PHOENIX — Republican lawmakers on a Senate panel approved a series of changes in election laws as some continue to insist, despite lack of evidence, that election fraud occurred in 2020.
The Government Committee voted Thursday to:
All but eliminate the use of drop boxes that allow people to deposit their already filled-out early ballots in special receptacles, often located outside of polling locations or county offices.
Increase the number of precincts where random hand counts of ballots have to be conducted to compare with the machine tally.
Require those machine counts to be conducted at each of the precincts rather than have ballots taken to county election offices.
Require more frequent checks by election officials with the U.S. Post Office to see whether people have moved.
Give designated election observers more access to watch the process of steps such as opening up early ballot envelopes.
Mandate that records of felony convictions, which disqualify people from voting, be sent regularly to county recorders.
The panel also voted to give Arizona’s attorney general broad new powers not only to investigate allegations of election irregularities but to “issue all forms of subpoenas to any person, whether or not the person is located within this state.” And with that comes the power to examine people under oath and to demand documents.
All this comes just days after the same committee voted to eliminate early ballots for most Arizonans as well as to get rid of early voting locations, measures that would require more people to take the time to go to the polls on Election Day.
The measures all now require the approval of the full Senate.
The votes, all of which came along party lines in the Republican-controlled committee, came after a parade of witnesses detailed things they said were done wrong in the last election.
“If you vote against this, you’re part of the problem and not part of the solution,” said Jeff Zink, who participated in the review of the 2020 election results conducted by Cyber Ninjas at the behest of Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott.
Shelby Busch said having drop boxes where people can cast vote makes them “ripe for ballot harvesting,” where individuals can submit multiple ballots for unrelated people despite a state law that already makes such acts a crime.
Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale said there seems to be a belief among Republicans that voting needs to be more difficult. Many people appreciate the option of a drop box, he countered.
“They are working, they are taking care of families, they are taking care of kids, they’re making sure that lights are kept on every day,” Quezada said. “And this allows them to not only meet their daily obligations but also make sure their voice is heard and their vote is counted.”
