Grand Canyon Times

Senator Wendy Rogers and Representative Jacqueline Parker are addressing issues stemming from previous legislation that complicates Arizona counties' ability to meet federal election deadlines. In 2022, the Legislature passed SB 1008 with bipartisan support, which was signed into law by the Governor to enhance voter confidence in election outcomes. The law altered the criteria for automatic recounts in statewide elections from a margin of 200 votes to half of a percentage point (0.50). This change is expected to increase the number of automatic recounts in future elections, potentially delaying results and causing counties to miss federal deadlines.

Representative Parker, Chair of the House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee, stated, "We hosted the first of many stakeholder meetings today to hear from the boots on the ground who are in the thick of administering our elections, as well as legal experts. We want to make sure we have in-depth conversations with these stakeholders so that we can identify the proper fix needed to strengthen the integrity of our elections and the confidence voters have when they cast their ballots."

Senator Rogers, Chair of the Senate Committee on Elections, emphasized that drafting proposed legislation will take time and require input from all parties involved in election procedures. "In order to remedy the unintended consequences of this law, we must first draft proposed legislation, and that certainly won't happen overnight. This is a painstaking process that will require feedback from everyone involved with our elections procedures," she said.

Both legislators aim to resolve these conflicts before the 2024 election but acknowledge it could take several months. Senator Rogers added, "We plan to resolve this conflict before the 2024 election, but we must first thoroughly and methodically work with all parties involved. This could very well take several months, but as Republicans, we are committed to coming up with a solution that is transparent, organized, accurate, secures our elections, and saves taxpayer dollars."