ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
clean elections; signature
slips
An emergency measure
allowing participating candidates to make a supplemental filing of additional
reporting slips and qualifying contributions, if the county recorder determines
that there is an insufficient number of signature slips. Contains a Proposition 105.
The Citizens Clean Elections
Act, a campaign finance reform measure, was established by the passage of
Proposition 200 in the 1998 general election.
The Act created a campaign financing system that provides funding to
qualified candidates who agree to abide by Citizens Clean Elections Commission
guidelines.
Participating candidates are
required to receive five-dollar qualifying contributions during the qualifying
period from registered voters within the candidate’s district. The number of contributions depends on the
office sought. All contributors must
sign and date the reporting slip that is required to accompany the five-dollar
contribution.
The participating candidate
is required to submit the five-dollar qualifying contributions and reporting
slips to the Secretary of State. After
receipt of the qualifying information, the Secretary of State selects a random
sampling of five percent of the candidate’s reporting slips and forwards copies
of the selected reporting slips to the appropriate county recorder to verify
their validity. The county recorder
disqualifies invalid reporting slips and provides the Secretary of State with a
report identifying the invalid reporting slips. The Secretary of State must then multiply the number of slips not
disqualified by 20, and if the result is more than 110 percent of the number of
required qualifying contributions, the candidate qualifies to receive
funding. However, if the result is less
than 90 percent of the number of required qualifying contributions, the
application for funds is denied or if the result falls between 90 percent and
110 percent of the number of required qualifying contributions, all slips must
be verified and funding will be delayed or denied.
Current statute does not
provide for subsequent submittals of qualifying contributions. S.B. 1286 allows a participating candidate
to make one supplemental filing of additional reporting slips and qualifying
contributions, if the result of the Secretary of State’s calculation falls
between 90 and 110 percent.
1. Allows a participating candidate to make one supplemental filing of additional reporting slips and qualifying contributions to the Secretary of State before the end of the period for filing reporting slips if the county recorder verified all of the candidate’s reporting slips and found an insufficient number of valid qualifying slips. The candidate must file at least the minimum number of additional slips needed to qualify for funding.
2. Prohibits the supplemental of slips that are duplicate contributions from individuals who have previously contributed to that candidate.
3. Requires the Secretary of State to forward copies of all of the supplemental reporting slips to appropriate county recorders for verification.
4. Requires the county recorder to verify the slips within ten business days after receipt and provide the Secretary of State with a report identifying invalid slips.
5. Requires the Secretary of State to calculate the candidate’s total number of valid slips and approve or deny the candidate for funds.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Contains a Proposition 105 that applies to all provisions of the bill.
8. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 6, 2002