PHOENIX — In the aftermath of the 2020 and 2022 elections, no book has triggered more demand for public input than the Arizona elections procedures manual.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes says the manual provides election administrators across the state with a set of rules that's clear and reflects the reality on the ground. "We want to consolidate this information into what is necessary and what has the force and effect of the law," Fontes said.
The Secretary of State said his office heard from more than 1,400 citizens, voting rights groups, political parties and state lawmakers. Senate President Warren Petersen and Speaker of the House Ben Toma sent the secretary of state a list of changes they believe need to be made after seeing a draft of the elections manual.
"This has become a political football of sorts and we've really tried to play right up the middle which is where I think the vast majority of Arizona's voters want us to be and I know where that's where our election administrators want us to be," Fontes said.
Fontes believes he's worked out the differences between his office and Republican legislative leaders. Among the issues is the interpretation of a 2021 law ending the permanent early voting list. The law allows county recorders to remove voters if they did not vote in two consecutive election cycles.
"We took out some of the stuff that could be left for interpretation," Fontes said. "If there is uncertainty in what a statute says, we'll rely on the statute makers in the future to be less circumspect."
Senate President Petersen has yet to comment on the elections procedures manual. A spokesperson said he will wait until Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes conduct their review of it first.
