A bill that would require Arizona election officials to incorporate additional anti-fraud security measures into paper ballots is awaiting action from Gov. Katie Hobbs after clearing the Arizona Legislature.
Senate Bill 1057, sponsored by Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, would require ballot paper vendors to meet specified security certification standards and mandate that ballots contain at least three anti-fraud features designed to deter counterfeiting and tampering.
The legislation requires vendors supplying ballot paper with fraud countermeasures to hold one of three certifications.
It also mandates the use of at least three security features from a list that includes watermarked security paper, holographic foil, banknote-style background designs, specialty inks, ultraviolet markings, and forensic fraud-detection technology.
The bill also permits the use of unique barcodes or QR codes that would allow voters to track their ballots as they are processed.
Finchem said the proposal is intended to strengthen election security and boost public confidence in the state's voting system.
"Arizona voters deserve confidence that every legitimate ballot cast is protected from fraud, counterfeiting and tampering," Finchem said in a statement.
The Republican lawmaker argued that ballots should be protected with security measures similar to those used to safeguard financial documents and currency.
"We use advanced security features to protect currency, financial documents, and other sensitive materials. There's no reason election ballots should be held to a lower standard," Finchem said.
"This legislation brings additional layers of verification and accountability to the election process while helping strengthen public trust in our system."
The bill comes as election security remains a focal point in Arizona, a battleground state that has faced intense scrutiny of its election procedures in recent years.
Finchem said election officials must remain vigilant because individuals seeking to interfere with elections continually look for new methods to circumvent safeguards.
"People seeking to tamper with Arizona elections are always looking for new and unique ways" to do so, he said.
He also argued that voters can be disenfranchised if election systems fail to prevent individuals from falsely representing themselves when casting ballots.
Finchem said the state must be able to rely on its voting systems "to exclude people" who misrepresent their identities when they vote.
"That's unacceptable," he said.
Hobbs has not publicly indicated whether she will sign or veto the measure. If enacted, the bill would establish new ballot-security requirements for future Arizona elections.