By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services PHOENIX -- Initiative petitions filed Thursday could give Arizonans a chance to make registration and voting easier and overturn some of the restrictions enacted by the Republican-controlled legislature.
The proposal by Arizonans for Free and Fair Elections contains a laundry list of changes in state elections laws.
Some are new ideas for Arizona, such as allowing people to register and vote at the same time, including on Election Day. And people would be registered to vote automatically when they get an Arizona driver's license unless they opt out.
It would ensure that votes are counted no matter in what precinct they are cast as long as it is within the same county.
The proposal also would reinstate the state's permanent early voting list which automatically provides mail-in ballots for anyone who opts in.
Lawmakers voted to repeal that last year, replacing it with a system that stops the early ballots from coming for those who do not use them for at least two election cycles, though they still would be able to vote in person. Backers of the initiative said that is not fair for those who may not be regular voters, turning out only when there are issues or candidates on the ballot of interest.
Also gone would be the 2021 law that makes it a crime to take someone else's voted early ballot to a polling place unless that person is a relative, member of the same household or a caretaker.
And the initiative would roll back decisions by lawmakers to increase the amount of money that individuals and political action committees can give to candidates, a figure currently set at $6,250. It would be capped at $1,000 for local and legislative candidates and $2,500 for statewide races.
For those who do like to vote in person, the initiative demands that election officials do what they can to keep waiting times in lines at polling places to no more than 30 minutes, with permission for those who are not election officials to provide food, nonalcoholic beverages, and the use of umbrellas or chairs to make people comfortable as long as those offers are not tied to how someone votes.
There's even a provision designed to keep lawmakers from tinkering with presidential electors. It says that any changes in selection electors has to be made by Jan. 1 of the election year, precluding last-minute changes pushed through in November or December by legislators unhappy with the popular vote.
Organizers said they turned in petitions with 475,290 signatures, more than enough to meet the 237,645 minimum needed even if many are disqualified for any reason.
Potentially the most controversial provision is the same-day voter registration. But Maria Teresa Mabry, a co-executive director of the Arizona Democracy Resource Center, said it's highly doubtful that someone from another state would take the time to come to Arizona, spend the money to rent an apartment to get an address, register, cast a ballot and then leave.
Jim Barton who is working with the organization, said if anyone that determined to influence the outcome of an Arizona election could do that now. The only difference is that person would have to move here 29 days ahead of the election.
Roy Tatum, political director of Our Voice, Our Vote, one of the groups involved in the petition drive, said approval will go a long way toward empowering individuals.
"We know what the abuse of power looks like,'' he said.
Much of the funding comes from Living United for Change in Arizona, a local group that has been responsible for other changes in state law, like a minimum wage higher than the $7.25 federal figure.
Opposition is already coming from a group chaired by Bret Halley, chief operating officer for Valley Forge and Bolt Manufacturing. In a press release, Halley said the measure is filled with "terrible ideas,'' not just incude same-day registration and voting but also "making ballot harvesting legal again so paid political operatives can pick up your ballot.''
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