Since our inception, the Democracy Defense Project has had three guiding principles: foster greater confidence in America’s election results, improve U.S. voter participation and move us beyond polarizing rhetoric. In the 2024 election, our focus was on educating voters about the reality of our election system, why it worked well and why it could be trusted. With an almost 80% turnout in Maricopa County alone, that mission was a success by nearly any definition.

While some would choose now to rest on their laurels, we believe it is time for us to rededicate ourselves to the work of defending our election system and improving our “gold standard” election system that other states can follow.

Leaders in the Arizona Legislature have introduced proposals that we believe could have a positive impact on our election system and increase confidence among Arizona voters. Although one major proposal was recently vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, we urge lawmakers and the governor to work on legislation to increase efficiency and preserve our robust early voting system while also delivering on the clear public expectation for results to be calculated and reported more rapidly.

We believe it is possible to protect the integrity and accuracy of our election system while also delivering faster results. As a state, we should not shy away from these conversations. We recognize the concerns some may have, but it is important to have all stakeholders engaged in this conversation aimed at making a good system into a great one.

Our counties play a critical role in administering our elections. We applaud the recent decision by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to seek a comprehensive election review by a national expert. This is a practice that government and public entities engage in frequently, seeking best practices and implementing changes to make systems better. Given the spotlight that has been on Maricopa County for the past four years, and will continue as Arizona has future competitive statewide races, it is wise for leaders to seek additional expert counsel and advice to make our largest county’s election system even better.

We are hopeful that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors continues their efforts to responsibly manage elections securely, leveraging advanced technology and rigorous testing to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of every vote. The county’s commitment to transparency, security and continuous improvement is evident through proactive measures such as enhanced security protocols and the maintenance of accurate voter registration records.

We will continue to push back against bad actors who hurl accusations about election administration that are not true. We strongly believe in engaging with people who have sincere questions about the system and who are asking in good faith. Unfortunately, there are some individuals who seek to spread false information about our system of free elections, and, in doing so, undermine the very system they claim to cherish.

The 2024 election was a good beginning in the cause of defending democracy. But, as anyone who has ever seen a play will tell you — any good play has three acts. The first act went well. The curtain is rising on the second act, and we are committed to making that one even better.

The Democracy Defense Project Arizona Board (Former Gov. Jan Brewer, former U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon, Supervisor Jonathan Lines and former Rep. Daniel Hernandez) is a coalition dedicated to promoting election reform efforts in Arizona.