Initiative, Referendum, and Recall

Initiative, Referendum, and Recall

Initiative, Referendum, and Recall Applications for the 2024 Election Cycle

The Secretary of State's Office is currently operating on an appointment-only basis. To schedule an appointment to file an Application for a Serial Number, please contact our office at [email protected].

A list of the initiative, referendum, and recall applications that have been submitted for the 2024 election cycle is accessible at the link below.

Important Dates

Ballot Measure Argument Portal Open for Submissions May 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm – July 3, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Initiative Filings Due Date July 03, 2024
General Election Date November 05, 2024

Signature Requirements

Constitutional Amendments 383,923
Initiative Measures 255,949
Referendum Petitions 127,975
  1. Form a political committee through the Secretary of State's online system, or be prepared to designate an existing (non-candidate) political committee to act as the petition sponsor.
  2. File an Application for Serial Number with the Secretary of State's Office.
  3. Acquire the appropriate initiative, referendum, or recall petition in-person from the Secretary of State's Office.
  4. Ensure any paid or out-of-state circulators have registered with the Secretary of State's Office.
  5. Circulate petitions and obtain signatures from eligible voters.
  6. Submit circulated petitions to the Secretary of State's Office by the statutory deadline.
  7. The Secretary of State and various County Recorders will process the petitions and determine whether enough signatures were gathered to place the measure on the ballot.
2024 Initiative, Referendum, and Recall Applications Filed
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Initiative

An initiative is the method by which voters may propose new laws or amend existing laws by gathering signatures from registered voters to place the issue on the ballot.

About Initiatives

The Constitution of Arizona provides voters with the ability to propose new laws or constitutional amendments through the initiative process. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(2).

The person or organization putting forward the initiative must file these signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office at least four months prior to the next general election. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(4). If enough valid signatures are submitted, the proposed statutory or constitutional amendment will be placed on the next general election ballot. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(1). A “yes” vote is a vote for enacting the new law or constitutional amendment, while a “no” vote is a vote for retaining existing law. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(10).

The Arizona Constitution requires valid signatures from 15% of qualified electors to place an initiative proposing a constitutional amendment on the ballot and valid signatures from 10% of qualified electors to place an initiative proposing a statutory amendment on the ballot. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(2).

Dates and Signature Requirements

Initiative Date and Signature Requirements for the 2024 Election Cycle (Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(2), (4)):

  • Initiative petitions must be filed by: July 3, 2024
  • Signature Requirements for Constitutional Amendment: 383,923
  • Signature Requirements for Statutory Initiative Measures: 255,949

Steps for Preparing an Initiative

  1. Form a political committee through the Arizona Secretary of State's online system, Beacon, or be prepared to designate an existing (non-candidate) political committee to act as the petition sponsor.A.R.S. § 19-111(A).
  2. File an Application for Serial Number with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.A.R.S. § 19-111(A).
  3. Acquire the appropriate initiative petition from the Arizona Secretary of State's Office
  4. Ensure any paid or out-of-state circulators have registered with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.A.R.S. § 19-118(A).
  5. Circulate petitions and obtain signatures from eligible voters.A.R.S. § 19-112(A).
  6. Submit circulated petitions to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office by the deadline.Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(4)
  7. The Secretary of State and applicable County Recorders will process the petitions and determine whether enough signatures were gathered to place the measure on the ballot.A.R.S. §§ 19-121.01; 19 -121.02.

The 2024 Initiative Filing Deadline is July 3, 2024. More information will be available after the 2024 Initiative Filing Deadline; please check back after deadline.

The 2024 Initiative Filing Deadline is July 3, 2024. More information will be available after the 2024 Initiative Filing Deadline; please check back after deadline.

The Ballot Measure Argument Portal will open for submissions from May 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm – July 3, 2024 at 5:00 pm.

Referendum

A referendum is the method by which voters may veto a law (or part of a law) by gathering signatures from registered voters to place the issue on the ballot.

