
Arizona Appeals Court Upholds State’s Mail-In Voting System

PHOENIX — Arizona’s mail-in, early voting process does not violate voters’ constitutional right to privacy, the state Court of Appeals has ruled.
Tuesday’s ruling by a three-judge panel is a blow to the Arizona Republican Party and its chair, Kelli Ward, who had previously tried to block early voting ahead of the 2022 election.
Mail-in voting has been in place in Arizona since the early 1990s, and it has only grown in popularity over time, in recent years becoming the dominant form of voting in the state.
The Arizona GOP sued to end the practice last year and tried to get its case heard by the Arizona Supreme Court on an expedited basis.
After failing in its first bid to overcome the law, the party returned with a new argument — mail-in voting violates the secrecy clause in the state constitution, which requires that voters must have a way to conceal their choices on the ballot.
But the three-judge panel said the law provides ample protection for secrecy in that it requires voters to fill out their ballot in private and to seal the ballot in an envelope “that does not disclose the voters’ choices.”
The Arizona Republican Party has yet to decide whether to appeal the ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court.
In a joint statement, the Democratic National Committee, Arizona Democratic Party, and the congressional and senatorial campaign arms of the party said, “This ruling is a win for all Arizonans.
“The state has a long history of running a popular and secure vote-by-mail system, and we were proud to help defend against Republicans’ continued attempts to undermine it,” the statement continued.
“As Republicans try to rig the rulebook and disregard the will of voters, Democrats stand united, ready to take Republicans to court to protect every eligible voter’s rights and ensure their vote is counted,” it said.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue
In The News
Health
Voting
In The States
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Senate Democrats defeated several bills Thursday that would have restricted abortion access in the state,... Read More
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Senate Democrats defeated several bills Thursday that would have restricted abortion access in the state, including a proposed 15-week ban with exceptions that was a priority for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The Senate Committee on Education and Health voted the measures... Read More
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Just three months ago, Rep. Elissa Slotkin was one of the most vulnerable Democrats in Washington,... Read More
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Just three months ago, Rep. Elissa Slotkin was one of the most vulnerable Democrats in Washington, fighting an expensive campaign for reelection in a Michigan district that Republicans were sure they could retake. That was all a distant memory recently as Slotkin... Read More
WASHINGTON — District of Columbia leaders made another push to rid themselves of federal oversight Tuesday by having a bill... Read More
WASHINGTON — District of Columbia leaders made another push to rid themselves of federal oversight Tuesday by having a bill introduced in the Senate that would give them statehood. The House of Representatives approved statehood for the District of Columbia in 2021 but the bill stalled... Read More
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A gunman killed seven people at two agricultural businesses in Northern California, plunging the... Read More
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A gunman killed seven people at two agricultural businesses in Northern California, plunging the state into mourning again in the wake of its third mass killing in eight days. Officers arrested a suspect in Monday’s shootings, 67-year-old Chunli Zhao, after... Read More
ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is set to hear arguments Tuesday on whether to release a report by a special grand... Read More
ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is set to hear arguments Tuesday on whether to release a report by a special grand jury tasked with investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies broke any laws as they sought to overturn his narrow 2020 election loss in Georgia. Fulton County... Read More
PHOENIX — Arizona’s mail-in, early voting process does not violate voters’ constitutional right to privacy, the state Court of Appeals... Read More
PHOENIX — Arizona’s mail-in, early voting process does not violate voters’ constitutional right to privacy, the state Court of Appeals has ruled. Tuesday’s ruling by a three-judge panel is a blow to the Arizona Republican Party and its chair, Kelli Ward, who had previously tried to... Read More