Republican leaders sue over Arizona election procedures 7 weeks before first statewide vote
Source: AZ Central
Published 5:06 a.m. MT Feb. 1, 2024 | Updated 5:06 a.m. MT Feb. 1, 2024
Less than two months before Arizona's first statewide election of 2024, Republican leaders of the Legislature are asking a judge to block provisions of the manual that guides election administration.
The leaders allege Secretary of State Adrian Fontes exceeded his authority to create procedures and strayed into creating policy when his office issued the Elections Procedures Manual at the end of last year.
The manual, often called the "Election Bible," provides guidance to county elections officials on all aspects of running an election, from voter registration to the canvassing of election results.
House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, and Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, outlined in their complaint five specific provisions of the manual that they argue clash with state law. They charge Fontes has selectively pulled guidance from court rulings, "which will inevitably lead to confusion among election officials." Fontes' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Read more: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/02/01/republican-lawmakers-ask-court-to-intervene-in-arizona-election-administration/72428261007/
MissMillie
(38,559 posts)To keep people from voting.
Kali
(55,011 posts)The date when voters who fail to vote in two consecutive general elections can be removed from a list that automatically mails a ballot to a voter. The manual says the clock starts ticking after the 2026 election cycle. But the lawmakers argue since the bill that converted the Permanent Early Voting List to the Active Early Voting List was passed in 2022, the trigger should trip after the 2024 election cycle.
Whether there is discretion to remove a person from the voter rolls if they have signed a juror document that they are not a resident of Arizona. The manual says such notification would put the individual on inactive voting status, which would allow time for the voter to show proof of Arizona residency. But the lawmakers point to a state law that says a notification of nonresidency requires cancellation of the voter's registration.
Whether elections officials should cancel voter registration if they receive third-party information that a person is not a U.S. citizen. The manual says that outside information is not sufficient to take someone off the voter rolls. The lawmakers point to a state law that says elections officials must do so if they "reasonably believe" the individual is a noncitizen and third-party information can help create that reasonable belief.
The validity of a petition circulator's contact information. The manual removes the "strict compliance" required in the law for circulators. The lawmakers argue this on its face is a violation of law.
What to do if a county board of supervisors refuses to canvass election results by the required deadline. This addresses a situation that arose in 2022 in Cochise County, where two of the three county supervisors refused to canvass results. They ultimately were compelled to by a court order.