§ 19-118 — Registered circulators; requirements; violation; classification; definition

A. For statewide initiative and referendum measures only, all circulators who are not residents of this state and all paid circulators must register as circulators with the secretary of state before circulating petitions pursuant to this title. The committee that is circulating the petition shall collect and submit the completed registration applications to the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall establish in the instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 a procedure for registering circulators, including circulator registration applications, and shall publish on a website maintained by the secretary of state all information regarding circulators that is required pursuant to this section. The secretary of state shall disqualify all signatures collected by a circulator who fails to register pursuant to this subsection as provided for in section 19-121.01, subsection A.

B. The circulator registration application required by subsection A of this section shall require the following:

1. The circulator's full name, residence address, telephone number and email address.

2. The initiative or referendum petition on which the circulator will gather signatures.

3. A statement that the circulator consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state in resolving any disputes concerning the circulation of petitions by that circulator.

4. The address of the committee in this state for which the circulator is gathering signatures and at which the circulator will accept service of process related to disputes concerning circulation of that circulator's petitions. Service of process is effected under this section by delivering a copy of the subpoena to that person individually, by leaving a copy of the subpoena with a person of suitable age or by mailing a copy of the subpoena to the committee by certified mail to the address provided.

5. An affidavit from the registered circulator that is signed by the circulator before a notary public and that includes the following declaration:

I,(print name), under penalty of a class 1 misdemeanor, acknowledge that I am eligible to register as a circulator in the state of Arizona, that all of the information provided is correct to the best of my knowledge and that I have read and understand Arizona election laws applicable to the collection of signatures for a statewide initiative or referendum.

C. Within five business days after submission and review of a complete and correct circulator registration application that complies with this section, the secretary of state shall register and assign a circulator registration number to the circulator.

D. A person may not register as a circulator pursuant to this section if the person:

1. Has had a civil or criminal penalty imposed for a violation of title 16 or this title within the immediately preceding five years.

2. Has been convicted of treason or a felony and has not been restored to civil rights as described in section 16-101, subsection A, paragraph 5.

3. Has been convicted of any criminal offense involving fraud, forgery or identity theft.

E. If a registered circulator is properly served with a subpoena to provide evidence in an action regarding circulation of petitions and fails to appear or produce documents as provided for in the subpoena, all signatures collected by that circulator are deemed invalid. The party serving the subpoena may request an order from the court directing the secretary of state to remove any signatures collected by the circulator as provided for in section 19-121.01, subsection A.

F. Any person may challenge the lawful registration of circulators in the superior court of the county in which the circulator is registered. A challenge may not be commenced more than ten business days after the date that the secretary of state's office has received, processed and made available all final petition sheets individually numbered. The person challenging signatures may amend that complaint after the secretary of state has removed signatures and signature sheets as prescribed in section 19-121.01. An action pursuant to this section shall be advanced on the calendar and decided by the court as soon as possible. Either party may appeal to the supreme court within five calendar days after entry of judgment. The prevailing party in an action to challenge the registration of a circulator under this section is entitled to reasonable attorney fees.

G. The removal or disqualification of any one or more circulators does not invalidate the random sample of signatures made pursuant to section 19-121.01, and the secretary of state shall not be required to conduct any additional random sampling of signatures.

H. A person who knowingly omits or misrepresents information or provides false information on a circulator registration application or who registers in violation of this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

I. For the purposes of this title, "paid circulator":

1. Means a natural person who receives monetary or other compensation for obtaining signatures on a statewide initiative or referendum petition or for circulating statewide initiative or referendum petitions for signatures.

2. Does not include a paid employee of any political committee organized pursuant to title 16, chapter 6, unless that employee has or will obtain two hundred or more signatures on an initiative, referendum or recall petition in an election cycle.