with the former primary election date to be lawfully submitted for the primary election to be held on July 28, 2026. (Sec. 7)
7. States, as session law, that lawfully submitted signatures for a nomination petition or a municipal or county initiative petition collected with the former primary election date are deemed to be as valid as signatures collected with the newly designated primary election date and are prohibited from being ruled invalid solely due to the changed primary election date. (Sec. 7)
8. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 8)
9. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 6)
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13. Initials GG HB 2022
14. 1/14/2026 Page 0 Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections
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