Arizona lawmakers from both political parties came together to pass a legislative tweak to the state’s election policies, avoiding a potential electoral disaster in the 2024 presidential election. The bill, which moves the primary date and changes various election policies, was prompted by concerns from state election officials last year about Arizona’s new automatic recount rules potentially causing extended delays in the ballot counting process.
The changes implemented by the bill include moving the state’s primary to July 30th, enshrining signature verification policies into state law, and ensuring that election workers have enough time to count ballots. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, praised the legislation as a result of hard-fought compromises from all involved, stating that the bill will help ensure that Arizonans’ voices are heard and that elections run free of political interference. The bill received significant support from state legislators, with only four Republicans voting against it.
The bill reflects the ongoing political tensions in Arizona following the 2020 presidential election, during which the state became a breeding ground for election conspiracy theories. Republican lawmakers, aligned with former President Donald Trump, have been critical of the state’s election policies and have pushed for changes, including a discredited audit. The recent legislative changes aim to increase confidence in elections by addressing concerns related to the automatic recount threshold, particularly in close races.