About Referendum

The Arizona Constitution states, "the people reserve the power to . . . use at their own option, the power to approve or reject at the polls, any Act, or item, section, or part of any Act, of the Legislature". Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(1).

The person or organization putting forward the referendum must file signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State within 90 days of when the Legislature that enacted the House or Senate bill in question adjourns sine die (the date of adjournment of the legislative session in which the measure was passed) for the year. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(4). If enough valid signatures are submitted, the bill will be placed on the next general election ballot. A "yes" vote is a vote to allow the law to go into effect, while a "no" vote essentially constitutes a vote for a citizen veto preventing the referred bill from going into effect. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(10).

A Referendum Petition was filed with the Secretary of State's Office on September 23, 2022. See the 2022 Initiative and Referendum Guide in the side bar for further details on this process.

Petition Valid Signatures from SOS Review County Review Deadline Estimated Valid After County Review Status
R-01-2022 H.B. 2853 Referral86,640n/an/aDoes Not Qualify for 2024 General Election ballot

The individual or organization wishing to refer a measure to the ballot must either file a Statement of Organization using the Arizona Secretary of State's Campaign Finance Filing System or designate an existing (non-candidate) committee to act as the referendum's sponsor. The Secretary of State will not accept an application without an accompanying statement or designation. A.R.S. § 19-111(A).

Dates and Signature Requirements

Referendum Date and Signature Requirements for the 2024 Election Cycle: Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(3)-(4).

  • Deadline for Submission: 90 days after the legislature adjourns Sine Die
  • Signature Requirements for Referendum Petitions: 127,975

An individual or organization wishing to refer a measure to the ballot must submit an Application for Serial Number stating their intent to circulate a statewide referendum petition. A.R.S. § 19-111(A).. To complete the PDF application, please enter all required fields.

The Arizona Secretary of State's office will complete the remainder of the form and issue a unique serial number to be printed on the front and back of each petition sheet. The Secretary of State's office will also provide instructions regarding proper completion of the Statewide Referendum Petition form. A.R.S. § 19-111.

  • At the time of submission, an Application for Serial Number must include the accompanying title and text of the measure to be referred. A.R.S. § 19-121(B).
  • The minimum number of signatures required to refer a measure to the ballot is equal to 5% of the number of votes casted at the last gubernatorial election. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(3), (7).
  • The deadline to file referendum petition signatures is no later than 90 days after sine die (the date of adjournment of the legislative session in which the measure was passed). Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(4).

Steps for Preparing a Referendum

  1. Form a political committee through the Arizona Secretary of State's online system or be prepared to designate an existing (non-candidate) political committee to act as the petition sponsor. A.R.S. § 19-111(A).
  2. File an Application for Serial Number with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office. A.R.S. § 19-111(A).
  3. Acquire the appropriate referendum petition from the Arizona Secretary of State's Office
  4. Ensure any paid or out-of-state circulators have registered with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office. A.R.S. § 19-118(A).
  5. Circulate petitions and obtain signatures from eligible voters. A.R.S. § 19-118(A).
  6. Submit circulated petitions to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office by the statutory deadline. Ariz. Const. Art. IV, pt. 1, § 1(3).
  7. The Secretary of State and applicable County Recorders will process the petitions and determine whether enough signatures were gathered to place the measure on the ballot. A.R.S. §§ 19-121.01; 19 -121.02.

The Arizona Secretary of State's Office is currently operating on an appointment-only basis. To schedule an appointment to file an Application for a Serial Number, please contact our office at [email protected]. Applications for Serial Number may also be submitted via email to the same address above or by mail to:

Secretary of State's Office
c/o Election Division
1700 W Washington St, 7th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Recall

A Recall is a procedure that allows citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of their term in office. A.R.S. § 19-201. A recall may commence after an individual has been in office for six months, except for state legislators which can be filed five days after the start of their first session, and no specific grounds are required. A.R.S. § 19-202(A).

About Recall

A recall can be filed against any public officer on any grounds but may not be filed until after the elected official has been in office in his or her first term for at least six months, except for state legislators. In the case of state legislators, a recall petition may commence five days after the start of their first legislative session after their election. A.R.S. § 19-202(A).

