watermark; paper ballots

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is unknown because the governor vetoed the bill; it only becomes law if the legislature overrides the veto.

SB1057: Rules for Secure Paper Ballots

This bill requires vendors providing fraud countermeasures on ballots to hold specific ISO certifications and mandates that ballot paper include at least three security features from a list of ten options.

What This Bill Does

• Repeals the current Arizona Revised Statutes section 16-504 regarding election ballots.
• Creates a new rule requiring vendors who provide fraud countermeasures for ballots to hold ISO certifications (27001, 17025, or 9001:2015).
• Requires ballot paper to include at least three security features from a list of ten options.
• Lists specific security tools such as watermarked bank-specification paper and secure holographic foil.
• Allows for the use of special inks that change color or are only visible under ultraviolet light.

Who It Names or Affects

• Vendors who provide fraud countermeasures on ballot paper

Terms To Know

ISO certification

A standard that shows a company follows strict rules for quality, security, or testing.

Watermarked paper

Paper with a hidden design built into it to prove the document is real and not copied.

Holographic foil

A shiny, reflective material that changes appearance when viewed from different angles to stop copying.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill was vetoed by the governor on June 19, 2026, so it is not currently law unless lawmakers override the veto.
• The text does not explain how much these security features will cost or who pays for them.

Official Summary Text

SB1057 - (NOW: fraud countermeasures; paper ballots)

Current Bill Text

SB1057 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

watermark;
paper ballots

(now: fraud
countermeasures; paper ballots)

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1057

AN
ACT

Repealing section 16-504, Arizona
Revised Statutes; amending title 16, chapter 4, article 6, Arizona Revised
Statutes, by adding a new section 16-504; relating to election ballots.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Repeal

Section 16-504, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is repealed.

Sec. 2. Title 16, chapter 4, article 6, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section 16-504, to read:

START_STATUTE
16-504.

Antifraud ballot paper; vendor certification; antifraud measures

Notwithstanding any other statute, any vendor
that provides fraud countermeasures that are contained in and on the paper used
for ballots shall be ISO 27001 certified, ISO 17025 certified or ISO 9001:2015
certified.� Ballot fraud countermeasures shall include the use of at least
three of the following:

1. Unique, controlled-supply
watermarked clearing bank specification 1 security paper.

2. Secure holographic foil that acts
as a visual deterrent and anti-copy feature.

3. Branded overprint of any hologram
that personalizes the hologram with customer logo.

4. Custom complex security background
designs with banknote-level security.

5. Secure variable digital infill.

6. Thermochromic, tri-thermochromic,
photochromic or optically variable inks.

7. Stealth numbering in ultraviolet,
infrared or taggant inks.

8. Multicolored micro-numismatic
invisible ultraviolet designs.

9. Unique forensic fraud detection
technology that is built into security inks.

10. Unique bar code or QR code that
is accessible only to the voter and that tracks the voter's ballot as it is
processed.

END_STATUTE