Changes to election law could void the Arizona vote in 2024
Procedural changes in federal and state election law may result in the Arizona 2024 vote not being counted. Congress amended the Electoral Count Act (Act) to try to shore up federal election law after the January 6th attack on the capitol. The Act now authorizes an expedited judicial review of the Governors’ slate of electors. It also increases the number of congressional votes needed to challenge a state’s electoral count and clarifies that the Vice President’s role in certifying the election is administrative.
The Act sets a deadline of December 12th for states to get their results to Congress. It also reads that electoral votes may not be counted if not finalized and transmitted by December 11th. Before the Act was amended, states had more flexibility as long as the process was completed at least six days before the Electoral College meets.
The new deadline is problematic because of a 2022 Arizona law that increased the margin of error triggering an automatic recount from 0.3% to 0.5%. If a recount is ordered election officials do not believe that it can be completed by the deadline.
“Isn’t it ironic how the people who claimed that the 2020 election was stolen, have managed through threats and intimidation to achieve the undermining of our election systems?”
The Arizona Association of Counties has suggested changes to Arizona election procedures to insure the counties and state can comply with the deadline. For ballots with questionable signatures, the “cure” period could be reduced from 5 to 3 business days. The date for the counties to conduct canvasses could be moved up and the Secretary of State could allow the counties to conduct the required logic and accuracy tests of election equipment. Finally, the challenge period could be shortened from 5 to 3 days.
It is worth noting that the intimidation of Arizona election workers by “stop the steal” supporters has resulted in the widespread loss of experienced election officials across the state. So far, requests from the Secretary of State’s office to increase funding for the training and retention of election workers have been ignored by the legislature. Isn’t it ironic how the people who claimed that the 2020 election was stolen, have managed through threats and intimidation to achieve the undermining of our election systems?
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