Arizona House passes bill by Rep. Dunn requiring election officer certification

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Timothy “Tim” Dunn seeks to establish a certification requirement for election officers, aiming to standardize training and oversight across county and state election roles, according to the Arizona State Senate.

It passed both chambers as of May 1, clearing the House by a vote of 43-15 and the Senate by a vote of 26-1.

The bill, introduced as SB1319 on Jan. 27, during the first regular session of the 57th Legislature, was formally listed with the short title: ‘election officer certification training; yearly’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates that individuals performing duties as election officers, clerks of the board of supervisors, or county recorders in Arizona must obtain an election officer’s certificate from the secretary of state before January 1 of each general election year, with certificates expiring on December 31 of the following year. The secretary of state is responsible for examining applicants, conducting certification programs, and submitting an annual election officer education and training plan. Exemptions include elected officials, clerical personnel, counting center personnel, precinct election board members, and election officials in cities or towns. Cities and towns may conduct their own approved training or compensate the secretary of state for state-provided training, supported by an election training fund.

In the House, 27 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted in favor while 15 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 10 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted in favor while one Democrat voted against it.

Dunn introduced the bill in the Arizona Senate on Jan. 27 during the first regular session of the 57th Legislature.

Dunn graduated from the University of Arizona in 1989 with a BS.

Timothy Dunn is currently serving in the Arizona State Senate, representing the state’s 25th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Sine Kerr in 2025.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs on May 12.

In Arizona, the legislative process begins when a bill is introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. It is then assigned to one or more committees for discussion and possible amendment. If approved by committee, the bill proceeds to floor debate and voting in both chambers. If both chambers pass the bill, it is sent to the governor, who may sign it into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. The Arizona Legislature convenes annually in regular session starting the second Monday in January. Lawmakers introduce hundreds of bills each session, though only a portion make it into law. You can learn more about the legislative process on the Arizona State Legislature website.