Arizona Supreme Court Denies Deadline Extension for Mail-In Ballot Signature Issues
Arizona, USA – The Arizona Supreme Court upheld the deadline for voters to correct issues with mail-in ballots, rejecting a request from voter rights groups to extend the “curing” period. This decision came amid reports highlighting delays in ballot counting and notifications for voters facing signature mismatches.
According to the court, election officials from eight of the state’s fifteen counties confirmed that all voters with inconsistent signatures were notified and given opportunities to address the discrepancies. Justice Bill Montgomery stated that there was no evidence presented to indicate that voters were not afforded reasonable efforts to cure their ballots, reiterating that no counties requested an extension.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Campaign Legal Center had argued that as many as 250,000 mail-in ballots were still awaiting signature verification, predominantly from Maricopa County, which houses Phoenix. They claimed that the lack of an extension could lead to significant disenfranchisement of voters.
Despite the concerns, Justice Montgomery remarked that the affected counties had adequately communicated with voters through various methods, including calls, emails, and texts. However, reports indicated that the Navajo Nation raised issues regarding over 182 tribal members in Apache County needing to resolve ballot signature issues.
In the aftermath, Maricopa County revealed approximately 202,000 ballots remained uncounted, while more than three million ballots were recorded as cast in the election. The court’s decision to maintain deadlines amidst these challenges raises questions about the accessibility and integrity of the electoral process in the state.
Source
Photo credit www.12news.com