A Senate elections panel advanced a GOP ballot referral package Thursday on party lines that foes say would impose restrictions on early voting.
The proposed measure, HCR2056, is heavily opposed by Democrats and would likely meet a veto from Hobbs, so Republicans are moving the measure as a concurrent resolution to put it on the November ballot and let voters decide.
Republicans passed the measure from the Senate Elections Committee 4-3. It will need to pass in both legislative chambers before going to voters.
The goal of the measure is to speed up election results and create an early ballot system similar to Florida’s, said Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills.
“What we’re trying to do is balance accessibility and ease of voting with having an Election Day where the results are available within a reasonable time because sometimes the whole country may be watching; we’re a swing state,” Kavanagh said.
The measure would require early ballots to be returned to polling places by the Friday before Election Day, excluding county recorder offices. It would also require county recorders to tabulate an early voter’s ballot on-site, applying identification requirements for voters dropping off their ballots.
There are also provisions in the measure that would prohibit the use of foreign monies for election administration purposes or to influence the outcome of a ballot measure.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes testified against the measure and raised several of his concerns, including what he said was ambiguous language in the measures related to polling locations.
The resolution specifically excludes vote centers in its language and Fontes said he was unsure if the measure would eliminate voting centers. Kavanagh said the bill keeps voting centers intact. Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, said the language in the measure should be clarified to clear up confusion.
Fontes also shared concerns about funding for counties to implement voter check-in and on-site ballot tabulation. The measure would appropriate $11 million to counties but he said that is likely not enough, although he was unable to provide an estimate for how much counties would need and said his office hadn’t been consulted to get an estimate.
“If we’re putting something on the table for the voters that would create a conflict or potential conflict of law, that would create the real potential for litigation,” Fontes said. “We just believe respectfully that this pie is not fully cooked.”
Arizona Association of Counties Executive Director Jen Marson also told committee members the $11 million appropriation would not be enough for the counties to cover the costs of the measure.
Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, suggested the Legislature pull funding from the Clean Elections Commission.
Almost all of the state’s county recorders are opposed to the measure, according to Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly. She said she discussed the measure earlier this week with other county recorders in the state and 13 of 15 of them are listed as opposed to the measure.
“This will create longer delays and disenfranchise voters,” Cazares-Kelly said.
Sen. Brian Fernandez, D-Yuma, criticized Republicans’ process of moving the bill. He said he didn’t think the bill received stakeholder input or is ready for other legislative members to consider.
“This bill is not ready for prime time,” Fernandez said. “I think this is just a few people on the extreme that want to figure out a way to make it more difficult for people to do what they should be able to do in an easy manner which is vote.”
Kavanagh said the committee hearing was the process to gather stakeholder input. Both Bennett and Borelli said the bill is a “work in progress.
“This is exactly what the committee process is for. I would share some of the concerns mentioned about inadequate input were there a whole bunch of people who did not get the opportunity to speak to us,” Kavanagh said.
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