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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
citizenship; identification; contributions; early voting
Purpose
Subject to voter approval, constitutionally requires the early voting period to end no later than 7:00 p.m. on the Friday before election day and prohibits contributions to candidates or ballot measures from foreign persons or foreign corporations.
Background
In order to be eligible to vote in Arizona, a person must be a citizen of
the United States (A.R.S.
§ 16-101; Ariz.
Const. art. 7, § 2). A person is presumed to be properly registered to vote
on completion of a registration form that contains certain identifying
information and a checkmark or other appropriate indicator that the person
answered "yes" to the citizenship question (A.R.S.
§ 16-121.01). A registrant must additionally provide documentary proof of
citizenship to be registered as a full-ballot voter who is entitled to vote for
federal, state, county, and local races and ballot measures. Acceptable
documentary proof of citizenship includes: 1) the registrant's driver license
or nonoperating identification license number; 2) the registrant's birth
certificate; 3) a copy of the registrant's U.S. passport; 4) the registrant's
U.S. naturalization documents or certificate of naturalization number; 5) the
applicant's federal Bureau of Indian Affairs or tribal treaty card number or
tribal enrollment number; or 6) other documents or methods of proof established
pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (A.R.S.
§ 16-166). In order to receive a ballot at a polling location an elector
must present: 1) a valid form of identification bearing their photograph, name
and address; 2) two different items containing the name and address of the
elector that is the same name and address in the precinct register; or 3) a
valid form of identification that does not appear to be the same address as in
the precinct register and one item containing the name and address of the
elector that is the same as in the precinct register (A.R.S.
§ 16-579).
Any election called pursuant to Arizona law must provide for early voting, including accessible voting by U.S. mail for persons who are blind or have a visual impairment. Any qualified elector may vote by early ballot by making a request for a one-time early ballot as provided by statute or by requesting to be on the Active Early Voter List (AEVL) which allows a voter to vote by early mail ballot until the voter fails to vote an early ballot for two consecutive election cycles (A.R.S. §§ 16-541 and 16-544). Statute requires early voters to secure their ballot in a provided envelope, together with the prescribed affidavit, and either deliver or mail the secured ballot to the appropriate county recorder or deposit the secured ballot at any polling place in the county. In order to be counted and valid, the ballot must be received by the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day, or deposited by the voter or the voter's agent at any polling place in the county no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day (A.R.S. § 16-548). A voter may also choose to vote early in-person at any on-site early voting location up to 27 days before the election and until 7:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election (A.R.S. § 16-542).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note for S.C.R. 1001, a similar measure to H.C.R. 2001, estimates that, if passed by the voters, the resolution could have fiscal impacts that both increase and decrease the cost of election administration, with most of the impact occurring at the county level. An overall fiscal impact on election administration cannot be determined because changes in the levels of specific voting methods or voter turnout would likely be the most significant contributor in determining whether the measure would result in a net cost increase or decrease for state and local governments (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Requires the early voting period to end no later than 7:00 p.m. on the Friday before election day, except that early ballots delivered through the U.S. Postal Service may be accepted until the closing of polls on election day.
2. Prohibits votes from being cast or accepted after the poll closing times on election day, except that qualified electors who are standing in line at the time of polls closing must be allowed to vote.
3. Allows all qualified electors to receive a mail-in ballot, if all of the following apply:
a) the qualified elector has made an affirmative request confirming a specific address prior to each biennial general election;
b) the qualified elector provided documented proof of citizenship at the time the qualified elector registered to vote;
c) mail-in voting is authorized by law; and
d) any other requirements prescribed by law are satisfied.
4. States that only U.S. citizens are eligible to register and vote once for each available office or ballot measure in any primary, general or municipal election in Arizona.
5. Requires all electors to provide government issued identification concurrent with casting a ballot.
6. Requires acceptable identification to be made available to qualified electors solely at the expense of the state.
7. Prohibits a foreign national from making, and prohibits a person from knowingly accepting, any contribution or expenditure for the purpose of influencing an Arizona election.
8. Contains a severability clause.
9. Contains a statement of legislative intent.
10. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the proposition to the voters at the next general election.
11. Becomes effective if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor.
House Action
FMAE 1/21/26 DPA 4-3-0-0
3rd Read 2/9/26 32-27-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 12, 2026
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