election procedures manual; consultation

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or consequences for non-compliance with consultation requirements.

Election Procedures Manual; Consultation

This bill requires the Secretary of State to consult with county recorders and committee leaders before creating rules for election procedures.

What This Bill Does

• Adds county recorders to the list of people who must be consulted by the Secretary of State (SOS) when making rules about elections.
• Includes chairpersons and ranking members from both the House and Senate committees that deal with election matters in the consultation process.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Secretary of State
• County recorders
• Committee leaders in both chambers of the legislature

Terms To Know

Elections Instructions and Procedures Manual (EPM)

A document created by the Secretary of State that outlines rules for conducting elections.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if consultations do not occur as required.
• There is no clear information on how the new requirements will be enforced.

Official Summary Text

SB1237 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1237

election
procedures manual; consultation

Purpose

Includes county
recorders and the chairpersons and ranking members of the committees with
jurisdiction over election matters in the House of Representatives and the

Senate under the list of persons whom the Secretary
of State (SOS) must consult before prescribing the elections instructions and
procedures manual (EPM).

Background

After
consultation with each county board of supervisors or other officer in charge
of elections, the SOS must prescribe rules to achieve and maintain the maximum
degree of correctness, impartiality, uniformity and efficiency on the
procedures for early voting and voting, as well as ballot

production, distribution, collection, counting, tabulation
and storage. Additionally, the SOS must adopt rules regarding fax transmittal
of unvoted ballots, ballot requests, voted ballots and other election materials
to and from absent uniformed and overseas citizens and rules regarding internet
receipt of requests for federal postcard applications. The rules must be
prescribed in an official instructions and procedures manual that is approved
by the Governor and Attorney General, and that is issued by December 31, of
each odd-numbered year that immediately precedes the general election (
A.R.S.
� 16-452
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Adds county recorders and the chairpersons and ranking members of the
committees with jurisdiction over election matters in the House of
Representatives and the

Senate to the list of
persons with whom the SOS must consult before prescribing rules in the EPM.

2.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 23, 2026

ZD/KS/ci

Current Bill Text

SB1237 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

election procedures
manual; consultation

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1237

AN
ACT

Amending Section 16-452, Arizona Revised Statutes;
relating to the conduct of elections.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 16-452, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
16-452.

Rules; instructions and procedures manual; approval of manual;
field check and review of systems; violation; classification

A. After consultation with each county board of
supervisors or other officer in charge of elections,
county
recorders and the chairpersons and ranking members of the house of
representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over election matters,
the
secretary of state shall prescribe rules to achieve and maintain the maximum
degree of correctness, impartiality, uniformity and efficiency on the
procedures for early voting and voting, and of producing, distributing,
collecting, counting, tabulating and storing ballots.� The secretary of state
shall also adopt rules regarding fax transmittal of unvoted ballots, ballot
requests, voted ballots and other election materials to and from absent
uniformed and overseas citizens and shall adopt rules regarding internet
receipt of requests for federal postcard applications prescribed by section 16-543.

B. The rules shall be prescribed in an official
instructions and procedures manual to be issued not later than December 31 of
each odd-numbered year immediately preceding the general election.�
Before its issuance, the manual shall be approved by the governor and the
attorney general.� The secretary of state shall submit the manual to the
governor and the attorney general not later than October 1 of the year before
each general election.

C. A person who violates any rule adopted pursuant
to this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

D. The secretary of state shall provide personnel
who are experts

in
electronic voting systems and procedures and in electronic voting system
security to field check and review electronic voting systems and recommend
needed statutory and procedural changes.
END_STATUTE