ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

Senate: JUDE DPA/SE 4-3-0-0 | Third Read 16-12-2-0

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

SB 1568: early ballots; registration signatures; curing

NOW: election systems; software; timekeeping; requirements

Sponsor: Senator Hoffman, LD 15

Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Overview

Requires elections equipment to have internal clock and timekeeping functions set to and maintained at the accurate current time. Adds to the duties of county Boards of Supervisors, the Secretary of State, elections officers and county recorders as it pertains to the verification of compliance with the timekeeping provisions of the act, compatibility reviews and logic and accuracy testing.

History

Within the period of time before election day as prescribed by the Secretary of State (SOS) in the election instructions and procedures manual (EPM), a county Board of Supervisors (BOS) or other election officer in charge, or for an election involving statewide or federal candidates, the Secretary of State (SOS), must have automatic tabulating equipment and programs tested to ascertain that the equipment and programs will correctly count the votes cast for all officers and on all measures. 

Electronic ballot tabulating systems must be tested for logic and accuracy within seven days before their use for early balloting as prescribed by the EPM. The EPM is required to include procedures for the handling of ballots, the electronic scanning of ballots and any other matters necessary to ensure the maximum degree of correctness, impartiality and uniformity in the administration of an electronic ballot tabulating system (A.R.S. § 16-449).

The SOS is required to develop and administer a statewide database of voter registration information that contains the name and registration information of every registered voter in Arizona. The database must provide for access by voter registration officials and must allow expedited entry of voter registration information after it is received by county recorders. For the purpose of maintaining compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, each county voter registration system is subject to approval by the SOS for compatibility with the statewide voter registration database system (A.R.S. § 16-168).

Provisions

1.   Requires all elections systems and software, before their use during an election period, to have their clocks and internal timekeeping functions set to and maintained at the accurate current time as outlined. (Sec. 2)

2.   Specifies the act's provisions apply throughout the election period and includes all timestamps that are generated for logs, records, affidavits, cure periods, ballot issuance and ballot processing and for test and audit purposes. (Sec. 2)

3.   Requires county BOSs or other officers in charge of elections and county recorders, for election systems and software under their respective statutory authority and duties, to:

a.   set and verify compliance with the required timekeeping testing outlined by the act during preelection preparation, programming, data entry, system setup and voter registration activities;

b.   verify compliance as part of each required test and review of equipment and election systems and software, including all of the following:

i. logic and accuracy testing pursuant to the required testing of election equipment by the SOS;

ii.   any compatibility reviews for voter registration systems; and

iii.  any security reviews for voter registration systems;

c. maintain and reverify time accuracy during the election period, including on election day and during central counting, early ballot processing, signature verification and all other processes prescribed by the act; and

d.   perform and document a final time accuracy verification as part of postelection procedures, including for the canvass and any audits, recounts and chain of custody reviews in which timestamps are material. (Sec. 2)

4.   Requires the SOS to include in the EPM procedures for all outlined verifications required by the act, including methods, frequency and responsible personnel and any corrective actions for noncompliance. (Sec. 2)

5.   Classifies a person who violates the act as guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. (Sec. 2)

6.   Requires a county BOS or other officer in charge of elections, or the SOS in elections involving state or federal candidates, to test automatic tabulating equipment and programs to ascertain that any internal clocks and timekeeping functions comply with the provisions of this act. (Sec. 1)

7.   Specifies that such testing must also include verification that the internal clocks of the equipment and programs are set and maintained as prescribed by the provisions of the act and that any deviation is corrected and retested. (Sec. 1)

8.   Defines pertinent terms. (Sec. 2)

9.   Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)

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13.  Initials GG                       SB 1568

14.  3/16/2026  Page 0 Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

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