Republican leaders are determined to reform the state’s election system to speed up tabulation of election results — even after Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill last month that aimed to accomplish that goal.

The new measures would change the deadlines for early ballot drop off, require voters to update their names on an Active Early Voter List within a specific timeframe, allow schools to be used as polling places, and create new laws to ensure all votes are counted within a day of the election.

These provisions are similar to those vetoed by Hobbs in the past.

In that veto letter, Hobbs said she proposed compromises to quicken results while protecting the Active Early Voter List, but felt the bill could disenfranchise eligible voters.

Some observers view the debate as part of a political back-and-forth where lawmakers are looking to appeal to their constituents rather than work across the aisle to potentially address issues within the state’s voting system.

“The Republicans are trying to, in some instances, make voting more difficult. And Democrats … [are] claiming that an early vote is dropped off on election day, which is not an early vote.” said GOP consultant Chuck Coughlin, who is CEO and president of HighGround, Inc. “So they’re really not concerned about speeding up on election day returns. They’re just playing political ‘gotcha’ with the other side.”

A resolution introduced by Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, mirrors the bill Hobbs vetoed. The measure, HCR2013, passed the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee on March 5 and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Rules Committee.

Like the vetoed bill, Kolodin’s resolution would also require early ballots to be dropped by 7 p.m. on Friday instead of by the same time on election day. It would also require early mail voters to confirm their address every election cycle if they live in a county with at least 500,000 people, or during the four-year period that accounts for two election cycles if they live in a smaller county.

Kolodin’s resolution also includes a provision prohibiting election officials from using any money from foreign governments or foreign nongovernmental organizations to administer an election.

Another resolution introduced by Sen. J. D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, SCR1030, would ask voters to require the legislature to create laws that would ensure that 95% of ballots are counted within 24 hours of an election.

Mesnard said during a Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee hearing on Feb. 19 that his premise was to let voters mandate the legislature to speed up the timeline for election results.

“Fundamentally, is this the right policy for the timeline and counting votes by election day, 95% within the day of the election?” he said. “If the voters pass that, then obviously we’ll be all more empowered to actually achieve a voter mandate.”

The resolution passed the Senate and was assigned to the House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, where it awaits a hearing.

Mesnard also introduced SB1001, which would require the signature and identification of a voter with an early ballot if they drop off the ballot after 7 p.m. on the Friday before an election. That bill was awaiting a hearing in the Senate Committee of the Whole.

A number of other bills contain proposals that are either similar or overlap with the provisions in Kolodin’s resolution.

Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, introduced a bill that would require schools with gymnasiums to provide sufficient space as a polling place when requested by a county election official, and for the school itself to be closed on an election day.

However, teachers would have to come to work and conduct training or professional development, and would be prohibited from taking time off on that day unless it’s required by statute. The bill would also prevent a county’s board of supervisors from using voter centers in place of designated polling places.

Hoffman acknowledged during the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee hearing on Feb. 19 that the concept of the bill was similar to the measure vetoed by Hobbs and now in Kolodin’s resolution.

“The reality is we need more polling places. Our county recorders know we need more polling places,” he said.

Hoffman also introduced another bill that would require early voters or their representatives to show identification when dropping off a ballot or face a class 5 felony for knowingly violating identification requirements.

Both bills passed the Senate.

Coughlin said he believes there are ways for Democrats and Republicans to compromise on these issues and speed up the election process — if they make more of a bipartisan effort.

“It requires somebody to step up and be a leader, and we just haven’t seen that yet,” he said.