Judge: Arizona Voters Who Don't Sign Early Ballots Can Fix

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2020-09-10/judge-arizona-voters-who-dont-sign-early-ballots-can-fix

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has ruled Thursday that Arizona voters who forget to sign their early ballots before mailing them get up to five days after the election to fix the problem.

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Rayes sided with state and federal Democratic groups who argued it was unfair for election officials not to allow voters to “cure” those ballots.

The groups argued that state election rules allow county recorders five days after the election for voters whose signatures don't match those on file to come to the office and show they actually signed the ballot. The same goes for people who arrive at the polls to vote in-person but lack required identification.

But unsigned ballots are discarded if they are not corrected by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Arizona's chief election officer, wanted the extra five days included in the state's updated election procedures manual. But Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich refused to sign off on the provision, so Hobbs removed it.

*snip*

[2naSalit]

1. Wait...

You have to sign the actual ballot? Why is that? They are supposed to be anonymous. In all the states where I have voted by mail you fill out your ballot and put it in an envelop which you sign and date, not the actual ballot.

What's wrong with this picture?

[NewJeffCT]

2. In Connecticut

you have to certify that you cannot vote on election day in order to even get an absentee ballot. And, part of that certification is signing the ballot when you mail it in.

[2naSalit]

5. Wow...

That just doesn't seem right.

[NewJeffCT]

7. You're basically signing an affidavit that you can't vote on election day

and that's why you need an absentees ballot

[2naSalit]

8. Your name should not appear on the actual ballot.

[LisaL]

6. You sign on an envelope.

Not the ballot itself. Ballot then goes into the envelope with your signature, and that envelope goes into another envelope for mailing. At least that's how it's done in OH.

[jzola]

3. In Arizona

You sign the envelope that the unsigned ballot goes into—-your name and phone number is on the envelope so someone can contact you if you forget to sign—-before they open the envelope. Your signature is not on the actual ballot.

[Gothmog]

4. This is a good result and is consistent with Judge Orlando Garcia's ruling on Texas law