SB 1565
Initials JH Page 1 Municipal Oversight & Elections
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
First Regular Session
Senate: ELEC DP 5-3-0-0 | 3
rd
Read: 16-13-1-0
SB 1565: ballot processing; electronic adjudication; limitation
Sponsor: Senator Carroll, LD 28
Committee on Municipal Oversight & Elections
Overview
Specifies that artificial intelligence or learning software may not be used in any machine or device
used for elections in Arizona.
History
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence refers to any machine-based system that can make predictions,
recommendations or decisions that influence real or virtual environments when given a set of
human-defined objectives (15 U.S.C. § 9401).
Committee Approval of Voting Systems
Generally, machines and devices used in Arizona elections are subject to the approval of a
committee appointed by the Secretary of State. The committee is statutorily required to investigate
and test the various types of vote recording and tabulating machines and devices and must submit
its recommendations to the Secretary of State. Ultimately, the Secretary of State has final
decision-making authority on which machines and devices are certified for use in Arizona
elections. The Secretary of State or the governing body of a city or town may authorize the use
of experimental voting devices as if the devices had been permanently adopted, but without final
adoption of the devices (A.R.S. § 16-442).
Provisions
1. Prohibits the use of any artificial intelligence or learning software in any machines or devices
used for Arizona elections. (Sec. 1)
2. Specifies that artificial intelligence or learning software may not be used for the processing of
early ballots or the verification of a voter's affidavit by an election board. (Sec. 2)
3. Asserts the electronic vote adjudication feature may not include any artificial intelligence or
learning software. (Sec. 3)
4. Repeals language allowing for the experimental use of voting systems or devices without final
adoption of the voting system or device. (Sec. 1)
5. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2 and 3)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note