by Corinne Murdock | Nov 10, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Election Task Force (ETF) admitted that the 2022 election under her administration as secretary of state disenfranchised certain voters.
In the ETF’s final report, issued last week, the group recommended 16 improvements, two of which concerned hotly contested issues on eligible voters’ registration status: provisional ballot forms and cross-county voter registration. The 14 other issues spanned election administration, voter registration, early voting, election day and after procedures, and election equipment and security.
These provisional ballot and cross-county voter registration standards and procedures caused some voters to be disenfranchised last year.
Concerning provisional ballot forms, the ETF noted that no law exists to direct counties to have provisional ballots double as voter registration forms for eligible voters who weren’t registered prior to casting their vote. However, it is standard practice adopted by many counties, as noted by the ETF. The ETF also said that inconsistencies in provisional ballot forms across counties resulted in disparate treatment of voters.
“[T]here is no statutory requirement for counties to adopt this practice, which can result in inconsistent treatment of similarly-situated voters in different counties, and a potential decrease in the practice with turnover in County Recorder and elections offices,” said the ETF.
Maricopa County, which houses the state’s largest voting population, doesn’t have its provisional ballots double as voter registration forms. That meant that unregistered, eligible voters who voted in the primary through a provisional ballot remained unregistered, and therefore cast provisional ballots in the general election that were ultimately rejected. The county offered the following explanation to AZ Free News:
“Maricopa County does not use provisional ballots as registration forms. We do have voter registration forms available at vote centers. An individual must be registered to vote at least 29 before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. So, if someone registers to vote via a registration form at a vote center and then votes a provisional ballot, that provisional ballot will not be valid as they still are not within that 29-day time frame.”
Yet Pima County, which handles the state’s second-largest voting population, does use provisional ballot forms as voter registration.
Concerning cross-county voter registration, the ETF recommended changing state law to allow voters who moved counties to change their address up to and on Election Day, which voters may already do if they change addresses within the same county. Current law requires voters who move to another county to update their address at least 29 days prior to Election Day. The ETF noted that some voters were unaware of address changes to their voter registration
“Some voters are not aware of having made changes to their voter registration through the MVD, or may forget having made a separate request,” stated the ETF.
As alluded to by the ETF, hundreds of voters came forward after the 2022 election to allege that very disenfranchisement happened to them. In his arguments for a new trial in May, failed attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh’s legal team introduced sworn affidavits of hundreds of voters claiming disenfranchisement due to bureaucratic failures.
One allegedly disenfranchised Maricopa County voter given as an example, Marlena, attempted to vote on Election Day but was denied. Marlena had reportedly experienced issues with the county’s registration system for months: earlier that year, she discovered that her registration had changed without her knowledge and consent. Evidence indicated that Marlena attempted to correct her voter registration before the deadline and subsequently received confirmation from Maricopa County confirming her registration. Yet, she was denied her vote on Election Day.
During a Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting in September, county officials noted that individuals have mistakenly checked the wrong box and unknowingly changed their voter registration, when re-registering a vehicle in another county.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 9, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona Governor’s Office is taking action to provide more resources for elections ahead of a crucial year of political contests.
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs announced that she would be earmarking “$2.3 million in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding to support free, fair and secure elections.” The governor also revealed the existence of three new executive orders “to authorize paid civic duty leave for state employees to serve as poll workers, make state buildings available as polling locations, and require state agencies to provide voter registration information and assistance to the Arizona citizens they serve.”
In a statement, Hobbs said, “As Secretary of State I oversaw the most secure elections in Arizona history, but I know we must continue to improve Arizona’s elections ahead of 2024. Election officials and voters are facing new challenges when it comes to administering elections and participating in our democracy. I am thrilled to immediately address some of the problems identified by the Bipartisan Elections Task Force to ensure Arizona voters can make their voices heard.”
The flurry of actions from Hobbs follows the completion of a report from the Governor’s Bipartisan Elections Task Force, which was issued a day earlier, on November 1. The Task Force, established on January 6, focused on five main topics under the umbrella of the Arizona elections system, which were Election Administration, Voter Registration, Early Voting, Election Day and Post-election Procedures, and Election Equipment and Security.
In the final report, the Task Force unveiled proposals under each of the topics. For Election Administration, proposals included a Poll Worker Communication Platform, Incentives to Improve Poll Worker Recruitment, Annual Election Officer Certification Trainings, Election Fellowship Program, and Comprehensive Website for Voter Information. For Voter Registration, proposals included Provisional Ballot Form as Voter Registration Form, Cross-Country Voter Registration, Voting Rights Restoration, and AVID (Access Voter Information Database) Funding. For Early Voting, proposals included Disability Resource Liaison, Emergency Voting to Final Weekend Voting, and Ballot Return Interference. For Election Day and After, proposals included Ensuring Timely Recounts and Reconciliation Best Practices Guidelines. And for Election Equipment and Security, proposals included Election Security Advancements and Election Worker Code of Conduct.
The Task Force concluded its report by writing, “We can, and should, continue to refine our election system to ensure voters have access to the polls and that our election officials – the guardians of our democracy – have the resources to do their jobs well. The Task Force’s proposals are motivated by a deep commitment to these goals, and to the overarching goal of protecting democracy in our State.”
