Grand Canyon Times

Frustration is once again growing among Arizona voters and candidates due to the prolonged vote-counting process in the state. This comes a year after Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation aimed at addressing this recurring issue. The delay has made Arizona a subject of national ridicule, with many races' outcomes remaining unknown for extended periods.

In 2023, Senator J.D. Mesnard sponsored SB1595, which was passed by the Arizona Legislature. The bill aimed to resolve delays in final election results and ensure equal treatment for those voting on or near election day. It required voters who retained their mailed ballots until after the Friday before election day to adhere to the same ID requirements as others when dropping off their ballots. This measure would have eliminated the need for signature validation on hundreds of thousands of ballots, a process that significantly delays results.

Senator Mesnard expressed his frustration: "Once again, Arizona is a laughingstock across the country for how long it's taking our state to determine winners and losers in this election, an election with national implications. This chaos, confusion, frustration, and controversy is nothing new for us and easily could have been avoided this year had the Governor not vetoed SB1595."

He further stated: "I've said it before, and I will say it again- ignoring this problem is a complete disservice to our voters who are taking their precious time to exercise their civic duty. It also continually puts us in the national spotlight, and not in a good way. We can't just kick the can down the road every election cycle. My proposal was commonsense, practical to implement, fair to the voters, and would have made a real difference in tackling the lengthy timeline voters and candidates—and the nation—continue to complain about."

Senate Republicans plan to reintroduce similar legislation next session with hopes that Governor Hobbs will sign it into law.