by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Feb 1, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Another election has come and gone, and once again Arizona showed the nation that it doesn’t know how to count votes. Like a bad movie we are forced to watch every two years, rampant delays in processing early ballots left voters waiting over a week to find out who won key races in the state.
Virtually everyone around the country watching our slow-motion election train wreck, from major media outlets to national pundits, agreed that fixing Arizona’s tabulation process is long overdue.
Everyone, that is, except Governor Katie Hobbs and her partisan Democrat allies in the legislature.
This shouldn’t be a total shock to those who have followed previous attempts to reform our election system. Over the last couple of years, Democrats have opposed popular election reforms like requiring basic proof of citizenship to vote, all while millions were pouring in illegally through the southern border. They argued against commonsense voter ID laws, claiming our elections are safe and secure without them (and California democrats even banned voter ID outright).
And now, after Arizona was again one of the last states to finish ballot processing, the Democrats remain opposed to ensuring we have election night results…
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by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 21, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona’s leaders on both sides of the political aisle are calling for significant reforms to the state’s elections system.
Earlier this week, Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin issued a press release to call for “a series of election administration reforms that will expedite the tabulation of ballots with the goal of 95% of results being tabulated by election night.”
Galvin’s concepts for reforms include the following highlights:
- “Move up cutoff date for early ballot drop offs
- “Use Government buildings to host polling sites
- “Eliminate Emergency voting for Saturday & Monday before Election Day and allow everyone to utilize in-person voting.”
In a statement to accompany his announcement, Galvin said, “First and foremost, I am grateful to the election staff and community volunteers who have spent countless hours preparing and administering the 2024 election. These dedicated individuals deserve our thanks for following the laws and regulations determined by state leaders. Unfortunately, they bear the brunt of unfounded criticism. Since election day, I’ve had productive conversations with Republican leaders at the Arizona Legislature who agree sensible and practical changes are needed to speed up processing while also protecting the integrity of the early voting system that most Arizonans utilize.”
Galvin added, “By moving up the cutoff date for early ballot drop offs, using government buildings to host polling sites, and eliminate emergency voting for the Saturday and Monday prior to the election while allowing folks to vote in person, we can significantly speed up the process and have nearly 95% of ballots tabulated by election night. I urge the Arizona Legislature to make my ‘95/1 Plan’ a top priority in 2025 and look forward to working with county and state leaders on these important reforms.”
Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott offered his support for the nature of Galvin’s proposals, writing, “I am grateful to my colleague Thomas Galvin for putting these timely ideas forth. We may be from different parties and represent different counties, but we share the same concerns. When the new Legislature convenes in January, his proposals should be given serious consideration.”
Incoming Maricopa County Supervisor Mark Stewart endorsed Galvin’s efforts in a post on his X account. He wrote, “I stand with my colleague Thomas Galvin in emphasizing the importance of efficient and transparent elections in Maricopa County. This is a standard we must meet, as anything less undermines public trust. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow supervisors Debbie Lesko, Kate Brophy McGee, and Steve Gallardo, as well as our state legislators and governor, to advocate for legislation ensuring election results are finalized promptly after walk-up tallies are complete. Arizona can and should resolve election delays – our voters and the nation deserve a process that reflects both competence and integrity.”
Supervisor Galvin’s proposals follow aggressive statements of the like from state legislators in the aftermath of a General Election in Arizona, where several counties counted votes days – and even weeks for some – past the contest. Senate President Warren Petersen led this charge from the Arizona Legislature immediately after Election Day. On November 7, Petersen stated, “I have tried without success to shift us to the Florida model that has a Friday cutoff to drop off early ballots. Current delay is from counting the mail ballots dropped day of, which have to be signature verified. Maybe I can get enough support now to get it to the finish line.”
Two days later, Petersen added, “AZ called last! This can never happen again. My call to move up election results is gaining a lot of support. I have also heard from counties who opposed moving up results in the past now saying they will support.”
The efforts from Arizona government officials to enact major elections reform will likely still face an uphill battle with Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs, who has vetoed several bills from Republican legislators that would have improved the state’s system. Arizona legislators could be forced to send their proposals to voters in the next election if the governor refuses to consider commonsense bills on election reform.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | May 24, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona legislative Republicans are working to give voters an opportunity to help make future elections more efficient.
Last week, the Arizona Senate Elections Committee considered and passed a strike-everything amendment to HCR 2056, an elections-related ballot measure. If passed by the state Senate and House, the proposal would go to Arizona voters in the November General Election.
According to the purpose from the State Senate’s fact sheet, the bill would “prohibit the use of foreign monies for election administration purposes or to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, change the date by which early ballots must be returned to a polling place from 7:00 p.m. on election day to 7:00 p.m. on the Friday before election day, with exceptions for delivery to the office of the county recorder during emergency voting, [and] require the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections to provide for on-site tabulation of all ballots for all voting conducted during early voting or on election day.”
Senator Wendy Rogers issued a statement after the successful passage of the measure out of the committee, writing, “I’m thrilled to report we’re advancing a ballot referral through the Legislature that voters may be able to consider in November to help speed up the process of determining the winners of our elections. Arizona has become the laughing stock of the nation with how long it takes our state to accurately tabulate ballots, not to mention the long lines and wait times voters encounter at the polls. I’m confident our solution is a big step in the right direction to eliminate the chaos.”
Rogers added, “We moved a ‘strike everything amendment’ to HCR 2056 through Senate Elections Committee this week. It would require the use of on-site tabulators in polling places for both Election Day and for early voting, which would lead to a considerably more efficient elections process and faster results. It would also reduce the timeline of when mail-in ballots will be accepted at polling places, but will allow voters to drop them off at the recorder’s office or any designated drop box. Lastly, it would ban all foreign funding of our elections.”
The vote in the Senate Elections Committee was 4-3 in favor of the measure’s advancement. One member did not vote.
Arizona Senate Democrats shared a video out of the Elections Committee, where Secretary of State Adrian Fontes expressed his opposition to the measure. Fontes said, “As it stands today I don’t think the voters deserve to see something like this when there is no sufficient funding in the bill.”
The Senate Democrats’ “X” account also asserted that “this rushed ballot referral will increase provisional ballots, prohibit ‘late early’ drop-offs, and result in longer wait times for EVERYONE.”
The ACLU of Arizona also weighed in on the proposal. Darrell Hill, the policy director for the state’s chapter, said, “Any bill that claims to speed up the election processes by reducing a voter’s ability to cast their ballot is not a solution – it’s blatant voter disenfranchisement.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