Members of the Task Force were Ken Bennett, State Senator District 1; Michelle Burchill, Yavapai County Recorder; Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, Pima County Recorder; Christina Estes-Werther, Attorney and Former Arizona Elections Director; Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Attorney and Director of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Indian Legal Clinic; Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State; Renaldo Fowler, Arizona Center for Disability Law, Senior Staff Advocate; Alex Gulotta, All Voting is Local, Arizona State Director; Don Henninger, The Carter Center, Representative; Katie Hobbs, Arizona Governor (Chair); Scott Jarrett, Maricopa County Elections Director; Ben Lane, City of Scottsdale City Clerk; Ken Matta, Election Security Expert; Michael Moore, Chief Information Security Officer; Brad Nelson, Former Pima County Elections Director; Helen Purcell, Former Maricopa County Recorder (Co-Chair); Alma Schultz, Santa Cruz County Elections Director; and Laura Terech, State Representative District 4.
Helen Purcell, the Task Force’s Co-Chair, weighed in on the accomplishments of her group, saying, “This Task Force is made up of talented, bipartisan experts who have diverse on-the-ground experience with Arizona’s elections. It was rewarding to see them come together week after week to brainstorm where additional support is needed, collaborate on potential solutions, and develop the proposals in the final report. Thank you to Governor Hobbs for bringing us together with a unified goal and for her unwavering commitment to protecting democracy in our State.”
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes added, “I’d like to thank Governor Hobbs, Recorder Purcell, and the entire Task Force for prioritizing safe, secure, and accurate elections. I must also mention all our staff for being generous with their expertise and insight. The work of the Task Force, the Governor’s Executive Orders and the much-needed $2 million in election support will be critical in building towards smooth and successful elections in 2024.”
Earlier this year, the Chair of the Arizona House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee, Representative Jacqueline Parker, vowed, on behalf of her panel, to “swiftly reject any election-related recommendations of this biased, corrupt, & secretive task force.”
By signing the executive orders and designating the ARPA funds for assignment, Hobbs appears to be bypassing any cooperation, as of now, with the Legislature to improve the state’s elections systems.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Nov 3, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Gov. Katie Hobbs is now taking credit for the family tax rebate she opposed initially — and had a state agency break the law in doing so, according to legislative leaders.
Hobbs championed the tax rebate on Tuesday with several surprise links crediting herself for the Arizona Families Tax Rebate Program, including an Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) application page for the program displaying her headshot. In a video and press release, Hobbs indicated that she played a major role in passing and had always fully supported the initiative.
“I made a promise that when I took office, I would take every opportunity I had to make it easier for Arizonans to provide for their families,” said Hobbs. “I’m so pleased to be able to deliver this relief.”
However, the webpage and promotional material in concert with Hobbs’ announcement runs afoul of the law on the rebate.
“[N]o letter relating to the Arizona families tax rebate issued under this section shall be sent from the governor’s office, be sent on the governor’s letterhead, or reference the governor’s office,” read SB 1734.
Sen. President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-LD27) issued a cease and desist letter to ADOR over Hobbs’ announcement. The letter declared that the application page that Hobbs directed Arizonans to use was an impermissible detour and an illegal expenditure of public funds.
“While any violation of a controlling statute is troubling in its own right, the Department’s letter compounds an institutional insult with injury to Arizona taxpayers by unlawfully expending significant sums of public money to disseminate what is, in part, a political message,” stated the letter.
The budget did include a somewhat prophetic provision concerning Hobbs: a worry that the governor would subvert policy for political gain.
“Animating this provision was the Legislature’s concern that Governor Katie Hobbs would subvert a commonsense policy measure into a self-serving political stunt on the taxpayers’ dime,” stated the cease and desist letter. “[T]he Department impermissibly misdirected rebate recipients on a detour through the Governor’s curated, self-promotional online platform. This is clear violation of Arizona law.”
State Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-LD15), chairman of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, lamented that ADOR would be on the hook for Hobbs’ public relations display.
“The sad reality exposed by this situation is that Katie Hobbs doesn’t care about anyone other than herself. She tried to play fast and loose with the law, as she so often does, and forced Director Woods to violate it,” said Hoffman. “Thanks to Hobbs, he is now personally liable for $2M+ in illegally spent funds, a 20 percent penalty, court costs, and attorneys’ fees. And with a statute of limitations of 5 years, Katie has given Director Woods the gift of many sleepless nights for years to come.”
Hoffman advised other government agencies to take heed of ADOR’s alleged mistake by resisting pressure from the governor to act and by keeping receipts for everything the governor and her office may request.
Concerning Hobbs taking credit for the program, State Sen. President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16) indicated in a response post that she wanted “no part” of it. Shope said credit was due to the Arizona Freedom Caucus.
“I know the Governor wanted no part of this tax rebate but thankfully, the @AZSenateGOP & @AZHouseGOP caucuses, led by the @AZFreedomCaucus, stood strong and demanded it be part of the State Budget,” said Shope.
