Bill Text: AZ HB2160 | 2013 | Fifty-first Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Election reform study committee
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-23 - Referred to House JUD Committee [HB2160 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2013-HB2160-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: election reform study committee |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-first Legislature First Regular Session 2013
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HB 2160 |
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Introduced by Representatives Campbell, Quezada, Wheeler: Dalessandro, McCune Davis
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AN ACT
establishing the election reform study committee.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Election reform study committee; membership; duties; report; delayed repeal
A. The election reform study committee is established consisting of the following members:
1. Three members of the house of representatives who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, not more than two of whom may be members of the same political party, including at least one member who is from a county other than Maricopa county. The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate one of these members to serve as cochairperson of the committee.
2. Three members of the senate who are appointed by the president of the senate, not more than two of whom may be members of the same political party, including at least one member who is from a county other than Maricopa county. The President of the Senate shall designate one of these members to serve as cochairperson of the committee.
3. One person who is appointed by the secretary of state and who has experience in election procedures in this state, including the use of voting equipment.
4. The county recorder of a county with a population of more than two million persons or the recorder's designee.
5. The director of elections of a county with a population of more than five hundred thousand persons and less than two million persons or the director's designee.
B. The cochairpersons shall be members of different political parties.
C. The election reform study committee shall research and report on the following:
1. The number of provisional and conditional provisional ballots cast in the primary and general elections for 2008, 2010 and 2012, including the reason why the voters were unable to cast a regular ballot at those elections.
2. The number of voters who cast a conditional provisional ballot and who returned with proper identification after election day to have their ballots verified and counted.
3. The length of time voters spent in line for early voting and on election day for ballots cast in the primary and general elections for 2008, 2010 and 2012.
4. The length of time for precincts to report their votes to the central tabulating centers and the time for the central tabulating centers to publicly report the votes cast in the primary and general elections in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
5. The manner by which voters signed up for the permanent early voter list, and of those voters on that list , the number who voted a provisional ballot since the beginning of the permanent early voting list program.
6. The number of voters who register to vote or update their voter registration information through use of the internet‑based program known as "servicearizona.com".
7. The process by which counties determine the number of precincts and polling places and the number and type of supplies, including ballots, pens, envelopes and provisional forms that should be provided to each polling place.
8. The ways in which the counties educate voters on polling locations, identification requirements, early voting options, the provisional voting process, the use of voting equipment in the polling places and voting procedures on election day.
9. The use of voting centers for local, state or federal elections.
D. The election reform study committee shall recommend draft legislation to address the problems identified in its findings and to meet the following goals:
1. Providing a list of voters who have cast conditional provisional ballots to the political parties and candidates before the deadline for voters to present proper identification after election day.
2. Providing sufficient staff before, after and on election day to process the ballots as quickly and efficiently as possible.
3. Ensuring sufficient training for election board workers and trouble shooters.
4. Making proper allocation of polling places and supplies so that long lines do not occur on election day.
5. Reducing the need for voters to cast a provisional ballot.
6. Ensuring that counties can finish counting all ballots within ten days after an election.
E. The election reform study committee may:
1. Request information, data and reports from any state agency or political subdivision of this state that is involved in the election process.
2. Hold hearings, conduct fact-finding tours and take testimony from witnesses, including elections administrators, voters and community groups involved in voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.
F. On request of the election reform study committee, an agency of this state or a political subdivision of this state may provide to the committee its services, equipment, documents, personnel and facilities to the extent possible without cost to the committee.
G. The committee shall meet at the state capitol or at other places as the cochairpersons deem necessary or convenient, and all meetings shall be open to the public.
H. By March 1, 2013, the election reform study committee shall submit a report regarding its findings and proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate and provide a copy of its report to the secretary of state.
I. This section is repealed from and after September 30, 2013.
Sec. 2. Emergency
This act is an emergency measure that is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative immediately as provided by law.
