by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Dec 11, 2024 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Another election has come and gone, and unsurprisingly, Arizona is yet again the butt of national jokes for taking weeks to process ballots and tabulate votes. While some in the corporate media still attempt to defend our vote counting circus, most everyone is in agreement that big changes are needed. It doesn’t take being an election expert to recognize that states with far greater populations, who also experience large rates of early voting, somehow get their votes counted on election night or near to it.
It’s a fix that is long overdue, yet for over five years the reform has continued to run into a political meatgrinder at the state Capitol. Since 2019, our organization, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, has supported, championed, and authored bills to ensure we get results on election night. And while Democrats in the legislature have been an obstacle to reform (they have universally opposed any reforms geared toward getting faster results), they have not been the only impediment to fixing the problem.
The real culprit is opposition from county “election officials,” or more precisely, their taxpayer-funded lobbyists. For years, our so-called election experts have worked overtime to stop any reasonable reforms to Arizona’s mail-in voting system. Their tactics are incredibly disingenuous. When people express their frustration about the glacier pace of vote counting, they clap back (usually with dripping condescension) that their hands are tied by existing law. But when lawmakers introduce bills to change those laws, those same election officials send their army of lobbyists down to the Capitol to fight reform at every turn…
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by Matthew Holloway | Nov 25, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
An election reform plan to accelerate ballot processing and speed up official returns has been proposed by Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin. Galvin once defended Maricopa County’s botched elections but now asserts that procedural changes would make it possible for 95% of an election’s votes to be counted on election night.
The Supervisor believes that although it took over eleven days for all Arizona voting precincts to report their unofficial results in the 2024 election, Arizona can avoid future criticism by enacting what he dubs his 95/1 plan.
In a statement to The Center Square Galvin said, “Although the tabulation of early ballots and election day ballots were done in accordance with state law and within the normal timeframe of previous elections, there is growing concern from the public about the time it takes for Arizona to tabulate ballots and call contested races.”
“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’s proposal would advance the current cutoff date for early ballot drop off to early polling places. At present, the law sets the deadline as the Friday prior to an election. In addition to the moving the cutoff date, Galvin proposes to close the emergency voting windows on the Saturday and Monday before Election Day, but allows the use of in-person voting. He has also proposed the use of government buildings to host polling locations.
He added in the statement, “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.”
Galvin concluded, “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.”
In a post to X, Galvin directly called upon Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to “work with the Arizona Legislature to make my “95/1 Plan” a top priority in 2025,” adding that “Arizona voters & elections workers deserve this reform.”
Pima County Supervisor Democrat Rex Scott expressed support for the proposal writing in a post, “I am grateful to my colleague @ThomasGalvin 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.”
Fellow Maricopa County Supervisor Mark Stewart also stood beside Galvin’s proposed reforms in a statement to X, “I stand with my colleague @ThomasGalvin 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 @DebbieLesko, @KateMcGeeAZ , 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.”
When asked by KJZZ if she would support the proposal, Hobbs replied that she would veto any changes to the early voting deadline. “My line in the sand has been and will continue to be anything that makes it harder for Arizonans to vote is a no for me, and that includes the flexibility that we have with early voting.”
Galvin rejected the notion that moving the deadline would disenfranchise Arizona voters saying, “I think this would just have to be a shift in behavior among Arizona voters,” Galvin said. “But I think Arizona voters are very smart and will shift their behavior and react accordingly.”
Responding to concerns regarding emergency voting, Galvin said, “If you do want to vote in person before Election Day, you have to do it that weekend, but it has to be for emergency reasons and you have to sign a piece of paper attesting that you have an emergency,” he said. “It’s called emergency voting, so I just want to transition emergency voting to full in person.”
The idea to shift voting locations to government buildings proposed by Galvin actually mirrors a recommendation cited by KJZZ from Hobbs’ election task force in 2023. That recommendation led her to sign an executive order which authorized the use of state buildings for polling centers.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Oct 25, 2024 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
If you can’t get people to like your ideas, change the system. That’s the clear agenda behind the Prop 140 scheme that seeks to bring ranked-choice voting and jungle primaries to Arizona. And there’s no more hiding it.
At a recent news conference organized by the Prop 140 campaign, Kimber Lanning—founder and CEO of a group called Local First Arizona that wants to build “equitable” systems for Arizona’s businesses—let the mask slip. Lanning revealed that when other states have adopted the reforms included in Prop 140, they have been able to move forward on transformational ideas like climate action plans and providing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
Wait. Aren’t ranked-choice voting and jungle primaries supposed to lead to more moderation in the government? That’s what the backers of Prop 140 continue to push. But since when did climate action plans and special benefits for illegal immigrants become moderate?
Therin lies the true motivations behind Prop 140. Liberal billionaires from Colorado and others states around the country are pouring millions and millions into Arizona to pass this initiative in an effort to turn Arizona blue. They envision a system anchored around ranked-choice voting and jungle primaries will put them in charge of the political and policy agenda here in Arizona.
