Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen is advocating for election administration reforms aimed at expediting vote counting in the state, citing Florida’s practices as a model.
Senate Bill 1011, introduced ahead of the upcoming legislative session, proposes ending the drop-off of mail-in ballots at 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day.
Currently, Arizona voters can drop off ballots until polls close on Election Day, a practice often blamed for delays in counting late-arriving ballots, or “late earlies.”
“Today me and my colleagues will be introducing legislation to get election results night of. AZ will no longer be the laughing stock of the nation and the last to announce electoral votes. The bill will incorporate the key differences between AZ and FL,” Petersen tweeted Wednesday.
The bill would also require voters casting ballots early in person to sign an early voting certificate instead of using a mail affidavit envelope. Incoming state House Speaker Steve Montenegro echoed Petersen’s sentiments, tweeting: “Arizonans deserve timely and transparent election results. House Republicans will introduce legislation to move up the deadline for dropping off early ballots, ensuring counties have adequate time to process them before Election Day.”
If the bill passes Arizona’s Republican-controlled legislature, it will head to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs for approval.
