Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (2026)

Ballot abuse; violation; classification

✓ current as of May 2026
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A. Any person who knowingly marks a voted or unvoted ballot or ballot envelope with the intent to fix an election for that person's own benefit or for that of another person is guilty of a class 5 felony.

B. It is unlawful to offer or provide any consideration to acquire a voted or unvoted early ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

C. It is unlawful to receive or agree to receive any consideration in exchange for a voted or unvoted ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

D. It is unlawful to possess a voted or unvoted ballot with the intent to sell the voted or unvoted ballot of another person. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony.

E. A person or entity that knowingly solicits the collection of voted or unvoted ballots by misrepresenting itself as an election official or as an official ballot repository or is found to be serving as a ballot drop off site, other than those established and staffed by election officials, is guilty of a class 5 felony.

F. A person who knowingly collects voted or unvoted ballots and who does not turn those ballots in to an election official, the United States postal service or any other entity permitted by law to transmit post is guilty of a class 5 felony.

G. A person who engages or participates in a pattern of ballot fraud is guilty of a class 4 felony.  For the purposes of this subsection, "pattern of ballot fraud" means the person has offered or provided any consideration to three or more persons to acquire the voted or unvoted ballot of a person.

H. A person who knowingly collects voted or unvoted early ballots from another person is guilty of a class 6 felony.  An election official, a United States postal service worker or any other person who is allowed by law to transmit United States mail is deemed not to have collected an early ballot if the official, worker or other person is engaged in official duties.

I. Subsection H of this section does not apply to:

1. An election held by a special taxing district formed pursuant to title 48 for the purpose of protecting or providing services to agricultural lands or crops and that is authorized to conduct elections pursuant to title 48.

2. A family member, household member or caregiver of the voter.  For the purposes of this paragraph:

(a) "Caregiver" means a person who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility or adult foster care home.

(b) "Collects" means to gain possession or control of an early ballot.

(c) "Family member" means a person who is related to the voter by blood, marriage, adoption or legal guardianship.

(d) "Household member" means a person who resides at the same residence as the voter.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2016–2026 · leading case: Leslie Feldman v. Arizona Sec'y of State's Ofc., 843 F.3d 366 (9th Cir. 2016).
Leslie Feldman v. Arizona Sec'y of State's Ofc., 843 F.3d 366 (9th Cir. 2016). · cites it 13× “” Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (H). Enjoining enforcement of H.”
Democratic Nat'l Comm. v. Reagan, 329 F. Supp. 3d 824 (D. Ariz. 2018). · cites it 10× “In 2016, Arizona amended A.R.S. § 16-1005 by enacting H.B. 2023, which limits who may collect a voter's voted or unvoted early ballot: H.”
Leslie Feldman v. Arizona Sec'y of State's Ofc., 840 F.3d 1057 (9th Cir. 2016). · cites it 9× “2023) (West) (codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (H)–(I)). According to Feldman, this state statute violates § 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 52 U.”
Rivko Knox v. Mark Brnovich, 907 F.3d 1167 (9th Cir. 2018). · cites it 3× “Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (H). Family members, household members, and caregivers of the voter are exempted from this general prohibition against collecting ballots.”
Feldman v. Arizona Sec'y of State's Off., 208 F. Supp. 3d 1074 (D. Ariz. 2016). · cites it 4× “2023, now codified at A.R.S. § 16-1005(H)-(I), which limits who may possess another’s early ballot.”
Dnc v. Michele Reagan, 904 F.3d 686 (9th Cir. 2018). · cites it 5× “1227) (codified as amended at Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (A)). And in 2011, Arizona made offering or providing any consideration to acquire a voted or unvoted early ballot a class 5 felony.”
Knox v. Brnovich, 336 F. Supp. 3d 1063 (D. Ariz. 2018). · cites it 5× “A.R.S. § 16-1005(H)-(I). "Voters therefore may entrust a caregiver, family member, household member, mail carrier, or elections official to return their early ballots, but may not entrust other, unauthorized third parties to do so.”
Strong Communities v. Yavapai/arizona (Ariz. Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 10× “See A.R.S. § 16-1005. “The general rule is that ‘no private cause of action should be inferred based on a criminal statute where there is no indication whatsoever that the legislature intended to protect any special group by creating a private cause of action by a member of that…”
Dnc v. Katie Hobbs (9th Cir. 2020). · cites it 7× “2016), codified as Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (H), (I). Arizona offers two methods of voting: (1) in-person voting at a precinct or vote center either on election day or during an early-vote period, or (2) “early voting” whereby the voter receives the ballot via mail and either…”
Arizona All. for Retired Americans v. Jennings (D. Ariz. 2022). · cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 16-1005(h). 28 2 As far as the Court can tell, CEUSA is not organized as a valid legal entity under the laws of any state and appears to simply be a web domain name.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005(E) — 1 case
Strong Communities v. Yavapai/arizona (Ariz. Ct. App. 2026). “See A.R.S. § 16-1005. “The general rule is that ‘no private cause of action should be inferred based on a criminal statute where there is no indication whatsoever that the legislature intended to protect any special group by creating a private cause of action by a member of that…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005(H) — 3 cases
Democratic Nat'l Comm. v. Reagan, 329 F. Supp. 3d 824 (D. Ariz. 2018). “In 2016, Arizona amended A.R.S. § 16-1005 by enacting H.B. 2023, which limits who may collect a voter's voted or unvoted early ballot: H.”
Feldman v. Arizona Sec'y of State's Off., 208 F. Supp. 3d 1074 (D. Ariz. 2016). “2023, now codified at A.R.S. § 16-1005(H)-(I), which limits who may possess another’s early ballot.”
Knox v. Brnovich, 336 F. Supp. 3d 1063 (D. Ariz. 2018). “A.R.S. § 16-1005(H)-(I). "Voters therefore may entrust a caregiver, family member, household member, mail carrier, or elections official to return their early ballots, but may not entrust other, unauthorized third parties to do so.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005(a) — 2 cases
Democratic Nat'l Comm. v. Reagan, 329 F. Supp. 3d 824 (D. Ariz. 2018). “In 2016, Arizona amended A.R.S. § 16-1005 by enacting H.B. 2023, which limits who may collect a voter's voted or unvoted early ballot: H.”
Dnc v. Katie Hobbs (9th Cir. 2020). “2016), codified as Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005 (H), (I). Arizona offers two methods of voting: (1) in-person voting at a precinct or vote center either on election day or during an early-vote period, or (2) “early voting” whereby the voter receives the ballot via mail and either…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-1005(h) — 1 case
Arizona All. for Retired Americans v. Jennings (D. Ariz. 2022). “A.R.S. § 16-1005(h). 28 2 As far as the Court can tell, CEUSA is not organized as a valid legal entity under the laws of any state and appears to simply be a web domain name.”
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