And in their zeal for power and control, they don’t even recognize the underlying hubris and irony of their entire campaign…
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by Dr. Thomas Patterson | Sep 27, 2024 | Opinion
By Dr. Thomas Patterson |
American elections were once comparatively modest affairs. They were conducted in the autumn every fourth year, beginning about Labor Day until Election Day, when everyone voted.
We went to a designated polling place and cast our confidential votes under the watchful eyes of fellow citizen volunteers. The ballots were transported under strict chain-of-custody procedures to be counted by election officials.
Accommodations were made for those physically unable to vote, but most Americans didn’t regard voting as especially onerous. We were grateful for the privilege and willing to overlook minor inconveniences. There were racial and gender barriers to voting for too long, but those are now thankfully corrected.
Elections are the process, in our democratic republic, by which we choose our governing officials. But they also play an important role in ensuring the unity of citizens by providing a process for fairly reconciling our differences.
Americans have always had strong, often contrasting opinions about how they should be governed. It once took a catastrophic war to resolve our differences but normally elections serve well to determine our way forward. Ideally, all sides get their say, nominate the best candidates they can find and then we vote. The results are conclusive and binding until the next election.
Customs change, rules evolve, and elections today look very different than a few decades ago. Yesterday is never going to come back, but it’s worth remembering that not all changes represent progress. Our elections could use a thorough overhaul.
Campaigns simply last too long. The presidential campaign is now continuous, with candidates beginning to compete by the previous Inauguration Day.
As one result, campaigns have become horrendously expensive. They are endurance contests in which the most successful fundraiser is favored. Insiders can’t get enough of the “horse race,” but ordinary citizens become bored. Considerations of ongoing policy decisions are filtered through their possible effect on the campaigns and the ever-present polls.
Perhaps this extended attention could be justified if the result was more carefully examined and higher-quality candidates. But recent elections have featured generally weak choices. This year’s candidates are widely considered to be laughingstocks, the least qualified candidates in memory. Each is fortunate to have the other for their opponent.
More importantly, Americans have lost faith in the integrity of our election processes. Fully one-third of all Americans believe Biden was not legitimately elected in 2020. In another poll, 81 percent believe democracy to be threatened.
“Not my President” buttons sprouted after Trump’s surprise victory in 2016, and left-wing pundits freely disputed the legitimacy of his presidency. Four years later, rule changes attributed to the COVID lockdowns resulted in looser security procedures and widespread suspicion of fraud. Almost half of Americans and a clear majority of Republicans believe fraud may have been extensive enough to alter the result of the elections.
This level of distrust is toxic to a government “of the people.” Whether or not you believe fraud is widespread, “innovations” like vote counting long before election day, poorly monitored drop boxes, ballot harvesting, slipshod or absent identification procedures, citizenship verification by affirmation only, and voter rolls puffed up by automatic registration at welfare offices leave many non-partisan observers skeptical. Election officials deny any problems and brand those with honest doubts as “deniers.”
The gaping hole in our defense against slipshod practices is bulk-mail voting. There is no possible way we can mail out millions of unsolicited ballots to poorly maintained voter rolls, addressed to people who presumably once lived there, and then count all the ballots that are mailed back and pretend we have a reasonably secure system.
Signature matching, far from perfect, is our main defense against cheating. Yet no signature can possibly assure the vote inside was made without undue influence by a mentally competent person for whom the ballot was intended.
Reliable data is unavailable for logistical reasons, but in a recent survey about one-fifth of bulk-mail voters admitted to some illegal behavior in their handling of the mailed ballots – and those were the ones willing to admit it.
Your precious vote only counts if it is not canceled by fraud. We need Easy to Vote, Hard to Cheat.
Dr. Thomas Patterson, former Chairman of the Goldwater Institute, is a retired emergency physician. He served as an Arizona State senator for 10 years in the 1990s, and as Majority Leader from 93-96. He is the author of Arizona’s original charter schools bill.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Sep 21, 2024 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Only United States citizens should be voting in our elections. That shouldn’t be a controversial statement. But of course, it’s 2024, and the Left hasn’t instituted its open border policies under the Biden-Harris administration for nothing.
The fact is that U.S. citizens can’t go into France, Australia, or any other country throughout the world and vote in their elections. Why should citizens from other countries be allowed to vote in our elections?
While it’s certainly illegal for non-citizens to vote here, the law is only as good as the mechanism in place to make sure it’s followed. That’s why it is critical for the integrity of our nation’s elections that voters prove their citizenship prior to voting. And the SAVE Act is a much-needed remedy that would address this issue head on.
Sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy from Texas, who has certainly experienced firsthand the issues that arise from the current surge at the border, the SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) in order to vote in federal elections. It’s a constitutional solution to keep non-citizens from voting.
But given Congress’s propensity for inaction, states should not wait around to see if our federal lawmakers will pass the SAVE Act or another reasonable solution. Arizona has been a leader on this issue for years and has already enacted a comprehensive solution that every state should follow.
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