This will make a significant difference in who controls the U.S. Senate following the 2022 election.
Friday’s lawsuit argues that absentee voting violates the Constitution and asks for the justices either to end it or to eliminate the no-excuse absentee vote system Arizona adopted in 1991. It has continued to grow ever since.
Lawyers for the GOP stated that “in-person voting at the ballots on a fixed day (election day), is the only constitutional way to vote in Arizona.” They filed a petition to the Arizona Supreme Court.
This lawsuit is part of GOP efforts to reform the voting system. Former President Donald Trump lies that he lost 2020 because of fraud in Arizona.
It is and was based on a similar suit in Pennsylvania where a court in January overturned the state’s 2-year-old mail-voting law. Democratic Governor Democratic Gov.
Kelli Ward, the Arizona Republican Party’s combative chairwoman has been at the forefront Trump’s attempts to question the results of the 2020 election and stop the certification of Democratic President Joe Biden’s victory. The state GOP and Yvonne Cahill (the party’s secretary) filed the latest suit. Ward was not named as a plaintiff.
Many bills in the Legislature are designed to restrict or eliminate mail balloting. However, some of them look unlikely to be passed due to opposition by one or more Republicans. Monday’s vote by lawmakers was to place a question on the 2022 election ballot. If approved, it would require voters to provide their birth date and either a partial Social Security number or driver’s license number for mail ballots beginning in 2024.
Democrats quickly condemned the suit, claiming that the GOP was attacking a popular and secure voting system.
“I look forward once again defending Arizona’s voters and defeating this ridiculous attempt at undermining our elections,” stated Katie Hobbs, Democratic Secretary of State and a defendant in this case.
Raquel Teran (a state senator and chairwoman for the Arizona Democratic Party) said that the lawsuit was based on conspiracy theories and lies about the 2020 election.
Teran stated that “So this is another attempt by Arizona Republicans to make voting harder”
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff cites a section of the state constitution that outlines the procedure for citizens to submit their own laws. According to the constitution, initiatives are decided “in such a way that the electors can express their approval or disapproval (of) a measure at the polls.”
Attorneys from Davillier Law Group claimed that the inclusion of “at the polls” means the constitution requires that ballots be cast only at in person polling places.
They request that the justices throw out all early voting procedures. The GOP requests that the court reverse the expansion of absentee voting from 1991 to eliminate ballot drop boxes and prohibit ballot counting prior to election day.
Absentee voting for military personnel was not challenged by the GOP, which is required by federal law.
A ballot sent in the mail to Arizona voters was used by 90% of Arizona voters in 2020. The ballot can be returned through U.S. The Postal Service is an official drop box that is managed by the county election officials, or to a polling station. To verify that the vote is valid, workers check that the signature on the ballot envelope matches the signatures on file.
There have been no cases of widespread fraud.
