GOP advances Arizona election bill criticized by businesses
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Republicans on Tuesday advanced an election bill that’s drawn fierce opposition from voting rights advocates, Democrats and prominent business executives who say it would disenfranchise voters of color.
The measure passed the House in a party-line vote. It would purge inconsistent voters from the popular permanent early voting list, and comes as Arizona becomes increasingly competitive and pivotal to control of the presidency and the U.S. Senate.
Voting rights are in the spotlight in Arizona, Georgia, Texas and elsewhere as Republicans push legislation to reshape election procedures following former President Donald Trump’s defeat last year. Trump’s allies have aggressively pushed allegations that the election in Arizona was tainted by fraud, but no evidence supports the claim.
Democrats say the measure would disenfranchise voters who expect to get a ballot that never arrives, with an especially strong impact on people of color.
Republicans say the measure is necessary to limit the number of unvoted ballots in circulation, noting it would only affect voters who have shown disinterest in voting by mail.
“There can be hanky-panky with those ballots,” said Rep. John Kavanagh, a Republican from Fountain Hills. Neither he nor other supporters of the measure have pointed to instances of mail ballots being fraudulently voted.
It’s urgent to tighten election procedures to reassure the voters who distrust the election results, Republicans say.
Greater Phoenix Leadership, a business group, and more than 50 executives, including the owner of the Arizona Cardinals, urged lawmakers to reject the bill and others that they say would suppress voters.
Critics argue Arizona’s economy would be harmed if Arizona gets a reputation for voter suppression, pointing to the backlash by businesses to a Georgia voting law and the decision by Major League Baseball to pull the All Star Game from Atlanta. Arizona is scheduled to host the 2023 Super Bowl and the 2024 Final Four.
The bill, SB1485, would remove people who don’t return their mail ballot for two consecutive election cycles from the permanent list, which allows voters to automatically receive a ballot before each election. About 75% of Arizona voters are on the list. Affected voters would get a postcard asking if they want to remain on the list, and would be removed if they don’t respond within 90 says.
About 200,000 voters sat out the primary and general elections in 2018 and 2020 and would be eligible for removal, according to data from the secretary of state’s office.
