In a decisive move that has sparked significant political debate, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a Republican-sponsored bill aimed at accelerating Arizona’s election results. This bill, inspired by Florida’s election procedures, proposed moving the deadline for dropping off early ballots to several days before election day.
The bill’s sponsors claimed it would streamline the election results process in Arizona. However, Hobbs had already anticipated rejecting the proposal, stating, “I can support doing — taking action that will make election results happen faster, but we’re not going to do that in a way that disenfranchises voters, and that’s exactly what this bill does.”
The governor, alongside other Democrats, expressed concerns that altering the ballot submission deadlines could disenfranchise the hundreds of thousands of voters who are used to submitting their ballots at polling stations.
Governor Hobbs’ decision marks her first veto of the year, adding to her record-breaking tally of vetoes during her tenure. She criticized the Republican legislators for pushing the bill without attempting to negotiate a fair compromise, saying, “If they were serious about negotiating a compromise that was fair for the voters they would have sat down and done that, not sent this to me as the first bill of the legislative session.”
In response, Republican lawmakers labeled Hobbs as “irresponsible” in a press release, accusing her of rejecting a “wildly popular bill.” Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) expressed his disappointment, stating, “The governor’s veto is a huge mistake. This was a missed opportunity to increase voter confidence and reduce frustration on election night.” Petersen indicated that efforts would continue to pass the legislation, potentially by presenting it to voters in the 2026 ballot.
While Governor Hobbs has expressed support for achieving quicker election results, she maintains that it should not come at the cost of limiting voter participation. Her veto letter reiterated her stance on prioritizing voter access over expedited results.
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