Oro Valley residents urged Rep. Mark Finchem to sponsor a bill, HB2540: ballot measures; forms; filing officer, after the Town of Oro Valley used a clerical error to disallow petitions gathered for a referendum on the purchase of the El Conquistador golf course by the Town…..
Heaven forbid we make participation in our system easy, right?
No, cities, towns, counties, school districts and yes, even the state – will send out lobbyists and staff to fight any bill that gives the people too much power. You on the other hand, only have limited representation – two representatives and one senator – and if you are unlucky – they might be working against you.
Let Rep. Steele and her fellow lawmakers know you appreciate their failure...
| Member Name | Vote | Member Name | Vote | Member Name | Vote |
| John Christopher Ackerley | Y | John M. Allen | Y | Lela Alston | N |
| Richard C. Andrade | N | Brenda Barton | Y | Jennifer D. Benally | N |
| Reginald Bolding | N | Sonny Borrelli | Y | Russell “Rusty” Bowers | Y |
| Paul Boyer | Y | Kate Brophy McGee | Y | Noel W. Campbell | Y |
| Mark A. Cardenas | N | Heather Carter | Y | Ken Clark | N |
| Regina Cobb | Y | Doug Coleman | Y | Diego Espinoza | N |
| Karen Fann | Y | Edwin W. Farnsworth | Y | Charlene R. Fernandez | N |
| Mark Finchem | Y | Randall Friese | N | Rosanna Gabaldón | N |
| Sally Ann Gonzales | N | Rick Gray | Y | Albert Hale | N |
| Anthony Kern | Y | Jonathan R. Larkin | N | Jay Lawrence | Y |
| Vince Leach | Y | David Livingston | Y | Phil Lovas | Y |
| Stefanie Mach | N | Debbie McCune Davis | N | Juan Jose Mendez | N |
| Javan D. “J.D.” Mesnard | NV | Eric Meyer | N | Darin Mitchell | Y |
| Steve Montenegro | Y | Jill Norgaard | Y | Justin Olson | Y |
| Lisa A. Otondo | N | Warren H. Petersen | Y | Franklin M. Pratt | Y |
| Rebecca Rios | N | Tony Rivero | Y | Bob Robson | Y |
| Macario Saldate | N | Andrew C. Sherwood | N | Thomas “T.J.” Shope | Y |
| Victoria Steele | N | David W. Stevens | Y | Bob Thorpe | Y |
| Kelly Townsend | Y | Michelle R. Ugenti | Y | Ceci Velasquez | N |
| Jeff Weninger | Y | Bruce Wheeler | N | David M. Gowan Sr. | Y |
From the AZ Legislative record:
Purpose
Adds requirements with regard to initiative and referendum petition and signature sheets.
Background
Statute requires any person or organization intending to propose a law or constitutional amendment by initiative petition or intending to file a referendum petition against a measure, item, section or part of a measure, to file an application with the Secretary of State (SOS) prior to causing a petition to be printed and circulated. At the same time as the person or organization files its application with the SOS, the applicant is required to file a statement of organization or a signed exemption statement with the SOS. The SOS is prohibited from accepting an application for an initiative or referendum petition without an accompanying statement of organization or signed exemption statement.
On receipt of an application for an initiative or referendum petition, the SOS is required to assign an official serial number to the petition and issue such number to the applicant. The official serial number issued to the applicant by the SOS is required to appear in the lower right hand corner of each side of each copy of the petition (A.R.S. § 19-111). Additionally, the SOS is required to maintain a record of each received petition application and a record of each serial number assigned and issued.
Within twenty days of the date of filing of an initiative or petition and issuance of the receipt, the SOS is directed to remove petition sheets and petition signatures that do not meet certain specified requirements outlined in statute, including petition sheets that do not bear the petition serial number in the lower right-hand corner of each side of each petition sheet (A.R.S. § 19-121.01).
According to statute, requirements related to the initiative and referendum processes apply to the legislation of cities, towns and counties, with certain exceptions. Statute requires that the duties of the SOS with regard to state legislation must be performed by the applicable city or town clerk or the county officer in charge of elections (A.R.S. § 14-941).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the SOS, with regard to initiative and referendum petitions for statewide measures, to provide a blank petition signature sheet at the time the measure is filed that includes the official serial number associated with the measure on the front and back of the lower right hand corner of the form.
2. Requires, for city, town or county matters, that city clerks, town clerks and county officers in charge of elections provide a blank petition signature sheet that includes the official serial number of the measure on the front and back lower right-hand corner of the petition form.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Requires the SOS to provide blank petition signature sheets, rather than fillable forms, that
include the serial number of the measure on each side of the form.
2. Removes the requirement that the SOS ensure that each petition form and signature sheet contains required information.
3. Makes a conforming change.