Picking up ballots
Mysterious visits to south Phoenix home became catalyst for new elections law
Rey Valenzuela was at his home in south Phoenix during election season last year when a young man, clipboard in hand, knocked on his door and asked for his wife.
Supporters of controversial elections law start second committee to defend against referendum
The referendum effort against the state’s controversial new election law is now facing a two-pronged opposition, as a second political action committee filed paperwork July 23 to fight the referendum.
Elections law supporters start second committee to defend it
The referendum effort against the state’s controversial new election law is now facing a two-pronged opposition, as a second political action committee filed paperwork this week to fight the referendum.
GOP attorney in IRC case says Voting Rights Act ruling should be retroactive
A GOP attorney who is challenging Arizona’s legislative maps said a federal judge should retroactively apply the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that scrapped the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act, even though Arizona was still subject to the law when the maps were implemented.
Election law opponents move toward a referendum
Critics of the state’s new election law today filed papers to create a political committee that will challenge the legislation through a referendum.
Clean Elections consolidation bill advances
The Citizen's Clean Election Commission would be consolidated with the Arizona Secretary of State's office and take on added responsibilities for overseeing election law violations and lobbyist reporting under a bill approved by a Senate committee Tuesday.
Experts say changes are needed in Arizona’s approach to early voting
Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez was a big proponent of the Permanent Early Voter List. In in 2007, she suggested creating it and then testified at the Legislature on behalf of the idea.
Watching the watchers
As Verify the Vote AZ prepares for its Election Day vote-watching operation, the Arizona Democratic Party is also readying its troops and planning to post election protection teams at polling sites to watch the watchers.
Judge: Arizona campaign finance laws unconstitutional
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled this month that the state’s most fundamental campaign finance laws dealing with the registration of political committees and reporting of contributions and expenditures are unconstitutional.
The ruling won’t affect campaigns this election cycle, but it threatens to upend the state’s campaign finance system for future elections.
‘Puppet’ Cortes, shadowy campaign helpers unlikely to face punishment
Recall candidate Olivia Cortes’ campaign may have been contrived, phony, aided by illegal means and designed to fool the public, but that doesn’t mean that she or the perpetrators of the backfired plot to help former Senate President Russell Pearce will face any punishment.
Mesa: Another Pearce challenger ordered to remove signs
Olivia Cortes, one of the challengers in the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce, has been told by Mesa officials to take down her campaign signs.
The city sent Cortes a letter last week telling the candidate she had until 5 p.m. Monday to remove her campaign signs. The city will begin taking them down today if they're still standing.