PHOENIX — Following Arizona’s struggle to finalize ballot counts in the 2024 general election, state Republicans expressed disappointment, labeling the state as a “laughingstock” nationwide. In response, they advanced a legislative proposal to expedite ballot counting by adjusting the drop-off deadline for early ballots. However, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs intervened and vetoed the bill, citing concerns that it could hinder voting access.
Earlier in the month, Hobbs’ administration had hinted at a veto, prompting negotiations that ultimately fell through. Her spokesperson, Christian Slater, stated that the failure of these discussions led Hobbs to conclude that the bill prioritized disenfranchising voters over providing quicker election results. In her communication with lawmakers, Hobbs expressed her discontent about the lack of compromises offered and emphasized her commitment to maintaining voter access.
The process for counting election results in Arizona often takes longer than in other states, largely due to the mandated signature verification for mail-in ballots. Currently, voters have the option to drop off their mail ballots at polling sites until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Recent elections have seen significant delays, with results reported as late as two weeks after the election.
Prominent among the proponents for a tighter deadline was Republican Senate President Warren Petersen, who suggested moving the drop-off deadline four days earlier. He noted that many county recorders supported the change and criticized the governor’s veto as a significant error. Petersen indicated that the proposed changes were inspired by Florida’s system, where most votes are reported on election night, facilitating quicker outcomes.
In a social media post, Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro pointed fingers at the Democratic leadership for obstructing necessary reforms intended to uphold timely and transparent election outcomes. He mentioned an alternative proposal that passed in the House, which aims to place the issue of adjusting the drop-off deadline, alongside other election reforms, directly in front of voters.
Arizona has been at the forefront of promoting mail-in voting since the 1990s, yet concerns regarding the speed of ballot counting have emerged more recently. During previous Republican dominance in the state, many election night victors were clear even as ballot counting proceeded. However, the increasing competitiveness of statewide races has resulted in tighter margins, causing delays in media outlets declaring winners and attracting national attention for voter anxiety regarding the outcomes of presidential and congressional elections.
Justin Heap, the Maricopa County Recorder and former GOP legislator, criticized the veto for being short-sighted and politically motivated. Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis, who endorsed the bill, articulated that the new deadline would have permitted election officials to gather most mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day, enabling an earlier start to the signature verification process.
Lewis further clarified that if a Friday deadline had been instituted, voters whose signatures were unverified would still have been able to cast their ballots on Election Day, avoiding potential delays of up to five days for ballot corrections. Meanwhile, Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, expressed concerns during a committee meeting that the bill would disproportionately affect voters in rural and tribal areas.
