by Jonathan Eberle | Nov 19, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona voters could soon decide on sweeping changes to the state’s election rules under a new ballot referral filed by Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-LD20), marking the latest push by Republican lawmakers to overhaul election procedures ahead of the 2026 cycle. Bolick submitted the measure, SCR 1001, over the weekend. The proposal seeks to place several election-related requirements directly into state law—changes lawmakers say are intended to bolster public confidence following years of political tension and disputes surrounding Arizona’s voting processes.
“Election integrity is paramount to maintain our Republic,” Bolick said, describing the measure as a direct response to years of public calls for tighter verification and clearer rules. “It’s time we give [voters] the chance to secure those protections permanently.” If approved by the Legislature and then by voters in November 2026, the ballot referral would require documented proof of citizenship before a ballot is issued to any voter; end early voting at 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day, shifting Arizona’s voting schedule and creating firmer deadlines for processing ballots; and mandate government-issued identification for both in-person voting and early ballots.
Republicans argue these standards are necessary to ensure the accuracy and security of election results. Bolick said the proposal is designed to “put voters – not bureaucrats, not activists, and not foreign interests – back in charge of how our elections are run.” Bolick has introduced similar legislation in the past, including bills to prohibit foreign donations in Arizona elections and proposals to speed up vote counting—efforts she often frames as moving Arizona closer to “Florida-style” same-day reporting.
SCR 1001 will be taken up during the 2026 legislative session, which begins January 12. If it clears both chambers, the measure will bypass the governor and head directly to voters. The proposal is expected to draw both support and criticism as the Legislature debates the balance between election security and voter access—a fault line that has defined Arizona’s election-law discussions for several years.
Supporters say the measure would strengthen trust and accountability. For now, the question heads to the Legislature, where SCR 1001 is set to become a key part of the debate over how Arizona runs its elections.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Nov 17, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona Freedom Caucus (AFC) is throwing its support behind a new election-related proposal from Rep. Alexander Kolodin, announcing its endorsement for the Arizona Secure Elections Act, a measure the group says is aimed at restoring trust and stability in the state’s voting system.
The bill outlines a series of election policy changes that AFC members argue are necessary to address ongoing concerns about administration errors, delays, and voter confidence. According to the caucus, repeated issues in recent election cycles have eroded public trust and demand a comprehensive response.
“The integrity of our elections remains a top priority,” the caucus said in its statement, pointing to what it described as persistent failures that have “made it impossible for reasonable people to trust the integrity of the process and therefore outcomes.” The AFC said its legislative agenda will continue to center on tightening election procedures and removing what it views as opportunities for error or abuse.
The Arizona Secure Elections Act would make a series of changes to election laws, including affirming the principle of “one citizen, one vote”; banning campaign or ballot-measure contributions from foreign individuals or corporations; requiring government-issued identification for all voters; ending early voting at 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day; prohibiting ballots from being cast or accepted after polls close on Election Day; guaranteeing access to in-person voting at local polling places; and requiring mail-in voters to confirm their mailing address every election year.
If approved by lawmakers, the measure would appear on the next general election ballot for voters to decide, setting up a statewide vote as soon as 2026. AFC Chair Sen. Jake Hoffman praised both the proposal and Kolodin’s involvement, calling the act a pivotal step toward what the caucus views as long-needed structural reforms.
“With our endorsement, we will be working to ensure that Arizonans have the opportunity to vote for this Act on the 2026 ballot,” Hoffman said, crediting Kolodin and other AFC members for advancing what he characterized as essential election security priorities.
The legislation, if passed, would bypass the governor and head directly to voters for final approval. The AFC says it intends to campaign for the measure statewide ahead of the 2026 election. The proposal is likely to draw significant attention as lawmakers continue to debate voting access, election security, and administrative reforms—issues that have dominated Arizona politics across several cycles.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 31, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona Freedom Caucus announced that Representative Alexander Kolodin will lead a special hearing on “The Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Democratic Governance and How to Preserve Meaningful Elections” on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in House Hearing Room 4 at the Arizona State Capitol.
