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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
political signs; dates
Purpose
Expands the time period prior to an election during which a person, city, town or county is prohibited from removing or tampering with lawfully placed political signs.
Background
It is a class 2 misdemeanor for a person to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign or printed material of a candidate or in support of or opposition to any ballot measure, question or issue beginning 71 days before an election and ending 15 after the election or general election if the sign is for a candidate who advances from the primary.
A city, town or county may not remove, alter, deface or cover a political sign that is lawfully placed beginning 71 days before an election and ending 15 days after the election or general election as outlined. Statute prescribes requirements relating to the lawful placement of political signs. A political sign is lawfully placed if the sign: 1) is placed in a public right-of-way that is owned or controlled by that jurisdiction; 2) supports or opposes a candidate for public office or ballot measure, question or issue; 3) is not placed in a hazardous location to public safety, obstructs clear vision or interferes with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act; 4) adheres to maximum area restrictions; and 5) contains the name and telephone number or website of the candidate or campaign committee contact person (A.R.S. § 16-1019).
Within 93 days of any election, an elector may make a verbal or signed request to the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections for an official early ballot. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections must mail the early ballot to the address provided by the elector within 5 days of receiving the official early ballots from the officer in charge of preparing the early ballots, except that early ballot distribution may not begin more than 27 days before the election (A.R.S. § 16-542).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Increases the period prior to an election during which it is a class 2 misdemeanor for a person to knowingly tamper with a political sign or other political material from 71 days before an election to 71 days before the first day that early ballots may be mailed for an election.
2. Increases the period prior to an election during which a city, town or county may not tamper with a lawfully placed political sign from 71 days before an election to 71 days before the first day that early ballots may be mailed for an election.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 16, 2026
ZD/KS/ci