Arizona’s most pressing, time-sensitive problem.
In May 2022 Gov. Ducey signed a bill, sponsored by Michelle Ugenti-Rita, that changed the threshold for mandatory election recounts. The change, which had wide bipartisan support in the House, could cause havoc with election timing if not changed with an emergency clause.
What’s the issue?
Prior to the law passed in 2022, automatic recounts happened when the margin of victory was 0.1% of total votes cast, or 200 ballots in a statewide race, 50 ballots in a legislative race or 10 ballots in a local race. Under the 2022 law, races decided by 0.5% or less of the votes cast must go to a recount. This means there could be more recounts.
The issue becomes timing.
1. If contested primary results are recounted in larger numbers it could delay the mailing of military and overseas ballots.
2. If the presidential race in Nov. needs a recount it could drag on past the Dec.11th
elector deadline and Arizona’s electoral count would not be sent to Congress.
A number of fixes are being floated by the governor and elections officials but there is no agreement with the GOP legislative majority on how to proceed. A solution must be found by early February. The solution will likely be voted in a special session.
Note: a special session can happen at any time. It focuses on one topic and is short. The call for a special session usually happens only after the governor knows there is agreement. The vote will need a 2/3 majority to be effective immediately.
On a lighter note!
SB1180, the Jetson bill, has come to the Arizona legislature.
The same legislation is making its way across all 50 states to allow roadable aircraft a more streamlined registration process. These flying cars are registered as both aircraft and motorcycles.
Now you know!
A total of 1212 pieces of legislation were filed as of January 26th.
Contributing to the total:
Sen. Kavanagh 37
Rep. Kolodin 36
Rep. Chaplik 3
Senator Kavanagh is back this session with his biological sex obsession. Unfortunately, he has combined his bathroom and pronoun issues into one resolution that, if passed, will bypass the governor and go to the 2024 ballot. We’ll need to watch SCR1013. Text of Resolution.
HCR2032 is another resolution to watch. Last week a resolution passed the Municipal Oversight and Elections committee with Alex Kolodin’s help. He is vice-chair of the committee. The resolution still has a ways to go but, if passed by both chambers, it will prohibit voting centers and early voting at a polling place. We will go back to one day precinct voting with voters at each site numbering not more than 1000. The resolution does not repeal mail in ballot.
The reason we went to voting centers in the first place was two-fold. The number of places willing to be used for a voting precinct were dwindling and as were the number of people willing to work the polls.
The sponsor of the bill admitted, during the committee hearing, she had not consulted with elections officials. Vote was split on party lines.
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