Signed by Governor Doug Ducey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires early ballot envelope marking requirements.

Highlights:

• Establishes that the early ballot is to be accompanied by an envelope bearing on the front the name, official title and post office address of the recorder or other officer in charge of elections and on the other side a printed affidavit in the following form (Sec. 1):

• I declare the following under penalty of perjury: I am a registered voter in ___________ county Arizona, I have not voted and will not vote in this election in any other county or state, I understand that knowingly voting more than once in any election is a class 5 felony and I voted the enclosed ballot and signed this affidavit personally unless noted below; and

• If the voter was assisted by another person in marking the ballot, complete the following: 

• I declare the following under penalty of perjury: At the registered voter's request I assisted the voter identified in this affidavit with marking the voter's ballot, I marked the ballot as directly instructed by the voter, I provided the assistance because the voter was physically unable to mark the ballot solely due to illness, injury or physical limitation and I understand that there is no power of attorney for voting and that the voter must be able to make their selection even if they cannot physically mark the ballot. Name of voter assistant: _____________________________ Address of voter assistant: __________________________

• Specifies that the face of each envelope in which a ballot is sent to a federal postcard applicant or in which a ballot is returned by such applicant to the recorder or other officer in charge of elections is to be in the form prescribed in accordance with the uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act of 1986 (P.L. 99-410; 52 United States Code section 20301); otherwise, the envelopes are to be the same as those used to send ballots to, or receive ballots from, other early voters (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the officer charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots at any election is to ensure that the early ballot is sent in an envelope that states if the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the unopened envelope “return to sender” and deposit it in the United States mail  (Sec. 1): 

• Establishes that the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is to supply printed instructions to early voters that direct them to sign the affidavit, mark the ballot and return both in the enclosed self-addressed envelope that complies with section 16-545 and the instructions are to include that in order to be valid and counted, the ballot and affidavit must be delivered to the office of the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections or may be deposited at any polling place in the county no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. WARNING-It is a felony to offer or receive any compensation for a ballot  (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text