As noted earlier, an omnibus election law bill was signed by Arizona’s Governor Jan Brewer last week. The bill, HB 2305, contains the provision that vastly increases the difficulty for members of minor parties to get on their own party’s primary ballot. The bill has many other provisions which are strongly opposed by the Democratic Party and by various voting rights organizations.

If opponents of the bill can obtain 86,405 valid signatures on a referendum petition by September 11, 2013 (90 days after the adjournment of the legislature), then the bill can’t go into effect until after the voters vote on it. That vote would be on November 4, 2013. It is somewhat likely that opponents of the bill will launch a referendum petition. The Arizona referendum procedure, requiring signatures of 5% of the last gubernatorial vote, is easier than the state’s initiative petition requirement. Initiatives require 10% of the last gubernatorial vote for a statute, and 15% for a state constitutional amendment.