ARIZONA STATE SENATE
RESEARCH STAFF
TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
DATE: March 14, 2024
SUBJECT: Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2497, relating to petitions; electronic
signatures
Purpose
Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to provide a secure, online petition signature
collection system (E-Qual) for candidates for judicial office.
Background
In 2014, the Legislature enacted legislation that requires the SOS to provide for E-Qual for
qualified electors to sign a nomination petition by way of a secure internet portal and requires the
E-Qual to authorize and verify the identity of those qualified elector's eligible to sign a candidate's
petition. Any nomination petition for a candidate for judge of the superior court, judge of the court
of appeals or justice of the supreme court to be voted on at any election must be prepared and filed
and include a minimum number of required nomination petition signatures. Statute prescribes the
minimum number of signatures that a nomination petition must include as follows: 1) at least
one-fourth of the qualified signers in the state, for a state office excluding members of the
Legislature; and 2) at least one percent of the qualified signers in the county or district, for a county
office or superior court judge (A.R.S. ยงยง 16-322 and 16-333; Laws 2014, Ch. 45).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the SOS to provide for E-Qual for qualified electors to sign a nomination petition for
candidates for judicial offices that require nomination petitions and the office of clerk of the
superior court that allows candidates to collect up to the full amount of required nomination
petition signatures by way of a secure internet portal.
2. Makes conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
HUNTER SMITH
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH INTERN
ANNA NGUYEN
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
Telephone: (602) 926-3171