The hearing, open to the public and livestreamed through the Arizona Legislature’s website, will focus on how the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping democratic institutions and the electoral process. Lawmakers plan to explore both the opportunities AI presents for improving government efficiency and the potential threats it poses to election security, voter confidence, and public trust.
Representative Kolodin, who chairs the House Ad Hoc Committee on Election Integrity and Florida-style Voting Systems, will be joined by four other Arizona House members, including fellow Freedom Caucus member Representative Rachel Keshel.
“The states cannot be complacent when it comes to the rapid development of AI,” Kolodin said in a statement. “The risk of insufficient oversight of AI is literally what dystopian nightmares are made of. Although it is reasonable to be excited about the prospects of AI to improve human life and society, it is equally critical to be vigilant about the ways it can be abused to erode our freedoms, including threatening democratic governance and our elections.”
The Arizona Freedom Caucus said it views the hearing as a proactive step toward crafting policy that anticipates how AI could be weaponized to undermine democratic processes. The group emphasized that while AI offers enormous benefits, its misuse could have far-reaching consequences for liberty, privacy, and electoral integrity.
“There is perhaps no greater concern than how AI will impact our elections,” the caucus said in its release. “We believe the best way to prevent destructive scenarios is to address AI’s prospective impacts and uses on the frontend.”
The November 14 session is expected to feature expert testimony and legislative discussion on strategies to safeguard Arizona’s electoral systems while responsibly integrating emerging technologies.
Members of the public can view the livestream of the hearing here.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Oct 25, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
In 2022, the Arizona legislature passed—and then-Governor Ducey signed into law—a landmark election integrity bill: HB 2492. Authored by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, the law bolsters safeguards to our election process by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, ensuring that only U.S. citizens are voting in our elections.
It’s commonsense legislation that is popular with the public and a blueprint for other states looking to adopt nearly identical bills. And why wouldn’t it be? U.S. citizens cannot go into France, Australia, or any other country throughout the world and vote in their elections, so why should citizens from other countries be allowed to vote in our elections?
Yet immediately after HB 2492 was passed, a consortium of liberal organizations and the Biden Justice department sued to stop the law from going into effect. Now, after multiple trips to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of which included a bizarre ruling that required an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to let Arizona enforce our proof of citizenship requirements for the 2024 election (which we won), the entire law will now be going to the nation’s highest court.
We are confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the law in its entirety, but one issue about the litigation has been simmering beneath the surface: Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes…
>>> CONTINUE READING >>>
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen is calling on Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to revise the state’s draft of the 2025 Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), warning that lawmakers may pursue legal action if disputed provisions remain in place.
The Elections Procedures Manual, which outlines how elections are conducted in all 15 Arizona counties, must comply with state law and receive approval from both the governor and attorney general before taking effect. Petersen contends the current draft includes measures that exceed the secretary of state’s legal authority.
“The Elections Procedures Manual cannot be used as a vehicle to rewrite Arizona law,” Petersen said in a statement released Monday. “If these provisions are not corrected before submission, litigation will follow.”
Among the concerns identified by Petersen and Republican legislators are provisions they say weaken election safeguards. These include extending the time for non-citizens to “cure” invalid registrations, bypassing voter ID requirements on registration forms, limiting ballot challenges, and reducing oversight on ballot chain-of-custody procedures.
Lawmakers also raised objections to proposed rules that they argue diminish political parties’ role in selecting poll workers, relax standards for petition circulators, and require election officers to adhere to policies they believe infringe on constitutional rights.
Petersen said the secretary of state has a “pattern” of resisting statutory requirements, adding that changes to election rules should be made through the legislative process rather than administrative directives.
“Our election laws are passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor — not invented by one officeholder,” Petersen said.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
