Bill Text: AZ SB1547 | 2025 | Fifty-seventh Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Agricultural improvement districts; mail ballots
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (N/A) - [SB1547 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2025-SB1547-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: agricultural improvement districts; mail ballots |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
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SB 1547 |
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Introduced by Senators Kuby: Alston, Epstein, Miranda, Ortiz; Representatives Garcia, Liguori, Márquez, Sandoval
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AN ACT
amending sections 48-2384 and 48-2384.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to agricultural improvement districts.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 48-2384, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
48-2384. Designation of election precincts and voting places; notice of election; election officers; polling places
A. The board, shall on or before October 1st 1 of each year preceding the year of an election, by an order, shall establish a convenient number of election precincts in each division, and define the boundaries thereof of the election precincts.
B. Notwithstanding any other law, in addition to conducting the election in election precincts as prescribed by this section, the secretary of the board or the secretary's designee shall mail to each person in the district who is eligible to vote in the election a notice that states the date of the election and that the voter will receive a mail-in ballot. the notice shall be mailed ninety days before the date of the election. the secretary of the board or the secretary's designee shall then mail to each person in the DISTRICT who is eligible to VOTE in that election a mail-in ballot, an appropriate affidavit and a postage prepaid ballot return envelope that is addressed to the secretary of the board, with instructions for completing and submitting the ballot and for obtaining a replacement ballot, and shall provide for the issuance of replacement ballots at convenient locations in the district. The mail-in ballot shall have the words "official ballot" prominently printed at the top of the ballot.
B. C. Fifteen days before an election held under this article, the secretary of the board shall cause a notice to be posted in a public place in each election precinct of the time and place of holding the election, and shall post a similar notice thereof in a conspicuous place at the office of the board, specifying the polling places of each precinct and the names of the members of the board of election for each precinct. Notice of the election shall also be given by publication in a newspaper published in the county in which the office of the board of directors of the district is located, once a week for at least two successive weeks. The notice shall specify the time of the holding of the election, the boundaries of the precincts, and the location of the polling places.
C. D. Prior to Before the time for posting the notices, the board shall appoint for each precinct from the electors thereof of the precinct one inspector, one judge and one clerk, who shall constitute a board of election for the precinct. If the board fails to appoint a board of election, or if the persons appointed, or any of them, do not attend at the opening of the polls on the morning of the election, the electors of the precinct present at that hour may appoint the election board or fill the places of the absent members thereof of the election board.
D. E. The board of directors shall in its order appointing the board of election designate the place in each precinct where the election shall be held.
Sec. 2. Section 48-2384.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
48-2384.01. Alternative election process
Notwithstanding any other law, as an alternative to the election process prescribed in section 48-2384, the board may choose to conduct voting in any election exclusively under the following alternative election process:
1. Beginning ninety days next preceding the Saturday before any election, the secretary of the board shall cause notice of the election to be given by publication in a newspaper published in the county in which the office of the board of directors of the district is located, once a week for at least two successive weeks. The notice shall provide that the election shall be conducted by the alternative election process and shall describe the procedures for obtaining and submitting a ballot as PRESCRIBED by this section and the applicable times and dates. In addition, the notice shall be posted in one public place in each division and in a conspicuous place at the office of the board.
2. ninety days before the date of the election, the secretary of the board or the secretary's designee shall mail to each eligible voter in the district a notice that states the date of the election and that the voter will receive a mail-in ballot and shall then mail to each person in the district who is eligible to vote in the election a mail-in ballot, an appropriate affidavit and a postage prepaid ballot return envelope that is addressed to the secretary of the board, with instructions for completing and submitting the ballot and for obtaining a replacement ballot. The mail-in ballot shall have the words "official ballot" prominently printed at the top of the ballot.
2. 3. Ballots, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT BALLOTS, may be requested in person at the office of the secretary of the board, or may be requested by mail, telephone, the internet or other electronic means consistent with procedures to be established by the secretary. Ballots may also be requested and voted at an on-site early voting location, which shall remain open until 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election. The process and time frames for requesting and voting ballots shall generally comply with the process established for early voting by section 16-542, to the extent not inconsistent with this article.
3. 4. Ballots may be returned by mail and must be received by the secretary of the board no not later than 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
4. 5. Ballots may also be returned in person at the office of the secretary of the board and at other locations as may be established at the discretion of the board no not later than 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
5. 6. For the purposes of elections conducted pursuant to this section, there shall be a single board of election consisting of one inspector, one judge and one clerk, all of whom are appointed by the board of directors.
6. 7. Elections conducted pursuant to this section are exempt from title 16, chapter 4, article 8.1.
