Grand Canyon Times

Critics are lining up after Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' (D) veto of a bill that the sponsor said "would codify in state law specific signature verification rules to confirm the identity of early voters — rules that were written by Governor Hobbs when she was Arizona’s Secretary of State."

"Governor Hobbs Vetoes Her Own Signature Verification Rules!" tweeted the Arizona House Republicans. 

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, sponsor of HB 2322, said in a press release that Hobbs' veto letter "indicates that instead of legally enforceable rules, she would like ‘ongoing’ signature verification ‘guidance’ that is non-binding and can be changed on a whim by a single person."

“When Governor Katie Hobbs took office, she said that she’d ‘find common ground’ and work across party lines,” said Kolodin. “Right now, Arizona has no laws setting any signature verification rules for early ballots, which help ensure that only lawful early voter’s vote. What ground could be more common making her own rules the law?"

"That is hardly democratic - or sober and responsible governance," said Kolodin, who said that sixteen House Democrats had voted for the bill.

Garrett Archer, the data and political analyst for ABC 15 News, tweeted a photo of Hobbs' veto letter, which was addressed to Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma.

"The standards in this bill are already several years old, and are more appropriately included as part of the Election Procedures Manual required by ARS 16-452, or as ongoing guidance developed by the Secretary of State in consultation with county election officials," said Hobbs.

Archer noted that the vote the "bipartisan" nature of the bill's passage. It passed 47-13 in the House, and by a 16-14 vote in the Senate.

Ari Daniel Bradshaw, president of the North Valley Young Republicans, tweeted that Hobbs' veto "is unfair to Arizona - who demands bipartisanship from a governor who has yet to show it."

"Despite Katie Hobbs' OWN LOCAL Democratic representative introducing an amendment onto the Bill and every @AZHouseDems MOE member voting in favor of the Bill, Hobbs vetoed it," said Bradshaw. "A disappointing day for Arizonans."