This bill proposes to amend current statutes by adding "justices of the peace" to the list of offices for which the Secretary of State must provide a secure internet portal for qualified electors to sign nomination petitions. Specifically, it modifies section 16-317 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which currently allows for online signature collection for candidates for city or town offices, county offices, and precinct committeemen. The new language will enable justices of the peace to also utilize this online system for collecting nomination signatures.

Additionally, the bill maintains the existing provisions regarding the verification of a qualified elector's identity and the transmission of filings to the appropriate election officer. It also preserves the current rules about the number of signatures required, allowing candidates to collect a specified percentage of the minimum required signatures through the online system until 2024, with an increase to 110% starting in 2025. Overall, the bill updates the law to include justices of the peace in the online signature collection process while keeping the other provisions intact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-317
House Engrossed Version: 16-317