SB 1271 Arizona Senate · 57th Legislature - First Regular Session

ballots; count; identification number; appropriation

SB 1271 standardizes the physical design and layout of Arizona ballots. It requires ballots to use black ink on white paper with specific formatting, including a clear "official ballot" heading, election details, and standardized instructions for marking votes. The bill mandates separate partisan and nonpartisan sections with candidate names arranged by party order (based on past election results) and adds rules for writing in names of candidates not listed. It does not change voting procedures, add new voting rights, or involve identification numbers or funding (despite the title's reference to "identification number" and "appropriation"). This procedural bill affects election officials who print ballots, not voters.

Tags: Elections

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 27, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Senate Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Feb 26, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Arizona election laws to require unique identification numbers on ballots, establish procedures for hand counts and audits of election results, and create a vote count verification committee to review election equipment and procedures. The changes aim to increase transparency and public confidence in election outcomes by adding verification mechanisms and audit requirements.

Scope change

The bill applies to all primary, general, and presidential preference elections in Arizona, with specific requirements for counties conducting hand counts and audits.

REQUIREMENT

Requires all ballots to bear a unique identification number or designation to track ballot distribution while maintaining voter secrecy.

Mandates hand counts at one or more secure facilities for each countywide election, including random selection of precincts and races to be counted.

Establishes a vote count verification committee to set designated margins for comparing hand counts with electronic tabulations and to review election software.

Requires manual audits of early ballots when differences between manual counts and electronic tabulations meet designated margin thresholds.

Updates ballot formatting requirements to include unique identification numbers and modifies instructions for marking ballots and propositions.

FISCAL

Transfers $6,000,000 from fiscal year 2025-2026 state funds to the secretary of state for distribution to counties to cover compliance costs.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2025

How they voted

17–12

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 30

Feb 26, 2025

D Democratic13

12 Nay 1

92% Nay

R Republican17

17 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors