Empowering Voters/

Defending Democracy

Elections Committee This Week

Take Action!

Contact the committee chairs or committee members, or use RTS.

House Elections Committee

Tuesday, 2 pm , House Hearing Room 4 (could change)

You can always come and watch, or even sign up to speak using RTS.

You can also sign up to speak at the legislature, on a kiosk outside the hearing room.

League SUPPORTS

HB2292 (Fernandez) -- Appropriates of $20,000,000 to the Secretary of State in fiscal year (FY) 2020, for election equipment.

Provisions: The appropriated money would be given as grants to each county recorder's office for scanners, printers, tabulation equipment and other technology to facilitate the voter check-in process, prioritized to the areas of highest need based on age of equipment.

Why Support: The Secretary of State -- as the State's chief elections officer -- is supposed to facilitate voting, but current technology in use by many counties is outdated. Funding will facilitate data transfer and efficient and less costly voting processes. For example, some counties are still using paper registers vs. e-poll books, which allow election officials at polling places to review and/or immediately update voter registration information.

Judiciary Committee This Week

Take Action!

Contact the committee chairs or committee members, or use RTS.

Senate Judiciary Committee

Thursday, 9 am , Senate Hearing Room 109 (could change)

You can always come and watch, or even sign up to speak using RTS.

You can also sign up to speak at the legislature, on a kiosk outside the hearing room.

League OPPOSES

SB 1188   (Ugenti-Rita) -- removal of voters from Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL)

Proposed change: This would require the County Recorder to remove a voter from the PEVL if the voter fails to vote by any method in the primary and in the general election for two consecutive primary and general elections.

Why League opposes: Punitive and unnecessary.

This condition would apply to any early voter, not just one who fails to respond to a notice from the county recorder and consequently goes on the inactive list. There is a current statutory process for moving voters to an inactive voting list (A.R.S. 16-166). And, an existing law already cancels early voters' ballots if they don't respond to an inquiry about whether to continue receiving them.

Updates

These bills are in Rules (RTS not allowed) or already through it.

Call you Senator to let him/her know you oppose or support!

See this previous Action Alert for details of these bills:

SB1046 status: Awaiting action in Rules 👎🏻

Mail-in option only, for early ballots. Amended:

-- to apply to ALL early-ballot voters, not just those on PEVL.

-- to allow those receiving early ballots to vote in-person using standard (vs. provisional) ballot. This will complicate recorders' mandate by law to report separately on early ballot and provisional ballot voting.

SB1072 status: Awaiting action in Senate. 👎🏻

Requires ID for PEVL voters who receive a ballot at polling location

and prohibits all-voting-center elections

SB1054 status: Awaiting action in Senate. 👍🏻

Requires a 5 day “cure period” for those with disqualified ballots

to have a chance “fix” them.

See this previous Action Alert for details of this bill:

SB1090 status: Awaiting action in Rules Feb. 4 👎🏻

Requires sworn affidavit for emergency voting.

OUR STAND: VOTING RIGHTS

The League challenges all efforts and tactics that threaten our democracy and limit the ability of voters to exercise their right to vote. We support an accessible system of voter registration and election participation, with uniform and standardized procedures throughout the state. We believe in the election system principle that "every vote should count”. Providing for the broadest voter representation possible in elections should have a positive effect on voter participation.

Local Leagues around the State

Greater Tucson:  lwvgt.org

Metro Phoenix:  lwvmetrophoenix.org

Greater Verde Valley:  lwvverdevalley.com

Northwest Maricopa County:  nwmc.az.lwvnet.org

Central Yavapai County:  centralyavapai.az.lwvnet.org

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