Arizona SB 1229: horizontal hydraulic fracturing; prohibition

Bill Text

SB1229 - 572R - I Ver 

 REFERENCE TITLE: early voting; identification; emergency voting

 State of Arizona

 Senate

 Fifty-seventh Legislature

 Second Regular Session

 2026

 SB 1229

 Introduced by 

 Senator 
 Fernandez

AN 
ACT

amending sections 16-246, 16-542, 16-550, 
16-552, 16-572 and 16-579, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to elections.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 16-246, Arizona Revised 
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-246. Early balloting; satellite locations; additional procedures

A. Within ninety-three days before the 
presidential preference election and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh 
day preceding the election, any elector who is eligible to vote in the 
presidential preference election may make a verbal or signed, written request 
for an official early ballot to the county recorder or other officer in charge 
of elections for the county in which the elector is registered to 
vote. If the request is verbal, the requesting elector shall provide 
the date of birth and birthplace or other information that if compared to the 
voter registration records for that elector would confirm the identity of the 
elector.

B. Absent uniformed services voters or overseas 
voters who are otherwise eligible to vote in the election may vote as 
prescribed by sections 16-543 and 16-543.02.

C. The county recorder or other officer in charge of 
elections may establish on-site early voting locations at the office of 
the county recorder or at other locations in the county deemed necessary or 
appropriate by the recorder. Early voting shall begin within the 
time limits prescribed in section 16-542 unless otherwise prescribed by 
this section.

D. The county recorder or other officer in charge of 
elections shall send by nonforwardable mail that is marked with the statement 
required by the postmaster to receive an address correction notification any 
early ballots that are requested pursuant to subsections A and B of this 
section and shall include a preaddressed envelope for the elector to return the 
completed ballot.

E. The county recorder or other officer in charge of 
elections shall provide to each election board an appropriate alphabetized list 
of voters who have requested and have been sent an early ballot. Any 
person who is on that list of voters and who was sent an early ballot shall not 
vote at the polling place for that election precinct except as prescribed by 
section 16-579, subsection B.

F. The county recorder or other officer in charge of 
elections may provide for any of the following special election boards in the same manner prescribed by law 
for other elections.: 

1. Special election boards.

2. Emergency balloting for persons who 
experience an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the 
presidential preference election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately 
preceding the presidential preference election. Before receiving a 
ballot pursuant to this paragraph, a person who experiences an emergency shall 
provide identification as prescribed in section 16-579 and shall sign a 
statement under penalty of perjury that states that the person is experiencing 
or experienced an emergency after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding 
the election and before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately preceding the 
election that would prevent the person from voting at the 
polls. Signed statements received pursuant to this subsection are 
not subject to inspection pursuant to title 39, chapter 1, article 2.

G. Notwithstanding section 16-579, 
subsection A, paragraph 2, for emergency balloting pursuant to subsection F, 
paragraph 2 of this section, the county recorder or other officer in charge of 
elections may allow a qualified elector to update the elector's voter 
registration information as provided for in the secretary of state's 
instructions and procedures manual adopted pursuant to section 16-452.

H. G. Sections 
16-550, 16-551 and 16-552 govern the use of early balloting 
for the presidential preference election. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 16-542, Arizona Revised 
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE16-542. Request for ballot; civil penalties; violation; classification

A. Within ninety-three days before any 
election called pursuant to the laws of this state, an elector may make a 
verbal or signed request to the county recorder, or other officer in charge of 
elections for the applicable political subdivision of this state in whose jurisdiction 
the elector is registered to vote, for an official early ballot.� In addition 
to name and address, the requesting elector shall provide the date of birth and 
state or country of birth or other information that if compared to the voter 
registration information on file would confirm the identity of the 
elector. If the request indicates that the elector needs a primary 
election ballot and