Bill
HCR 2057
HCR 2057 would require initiative/referendum petitions to obtain signatures from 10% of voters in at least 10 counties, making ballot access more difficult and shifting power to rural areas.
HCR 2057 is a concurrent resolution that proposes to amend the Arizona Constitution to change the signature requirements for ballot initiatives and referendums. The main purpose of the bill is to distribute the signature gathering requirement more evenly across Arizona's counties.
The bill would make the following changes:
Signature Requirement Distribution: Currently, initiative and referendum petitions require signatures from 15% of the total number of votes cast for the office of governor in the last general election. HCR 2057 would instead require signatures from 10% of the votes cast in each of at least 10 counties.
Signature Invalidation: The resolution specifies that signatures would be invalidated if the signer's county of residence is not indicated or is unclear on the petition.
Referendum Timeline: For referendum petitions, the timeline to submit signatures would be reduced from 90 days to 60 days after the legislative session adjourns.
If passed, HCR 2057 would make it more challenging to get initiatives and referendums on the ballot by requiring a geographically distributed signature effort. Supporters argue this would help ensure broader representation, while critics contend it would give rural voters disproportionate influence.
The changes to the signature invalidation rules and referendum timeline would also create additional technical hurdles for petition campaigns.
HCR 2057 is a concurrent resolution, meaning it must be approved by both the Arizona House and Senate. If it passes the legislature, it would then go before voters as a ballot measure in the next general election.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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