AZ republicans win key provision for election integrity

Republicans won a major battle in Arizona legislature, putting into law specific requirements for how officials must verify voter signatures on mail-in ballots. However county recorders that control this process said it won’t change how they do their job.

State Rep. Alex Kolodin, who carried the Republican bill to the finish line this week, said upon voting that even though Republicans had to “give up things we didn’t want to give up,” they still secured changes grassroots groups have wanted for years.

State Rep. Laura Terech, who helped lead negotiations for Democrats, said she has barely eaten or slept this week. Watching from the Senate gallery, she said she began crying as the “yes” votes came up on the board. “I was so relieved,” she said.

A key to winning votes for the deal was making some of the changes temporary. For example, the primary date is changing for this year only. And the change to the length of time voters have to respond to problems with their mail-in ballot signature, from five business days to five calendar days, is only in effect through the 2026 elections. Then, it reverts back to five business days.

These temporary changes will allow lawmakers to gauge how the changes are working. But it also means that county officials will need to advocate in 2026 for a longer-term solution, said Jen Marson, executive director of the Arizona Association of Counties, who represented county election officials in the negotiations.

Still, Marson said she was glad that there was a fix for this year, and stressed that it was satisfying to watch everyone work together. Marson often takes heat from Republican lawmakers during legislative sessions as she explains why election officials are opposed to proposed changes.

“It was very satisfying. I’m actually pretty emotional about the whole thing, honestly,” Marson said, choking up. “It’s very nice to see everybody come together.”