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          House Engrossed
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  State of Arizona
  House of Representatives
  Forty-fifth Legislature
  First Regular Session
  2001
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     HOUSE BILL 2256
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AN ACT

AMENDING SECTION 16-461, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 16-461, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

16-461. Sample primary election ballots; submission to party chairmen for examination; preparation, printing and distribution of ballot

A. At least forty-five days before a primary election, the officer in charge of that election shall:

1. Prepare a proof of a sample ballot.

2. Submit the sample ballot proof of each party to the county chairman or in city or town primaries to the city or town chairman.

3. Mail a sample ballot proof to each candidate for whom a nomination paper and petitions have been filed.

B. Within five days after receipt of the sample ballot, the county chairman of each political party shall suggest to the election officer any change he THE OFFICER considers should be made in his THE OFFICER'S party ballot, and if upon examination the election officer finds an error or omission in the ballot he THE OFFICER shall correct it. The election officer shall cause the sample ballots to be printed and distributed as required by law, shall maintain a copy of each sample ballot in his office and shall post a notice indicating that sample ballots are available on request in his office. The official sample ballot shall be printed on colored paper. FOR VOTERS WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH A PARTY THAT IS ENTITLED TO CONTINUED REPRESENTATION ON THE BALLOT PURSUANT TO SECTION 16-804, THE ELECTION OFFICER MAY PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE THE REQUIRED SAMPLE BALLOTS IN AN ALTERNATIVE FORMAT, INCLUDING A REDUCED SIZE FORMAT.

C. Not later than forty days before a primary election, the county chairman of a political party may request one sample primary election ballot of his THE CHAIRMAN'S party for each election precinct.

D. The board of supervisors shall have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election and shall mail at least eleven days prior to the election one sample ballot of a political party to each household containing a registered voter of that political party. A certified claim shall be presented to the secretary of state by the board of supervisors for the actual cost of printing, labeling and postage of each sample ballot actually mailed, and the secretary of state shall direct payment of the authenticated claim from funds of his THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S office.

E. For city and town elections, the governing body of a city or town may have printed mailer-type sample ballots for a primary election. If the city or town has printed such sample ballots, the city or town shall provide for the distribution of such ballots and shall bear the expense of printing and distribution of such sample ballots.

F. The return address on the mailer-type sample ballots shall not contain the name of an appointed or elected public officer nor may the name of an appointed or elected public officer be used to indicate who produced the sample ballot.

G. The great seal of the state of Arizona shall be imprinted along with the words "official voting materials" on the mailing face of each sample ballot. In county, city or town elections the seal of such jurisdiction shall be substituted for the state seal.