16-502

16-502. Form and contents of ballot

A. Ballots shall be printed with black ink on white paper of sufficient thickness
to prevent the printing thereon from being discernible from the back, and the same type
shall be used for the names of all candidates. The ballots shall be headed "official
ballot" in bold-faced plain letters, with a heavy rule above and below the heading.
Immediately below shall be placed the words "type of election, (date of election)" and
the name of the county and state in which the election is held. The name or number of the
precinct in which the election is held shall be placed on the ballot in a uniform
location for all ballots. No other matter shall be placed or printed at the head of any
ballot, except above the heading there may be a stub that contains the words "stub no.
_____, register no. _____, to be torn off by inspector." The stub shall be separated from
the ballot by a perforated line, so that it may be easily detached from the ballot.
Instructions to the voter on marking the ballot may be printed below the heading. The
official ballots shall be bound together in blocks of not less than five nor more than
one hundred.

B. Immediately below the ballot heading shall be placed the following:

"Section One

Partisan Ballot

1. Put a mark according to the instructions next to the name of each
candidate for each partisan office for whom you wish to vote.

2. If you wish to vote for a person whose name is not printed on the
ballot, write such name in the blank space provided on the ballot or write-in
envelope and put a mark according to the instructions next to the name so
written."

C. Immediately below the instructions for voting in section one there shall be
placed in columns the names of the candidates of the several political parties. Next to
each candidate's name there shall be printed in bold-faced letters the name of the
political party. At the head of each column shall be printed the names of the offices to
be filled with the name of each office being of uniform type size. At the head of each
column shall be printed in the following order the names of candidates for:

1. Presidential electors.

2. United States senator.

3. Representatives in Congress.

4. The several state offices.

5. The several county and precinct offices.

D. The names of candidates for the offices of state senator and state
representative along with the district number shall be placed within the heading of each
column to the right of the office name for state offices and immediately below the
candidates for the office of governor. The number of the supervisorial district of which
a candidate is a nominee shall be printed within the heading of each column to the right
of the name of the office.

E. The lists of the candidates of the several parties shall be arranged with the
names of the parties in descending order according to the votes cast for governor for
that county in the most recent general election for the office of governor, commencing
with the left-hand column. In the case of political parties which did not have candidates
on the ballot in the last general election, such parties shall be listed in alphabetical
order below the parties which did have candidates on the ballot in the last general
election. The names of all candidates nominated under section 16-341 shall be placed in a
single column below that of the recognized parties. Next to the name of each candidate,
in parentheses, shall be printed the designation not to exceed three words in length as
prescribed in the candidate's certificate of nomination.

F. Immediately below the designation of the office to be voted for shall appear the
words: "Vote for not more than _________" (insert the number to be elected).

G. In each column at the right of the name of each candidate and on the same line
there shall be a place for the voter to put a mark. Below the name of the last named
candidate for each office there shall be as many blank lines as there are offices of the
same title to be filled, with a place for the voter to put a mark unless write-in
envelopes are provided for that purpose. Upon the blank line the voter may write the name
of any person for whom he desires to vote whose name is not printed, and next to the name
so written he shall designate his choice by a mark as in the case of printed names.

H. When there are two or more candidates of the same political party for the same
office, or more than one candidate for a judicial office, the names of all such
candidates shall be so alternated on the ballots used in each election district that the
name of each candidate shall appear substantially an equal number of times in each
possible location. If there are fewer or the same number of candidates seeking office
than the number to be elected, the rotation of names is not required and the names shall
be placed in alphabetical order.

I. Immediately below section one of the ballot shall be placed the following:

"Section Two

Nonpartisan Ballot

1. Put a mark according to the instructions next to the name of each
candidate for each nonpartisan office for whom you wish to vote.

3. Put a mark according to the instructions next to the word 'yes' (or
for) for each proposition or question you wish to be adopted. Put a mark
according to the instructions next to the word 'no' (or against) for each
proposition or question you wish not to be adopted."

J. Immediately below the instructions for voting in section two shall be placed the
names of the candidates for judges of the superior court standing for election pursuant
to article VI, section 12, Constitution of Arizona, school district officials, justice of
the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior court standing
for retention or rejection pursuant to article VI, section 38, Constitution of Arizona,
and other nonpartisan officials in a column or in columns without partisan or other
designation except the title of office in an order determined by the officer in charge of
the election.

K. Immediately below the offices listed in subsection J of this section, the ballot
shall contain a separate heading of any nonpartisan office for a vacant unexpired term
and shall include the expiration date of the term of the vacated office.

L. All proposed constitutional amendments and other propositions or questions to be
submitted to the voters shall be printed immediately below the names of candidates for
nonpartisan positions in such order as the secretary of state, or if a city or town
election, the city or town clerk, designates. Placement of county and local charter
amendments, propositions or questions shall be determined by the officer in charge of the
election. Except as provided by section 19-125, each proposition or question shall be
followed by the words "yes" and "no" or "for ______" and "against ______" as the nature
of the proposition or question requires, and at the right of and next to each of such
words shall be a place for the voter to put a mark according to the instructions that is
similar in size to those places appearing opposite the names of the candidates, in which
the voter may indicate his vote for or against such proposition or question by a mark as
defined in section 16-400.

M. Instead of printing the official and descriptive titles or the full text of each
measure or question on the official ballot, the officer in charge of elections may print
phrases on the official ballot that contain all of the following:

1. The number of the measure in reverse type and at least twelve point type.

2. The designation of the measure as prescribed by section 19-125, subsection C or
as a question, proposition or charter amendment, followed by the words "relating to..."
and inserting the subject.

3. Either the statement prescribed by section 19-125, subsection D that describes
the effects of a "yes" vote and a "no" vote or, for other measures, the text of the
question or proposition.

4. The words "yes" and "no" or "for" and "against", as may be appropriate and a
place for the voter to put a mark.

N. For any ballot printed pursuant to subsection M of this section, the
instructions on the official ballot shall direct the voter to the full text of the
official and descriptive titles and the questions and propositions as printed on the
sample ballot and posted in the polling place.