State Rep. Austin Smith responded that no House or Senate Democrats contributed to the tax rebate package initiated by the Arizona Freedom Caucus.
Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, told Capitol Media Services that the governor had supported the tax rebate by signing the budget, despite her initial opposition to the program.
The Sen. Republican Caucus similarly criticized Hobbs for failing to ascribe credit to those who came up with and fought for the rebate.
“You’re a little late to the party,” said the caucus. “Glad you love Republican policies as much as we do. They really do make our state a better place to live, work, and play.”
Sam Stone, “Breaking Battle” radio show host and former Phoenix City Council candidate, called Hobbs’ 180 on the program “pathetic.”
The Arizona Families Tax Rebate Program entitles Arizona taxpayers with dependent children a single payment of up to $750. Approximately 750,000 Arizona families may be eligible.
The rebate metes out to $250 per dependent under the age of 17 and $100 per dependent over the age of 17 as claimed on 2021 returns. A taxpayer can’t claim more than three dependents, regardless of age.
Eligible taxpayers are those who: filed a full-year resident personal income tax return for the 2021 tax year; claimed at least one dependent tax credit for the 2021 tax return; filed the 2021 tax year Arizona personal income tax return as the only taxpayer on a single, married filing separate, or Head of Household return, or as the primary or first-listed taxpayer if filed jointly; and had at least $1 in Arizona personal income tax liability in tax year 2021, 2020, or 2019.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Oct 30, 2023 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Following in the footsteps of his predecessor (now-Governor Katie Hobbs), Secretary of State Adrian Fontes appears determined to implement an Election Procedures Manual (EPM) that is ripe with unlawful provisions. The EPM is used by election officials throughout the state as the rulebook to conduct and run elections, so it is critically important that every provision in the manual strictly adheres to state law.
Now, fresh off an important legal win over the illegal signature verification process in the EPM, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, along with the Thomas More Society, is suing Fontes once again—this time over unstaffed ballot drop boxes…
An Illegal Method of Voting
Arizona law establishes four different methods for secure early voting. According to A.R.S. § 16-548(A), an early ballot shall either be:
- Delivered to the officer in charge of elections, typically the county recorder.
- Mailed to the officer in charge of elections, typically the county recorder.
- Deposited by the voter at any polling place in the county.
- Deposited by the voter’s agent (family member, household member, caregiver) at any polling place in the county.
Did you catch that? Nowhere in the law does it allow for the use of unstaffed drop boxes. In fact, if you read through Fontes’ EPM, you’ll notice something…
>>> CONTINUE READING >>>
by Daniel Stefanski | Oct 28, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A new council is renewing a political feud between Arizona’s Democrat Governor and a prominent state senator.
After Governor Katie Hobbs announced that she had established the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Council and the Disability Community Advisory Council, Senator Jake Hoffman released a blistering statement against her latest action.
Hobbs made her announcement, citing her “commitment to building an Arizona for everyone.” She shared that the DEIA Council, “whose membership will mirror Arizona’s diversity, will work with state agencies to promote equity within the government, as well as deliver fair, community-centered services to traditionally underserved groups.” The governor also stated that the Disability Community Advisory Council would “meet with the Office of Outreach & Engagement and (her) quarterly to exchange the Disability Community’s priorities and keep the communication lines open between us.”
The first-year governor burnished her motivations behind the Councils’ creations, saying, “Diversity is Arizona’s greatest strength, and I’m proud to honor it by assembling these two councils. I look forward to working with them to uplift everyone.”
Senator Hoffman was quick to respond to the governor’s announcement, issuing a press release to accuse Hobbs of breaking Arizona State law with her “latest stunt.” His release pointed to a new Arizona law, A.R.S. 41-1494, which “prohibits this state, or any of its agencies, from using public monies for any training that ‘presents any form of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex,’ which is a foundational concept of diversity, equity and inclusion theory.”
Hoffman warned Arizonans of the dangers of the expected efforts of this fledgling Council, writing, “I championed legislation in 2021 to prevent exactly what Katie Hobbs is trying to do. Not only may the state not spend any funds on this type of training, but it cannot require state employees to be subject to this type of indoctrination. Taxpayer dollars should never be used for anything other than public good. Diversity, equity, and inclusion training is divisive and racist progressive propaganda. It will harm our good-faith efforts to serve our citizens. It will also harm the culture of a hard work ethic established within our state agencies that rewards individuals based on qualifications, experience, and merit, not skin color.”
The East Valley lawmaker added, “Instead of focusing on the real issues hurting our Arizona citizens, like soaring inflation, outrageous gas prices, a major housing shortage, water security, and a border crisis threatening the safety of our communities, Katie Hobbs is attempting to once again appeal to her radical left supporters by pushing woke garbage down the throats of our public employees through her creation of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Council. This move is an obvious cover for her racist past of not only nominating an antisemitic to lead the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, but also for her wrongful firing of a black state employee that ended up costing Arizona taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.”
The release from Senator Hoffman encouraged State of Arizona government employees to file complaints if they experienced “this propaganda being presented or enforced” in their workplaces. He gave readers the link to the Arizona Ombudsman Citizens’ Aide and his legislative email for their quick references.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
