The proposed bill would update current Arizona election statutes by introducing new requirements for ballot management. Specifically, it mandates that all ballots, except provisional ones, must be uniquely numbered or prenumbered in batches, with a clear connection to specific voting locations. The distribution of these ballots must be nonsequential to protect ballot secrecy, and a publicly accessible master log must be maintained to track the range of prenumbered ballots used in each election. Additionally, the officer in charge of elections is required to keep a count of all physical ballots and publish this information on the county's website.

Moreover, the bill emphasizes the importance of maintaining voter anonymity by prohibiting the creation of a database linking voters to their ballots. It requires the county recorder to post early ballot category numbers online within two days of issuance and modifies procedures for hand counting ballots, ensuring that discrepancies between hand counts and electronic tabulations are resolved through further hand counts if necessary. The bill also allocates $6,000,000 to counties to support compliance with these new regulations, ultimately aiming to enhance the integrity and transparency of the election process in Arizona.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-502, 16-602, 16-663, 16-341, 19-125, 16-400, 16-452, 16-621, 16-248
Senate Engrossed Version: 16-502, 16-602, 16-663, 16-341, 19-125, 16-400, 16-452, 16-621, 16-248