The proposed changes to Arizona’s Election Procedures Manual (EPM) directly contradict Arizona laws, will drive down faith in elections, and remove critical protections which ensure non-citizens are prohibited from voting, according to Gates McGavick, the legal communications director for the Republican National Committee (RNC).
“The RNC is currently involved in 50 election integrity lawsuits in 16 states and has a long history of fighting for Arizona election integrity,” McGavick told Arizona Daily Independent on Wednesday. “Republicans will act decisively to protect Arizona elections if they are jeopardized by this unacceptable proposal.”
One such act undertaken by the RNC is 52-page warning letter sent to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes on Aug. 15 as part of the public comment process of the Secretary’s draft 2023 EPM. The letter is signed by RNC Chief Counsel Matthew Raymer and Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit.
The public comment letter is a warning to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Arizona Democrats that Republicans are leaving all legal options on the table and will act decisively to protect Arizona election integrity, if necessary, McGavick says.
Among some of the concerns put forth by Raymer and DeWit are:
· The Draft EPM appears to violate Arizona laws meant to prevent non-citizens from voting, which threatens the exclusive right of U.S. citizens to take part in American elections;
· The Draft EPM proposes changes which fail to protect the rights of poll observers and could shut some poll observers, thus driving down transparency;
· The Draft EPM uses vague “public health guidelines” which could be used to restrict access to the testing of voting equipment;
· The Draft EPM violates Arizona law by permitting unstaffed ballot drop boxes; and
· The Draft EPM fails to properly advise voters of Arizona’s anti-ballot harvesting law.
Raymer and DeWit also shared the concerns recently expressed by two Arizona lawmakers, Rep. Steve Montenegro and Rep. Michael Carbone, who argued to Fontes that a 15-day period to review and comment on the nearly 260-page Draft EPM was unnecessarily restrictive and risked missing critical feedback from stakeholders.
“Extending the public comment deadline by two weeks would serve that goal without unduly impacting the October 1 deadline to submit the draft to the Governor and Attorney General,” the RNC and AZGOP noted in the comment letter.
Fontes has rejected similar calls for an extended public comment period.
READ MORE:
Montenegro And Carbone Call On Fontes To Extend Public Comment Period For EPM