By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday signed controversial legislation that will allow some people to be removed from what until now has been the "permanent early voting list.''
The move comes less than two hours after the Senate, on a 16-14 party-line vote, approved SB 1485 based on claims that ballots are being sent out to people who do not use them. More to the point, proponents say that having unvoted early ballots leads to the possibility that someone else could get hold of them and cast a fraudulent vote.
Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, said that in Pima County alone there were about 70,000 early ballots mailed out last election that were not returned.
But Sen. Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, said there is no documented evidence of fraud due to early voting.
"That is completely made up,'' she said.
Ducey's quick action is designed to provide little time by foes of the bill to marshal a campaign against it. That particularly includes one group that normally would be in the governor's political corner: business and health executives: Greater Phoenix Leadership.
In a letter last month, members of the organization said it was their conclusion that this proposal and two other changes in election laws sought by Republicans "seek to disenfranchise voters.''
"These proposals are a concerted effort from those in Arizona -- and across the nation -- who wish to sow additional doubts about our elections in the minds of voters, and feed into the paranoia that has plagued our political discourse over the past several months,'' they wrote.
In a video press release -- the governor would not answer questions from reporters -- Ducey said opposition was based on "deceptive and heated rhetoric being used by some partisan activists.''
He pointed out that even with approval of SB 1485 no one will lost the right to vote.
The new law says if people don't use a requested early ballot for two election cycles they no longer will get one automatically in the mail. That still leaves them the ability to make a new request to get back on the early voting list. And none of this keeps them from voting in person.
Ducey also took took a preemptive strike at those who might use his signature on this bill to take counter measures.
Earlier this year, Major League Baseball yanked its All-Star Game out of Georgia after that state enacted new voting restrictions. And several corporations, including Delta Airlines and Coca-Cola, both based in Georgia, took swipes at the law.
Those actions did not escape Ducey.
"My advice to them regarding this law is simple: Know what you're talking about before you say anything,'' the governor said in his video statement.
Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, said he does know what he's talking about.
He said the evidence shows that the change is more likely to knock people of color off the list. And from his perspective, that leaves only one reason for the measure: systemic racism.
That statement drew objections from several Republican lawmakers who said that Senate rules preclude lawmakers from questioning the motives of others. And Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, cautioned him to stick to the merits of the measure.
Quezada, however, would not back down.
"We cannot separate those issues,'' he said.
Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, was even more pointed in his criticism.
"It makes me think you don't like who votes -- or who has the potential to vote,'' he said.
"This bill looks like nothing more than a ruse to disenfranchise voters that you don't like,'' Mendez continued. "You're not trying to stop fraud. You're trying to pick and choose who gets to vote conveniently.''
Engel said there are reasons that people don't vote in every election. She said that perhaps they're not excited by candidates who are on the ballot in a given year or they are turned off by the partisanship.
And Engel said some may just have higher priorities.
That drew derision from Leach.
"The best country in the world, and you have an opportunity to participate in it,'' he said. "But it's not at the top of somebody's list?''
Quezada suggested that ignores how people create a priority list.
"It's keeping food on the table, it's keeping their lights on, it's finding daycare for their children,'' he said. "It's being able to drive down the street without getting pulled over and end up getting shot in the back by police.''
Of particular note is that Tuesday's vote ensures the Republican-controlled legislature will be enacting even more changes to voting laws and procedures.
SB 1485 had failed last month after Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, refused to provide the necessary 16th vote in the 30-member Senate. She said the state needs to enact more fixes to the system than what is here.
On Tuesday, however, Townsend told Capitol Media Services she now has been promised there will be at least one new measure on election security this year.
"It's going to be heavy on the chain of custody of all election equipment,'' she said. "We'll know who did it, what they did with it, that kind of stuff.''
