By Mary Jo Pitzl | Arizona Republic
A Yavapai County judge has resolved an issue that vexed Arizona lawmakers all month: how to ensure precinct committee members are elected.
Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper on Tuesday struck down a new provision in state law that required the appointment of committee members by political party officials, rather than have them elected, for the 2022 election cycle.
Napper agreed with arguments from the Arizona Republican Party that the legislation passed unanimously early this month was unconstitutional.
State officials, who were named as defendants, have no interest in appealing the ruling. That means people who want to serve as precinct committee members — the foundation of political party organization — have until April 4 to gather the signatures needed to qualify for the Aug. 2 primary, according to the Arizona Association of Counties, which represents the 15 county recorders and elections officers.
Candidates must file nomination petitions with their county elections office, and the petitions must contain the signatures of registered voters, said Jenn Marson, executive director of the counties association. That’s a change from the law legislators passed March 3, which required candidates to file a nomination paper without signatures with their county political party.
There is one glitch:
