AZ HB2039

Amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 16-602 to increase the minimum hand count requirement from 2% to 5% of precincts in countywide elections, or the number determined by a vote count verification committee to achieve 99% confidence level with 1% margin of error.

Establishes a vote count verification committee within the secretary of state's office to determine appropriate sample sizes for hand counts and designated margins for comparison with electronic tabulation results.

Requires hand counts at the precinct level (treating voting centers as precincts) for primary, special, general, and presidential preference elections, with early ballots audited separately using statistical significance standards.

Mandates that for counties with 800,000+ population, at least 10,000 early ballots be manually audited (or the number determined by the verification committee for 99% confidence with 2% margin of error), and for smaller counties the number determined to achieve 99% confidence with 3% margin of error.

Requires hand counts to begin within 24 hours after polls close and be completed before election canvassing, with results made publicly available by the secretary of state.