  1. Statement of Organization (If Sponsored by a Committee)

    A recall measure can be sponsored by an individual or a committee. If a committee is serving as the applicant, the committee must file a Statement of Organization using the Arizona Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance Filing System at or before the time of submitting an Application for Serial Number. The Secretary of State will not accept an application from a committee without an accompanying statement or designation. A.R.S. § 19-111(A).

  2. General Statement and Application for Serial Number

    An individual or organization wishing to recall a state officer must submit the online General Statement and a completed PDF Application stating their intent to circulate a statewide recall petition.

    The General Statement must be submitted online first before the PDF Application is submitted. The language provided online must exactly match the information completed on the PDF Application to be submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office. A.R.S. § 16-926(B)(3)(n). Completing the General Statement form does NOT complete the application process.

    To complete the PDF Application, please enter all required fields including:

    • The name and title of the officer to be recalled
    • A general statement of not more than two hundred words stating the grounds of the demand for the recall, which will be printed on the face of each petition sheet. This text must match the General Statement that you submitted online.
    • All information required to identify the recall applicant and sponsoring committee (if applicable)
    • A signature and date from the applicant at the bottom of the form

    A.R.S. §§ 19-202.01; 19-203.

Dates and Signature Requirements

Dates For Starting Recall Petitions:

  1. For Legislators, 5 days after the start of 1st legislative session
  2. For all other officials, 6 months the official is in office

Ariz. Const. Art. VIII, pt. 1, § 5; A.R.S § 19-202.

A recall petition must be submitted within 120 days of the Application for Recall being approved. A.R.S. § 19-203(C).

Signature Requirements:

Signatures required: 25% of all votes cast at the last election for all candidates for office held by that elected official. If two or more public officials are elected from one ballot, the following equation will be used to determine signature requirements as outlined in

(0.25 x overall votes)/ (number of offices filled).

Ariz. Const. Art. VIII, pt. 1, § 1; A.R.S. § 19-201.

Recall Process

Recall Action Timeframe
Application for Serial Number Filed 120 days to collect signatures
Recall Petition Sheets Filed 10 days for filing officer to complete signature review and send to County Recorder’s Office
County Recorder’s Office receives petitions that have completed signature review 60 days to complete signature verification and notify the filing officer
Filing officer receives the completed signature verification 5 business days to determine if total signature requirement has been met and notify the filer
Filing officer determines total amount of valid signatures received 2 business days to the officer whom the recall was filed against
Recalled officer receives notice of Recall Election 5 days to decide whether to resign
If recalled officer resigns Office is appointed according to law
If recalled officer does not resign 15 days to announce the date of the recall election
Recall Election The recall election will occur on the first consolidated election date that is at least 90 days in the future
Official Canvass of the Recall Election 6 – 20 days

Resources

The sample petitions on this website are for informational purposes only.

Official petitions for statewide initiatives, referenda, and recall will be issued in-person at the Secretary of State’s Office upon receipt of the Application for Serial Number.

Election Resources

Elections FAQ

An early ballot may be requested through our new Voter Information Portal or by contacting your County Recorder’s office. To have your name placed on the Active Early Voter List (AEVL), complete a new voter registration form and check the box marked “YES, I want to automatically receive an early ballot for each election for which I am eligible.” Or you can log in to Service Arizona and complete this request online.

  • Online – If you have an Arizona Driver License and/or an Arizona non-operating I.D. card issued by the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) you may register to vote through Service Arizona EZ Voter Registration
    1. Log on to Service Arizona
    2. Select your language preference, then click “Begin Voter Registration”
    3. Verify your voter eligibility
    4. Enter your information in the required fields
    5. Verify address information
    6. You can now select your party preference

    If you are having trouble logging in to the Service Arizona website, you can print off a Voter Registration Form and fill it out with your new information. After you finish, mail the completed form to your County Recorder’s office and your information will be updated.

