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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
signatures required; nomination petitions
Purpose
Requires a nomination petition for a candidate for constable in Maricopa or Pima county to be signed by at least 1 percent of the number of qualified signers in a justice precinct, or at least 1,000 signatures, whichever is less.
Background
Statute requires nomination petitions to be signed by a number of qualified signers equal to a prescribed percentage of the population of qualified signers within a county, district or precinct, or a predetermined number of signatures, based on the office the candidate seeks. Some prescribed percentage thresholds include: 1) for a candidate for the office of member of the Legislature, at least one-half of 1 percent but not more than 3 percent; 2) for a candidate for a county office or superior court judge, at least 1 percent but not more than 10 percent, except that if for a candidate from a county with a population of 200,000 persons or more, at least one-fourth of 1 percent but not more than 10 percent; 3) for a candidate for county precinct committeeman, at least 2 percent but not more than 10 percent of the party voter registration in the precinct or 10 signatures, whichever is less; and 4) for a candidate for justice of the peace or constable in a county with a population of 1,000,000 persons or more, at least 1 percent but not more than 10 percent of the number of qualified signers in the precinct, or, for a candidate in a county with fewer than 1,000,000 persons, at least 300 signatures, whichever is less (A.R.S. § 16-322).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires a nomination petition for a candidate for constable in Maricopa or Pima county to be signed by at least 1 percent of the number of qualified signers in a justice precinct, or at least 1,000 signatures, whichever is less, rather than requiring such candidates' nomination petitions to be signed by at least 1 percent but not more than 10 percent of qualified justice precinct signers.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
· Specifies that candidates for constable in Maricopa County and Pima County still do not need to collect signatures from more than 10 percent of the number of qualified signers in the justice precinct.
Senate Action
JUDE 2/20/26 DPA 5-0-2
Prepared by Senate Research
February 20, 2026
ZD/ci