16-168 - Precinct registers; date of preparation; contents; copies; reports; violation; classification

16-168. Precinct registers; date of preparation; contents; copies; reports; violation; classification

A. By the tenth day preceding the primary and general elections the county recorder shall prepare from the original registration forms or from electronic media at least four lists that are printed or typed on paper of all qualified electors in each precinct in the county, and such lists shall be the official precinct registers.

B. The official precinct registers for use at the polling place shall contain at least the names in full, party preference, date of registration and residence address of each qualified elector in the respective precincts. Such names shall be in alphabetical order and, in a column to the left of the names, such names shall be numbered consecutively beginning with number 1 in each precinct register.

C. For purposes of transmitting voter registration information as prescribed by this subsection, computer generated disks or computer software with at least six hundred forty megabytes of storage in counties with a population over five hundred thousand in the last decennial census, shall be the principal media. A county or state chairman who is eligible to receive copies of precinct registers as prescribed by this subsection may request that the recorder provide a paper copy of the precinct registers. The county recorder shall, in addition to preparing the official precinct registers, provide a means for mechanically or electronically reproducing the precinct registers and shall unless otherwise agreed deliver within eight days after the close of registration for the primary and general elections, without charge, on the same day one electronic media copy of each precinct register within the county to the county chairman and one electronic media copy to the state chairman of each party which has at least four candidates other than presidential electors appearing upon the ballot in that county at the current election. The county recorder shall also, upon request and without charge, deliver one electronic media copy of the precinct register to the Arizona legislative council. The county recorder of a county with a population of fewer than four hundred thousand persons shall, on the same day precinct registers are delivered to county chairmen, deliver one electronic media copy of each precinct register within the county to the state chairman of each party which has at least four candidates other than presidential electors appearing on the ballot in this state at the current election. The copies of the precinct registers shall be on magnetic computer disks or computer software with at least six hundred forty megabytes of storage which shall include for each elector the following information:

1. Name in full and appropriate title.

2. Party preference.

3. Date of registration.

4. Residence address.

5. Mailing address, if different from residence address.

6. Zip code.

7. Telephone number if given.

8. Birth date.

9. Occupation.

10. Primary election and general election voting history for the prior four years and any other information regarding registered voters which the county recorder or city or town clerk maintains on magnetic computer disks or computer software and which is public information.

D. The names on the precinct registers shall be in alphabetical order and any changes, additions or deletions to the precinct registers shall unless otherwise agreed be delivered to each county chairman and each state chairman at least quarterly and within ten business days of the close of each quarter in the same format and media as prescribed by subsection C of this section.

E. Precinct registers and other lists and information derived from registration forms may be used only for purposes relating to a political or political party activity, a political campaign or an election, for revising election district boundaries, or for any other purpose specifically authorized by law. The county recorder shall, upon a request for such use and within thirty days from receipt of such request, prepare additional copies of any precinct register and furnish them to any person requesting them upon payment of a fee equal to five cents for each name appearing on the register for a printed list and ten cents for each name for an electronic data medium, plus the cost of the blank computer disk or computer software if furnished by the recorder, for each copy so furnished.

F. Any person in possession of a precinct register, in whole or part, or any reproduction of a precinct register, shall not permit such register to be used, bought, sold or otherwise transferred for any purpose except for uses otherwise authorized by this section. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude public inspection of voter registration records.

G. The county recorder shall count the registered voters by political party by precinct, legislative district and congressional district as follows:

1. In even numbered years, the county recorder shall count all persons who are registered to vote as of:

(a) January 1.

(b) March 1.

(d) The last day on which a person may register to be eligible to vote in the next general election.

2. In odd numbered years, the county recorder shall count all persons who are registered to vote as of:

(a) January 1.

(b) April 1.

(d) October 1.

3. The county recorder shall count all persons who are registered to vote as of the last day on which a person may register to be eligible to vote in a second election if a second election is held pursuant to article V, section 1, Constitution of Arizona.

H. The county recorder shall report the totals to the secretary of state as soon as is practicable following each of the dates prescribed in subsection G, paragraphs 1 and 2 of this section. The report shall include completed registration forms returned in accordance with section 16-134, subsection B. The county recorder shall also provide the report in a uniform electronic computer media format that shall be agreed upon between the secretary of state and all county recorders. The secretary of state shall then prepare a summary report for the state and shall maintain that report as a permanent record.

I. The county recorder shall provide to the secretary of state a list of registered voters in the county, including the voter's name, date of birth and state of birth along with the count of registered voters pursuant to subsection G of this section. The list of registered voters is a public record and shall be in a format agreed upon between the secretary of state and each county recorder. The list shall be labeled to show that it is not an official listing of registered voters. The secretary of state shall compare the lists to identify persons registered in more than one county. If a person is registered in more than one county, the secretary of state shall notify, within fifteen days after receipt of the list, the county recorder in each county in which the person is registered except the county recorder in the county in which the person registered last. The notice shall include the date of the person's latest registration. After receiving this notice the county recorder shall cancel the person's registration as of the date of the newest registration and notify the person of the cancellation at the address provided by the secretary of state from the county of the latest registration.