A federal judge in Arizona denied a bid late Friday to allow initiative organizers to gather signatures using the online E-Qual system that politicians use.
Judge Dominic Lanza rejected arguments that the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to gather signatures face-to-face.
"We're simply asserting that Arizona voters should not have to choose between their health and their basic First Amendment rights," said Rodd Mcleod an advocate for the two groups trying to use E-Qual to gather public signatures.
The committees filing the lawsuit did not start gathering signatures until the second half of last year, other groups began their efforts just after the 2018 vote.
Judge Lanza accepted arguments by the state of Arizona, that if the initiatives do not qualify for the ballot, it's at least partially the fault of the organizers.
"If the E-Qual system is good enough for politicians then it's good enough for the people." -Rodd Mcleod, an advocate for the initiatives said.
An appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is possible, and four other court initiative groups have much the same case before the Arizona Supreme Court.