    If you do not have a residence address, please also complete a 'No Residence Address Confirmation' in addition to the voter registration form.
  • By Mail – You can either print off a form online or request that a registration form be mailed to you from your County Recorder. After completing the voter registration form, mail it to your County Recorder’s office
  • In-Person – You may visit your County Recorder’s office and fill out a registration form in person
  • Address Confidentiality Program Members – You should only register to vote through the ACP process.

After you have successfully registered to vote you will receive a voter registration card in the mail within 4-6 weeks.

If you are a Maricopa County voter, you can process your request here. If you have any questions please call 602-506-1511.

If you are a Pima County voter, you can process your request here. If you have any questions please call 520-724-4330.

To contact your local Election Official please visit https://azsos.gov/county-election-info

 

The voter registration deadline for the General Election has been extended to 5 p.m. on October 15, 2020 by a court order. Check back here often for this and the other trusted information you need throughout the 2020 election season. All voter registration forms sent by U.S. mail must be received on or before the deadline. To see all voter registration deadlines, including for local elections. To see all voter registration deadlines, including for local elections, go to arizona.vote.

The deadline to update your voter registration or register to vote in an upcoming election is midnight on the 29th day before the election. For the 2020 State Primary Election, the deadline to register or update your registration is midnight on July 6, 2020. For the 2020 General Election, the deadline is midnight on October 5, 2020. To see all voter registration deadlines, including for local elections, go to arizona.vote. All voter registration forms sent by U.S. mail must be postmarked on or before the deadline.

Every qualified elector is required to show proof of identity at the polling place before receiving a ballot. Find out what qualifies as an acceptable form of identification in Arizona.

Yes! Arizona has an open primary law which allows any voter who is registered as independent to cast a ballot for one of the officially recognized political parties in State Primary Elections. Independent voters on the Permanent Early Voting List (AEVL) will receive a postcard in the mail asking them to choose which party ballot they wish to receive for the Primary Election. The corresponding primary ballot will then be sent by mail to the voter to complete approximately 27 days prior to the election. Independent voters who go to the polls on Election Day will be given the option to choose a party ballot at that time.

Note: This DOES NOT apply to the Presidential Preference Election. Voters must be registered with a recognized party to vote in the Presidential Preference Election.

The state of Arizona uses E-qual to verify that the person signing the qualifying slip or nomination petition is eligible to do so. After successful verification, the person can give $5 qualifying contribution slips or sign a nomination petition for candidates the person is eligible to vote for in the election.

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If you need assistance using www.servicearizona.com to register or update voter information, please see our ServiceArizona Guide or reach out to our office at [email protected] or by calling 1-877-THE-VOTE.

You do not need postage if you mail your ballot back in Arizona.

All early ballots come with a postage-paid return envelope. There is no need to add postage. Voters should remember to sign and date the return envelope, and to include a phone number in case election officials need to follow up with you.

If you have lost or damaged your ballot-by-mail, you may request a replacement ballot via mail or in-person.

To request a replacement ballot-by-mail, contact your County Recorder’s Office directly. Requests must be made no later than 11 days prior to Election Day. A.R.S. § 16-542(E).

You may also visit a voting location on or before Election Day to vote in-person. Visit my.arizona.vote to find your correct voting location.

The County will cancel your prior ballot if you request a replacement ballot.

No, Official Election Mail cannot be forwarded automatically by the postal service. If you will be out of town during the election, you may request to have your ballot sent to your temporary address. Contact your County Recorder directly to make this request.

To find your County Recorder’s contact information, click here.

You may track the status of your ballot at my.arizona.vote to confirm that it was received and counted.

If you live in Pima County or Maricopa County, check with your county election officials for status updates.

If you have further questions, you can reach out to our office at [email protected] or by calling 1-877-THE-VOTE.

You can also reach out to your county recorder’s office (County Election Officials Contact Information) for further assistance.

Contact Elections

Office of the Secretary of State
Elections Division
1700 W Washington St Fl 7
Phoenix AZ 85007-2808

602-542-8683
1-877-THE VOTE

Email Elections

County Elections Contact Information

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