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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
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 nationals.
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).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
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 be offered an opportunity 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 public election in Arizona.
5. Requires all electors to provide proof of identity as prescribed by law to vote in person or through any other means.
6. 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.
7. Allows the Legislature to enact reasonable, nondiscriminatory laws concerning elections that further important regulatory interests, including election security, efficient election administration and preserving public confidence in the integrity of elections.
8. States that the provisions of this act are severable.
9. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the proposition to the voters at the next general election.
10. Becomes effective if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Allows the Legislature to enact reasonable nondiscriminatory laws concerning elections that further prescribed regulatory interests, including election security and election administration.
2. Specifies that U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in any primary, general or municipal election, rather than any public election.
3. Specifies that persons are prohibited from accepting contributions from foreign nationals for the purpose of influencing elections.
4. Requires qualified electors to provide proof of identity to vote, rather than requiring electors to provide government issued identification concurrent with casting a ballot.
5. Removes the requirement that government issued identification that is acceptable for elections be made available free of charge.
6. Specifies that early ballots delivered through the U.S. postal service may be accepted until the closing of polls on election day.
7. Specifies that qualified electors standing in line at the time of polls closing must be allowed to vote.
8. Removes the specification that qualified electors must have the right to vote in-person on election day.
9. Allows, rather than requires, all electors to be offered mail-in ballots if they meet all prescribed criteria.
10. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action
JUDE 1/12/26 DP 4-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 17, 2026
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