Court briefs from voting and civic action groups allege that tens of thousands of voters are at risk of being disenfranchised because the commission failed to investigate and certify county election results in a timely manner.
(Cochise, Arizona) –The Cochise County, Arizona Board of Supervisors on Monday voted to postpone the certification of this year’s midterm election results, a clear violation of state law. The action jeopardizes the votes of tens of thousands of Arizonas and undermines the integrity of our democratic system, according to a court brief filed Wednesday by the Attorneys-at-Law Commission for Civil Rights. , New York University Law Brennan Center for Justiceand the law firms Latham & Watkins LLP and Spencer Fain assisted plaintiffs in two lawsuits, Hobbes v. Crosby, etc.. , and Arizona Alliance of Retired Americans, Inc. and others v. Crosby et al..The brief was submitted on behalf of the Arizona League of Women Voters, the Arizona ACLU, the Arizona Democracy Resource Center, and the Arizona Empowerment Center.
In their briefs, the groups stressed that adherence to established electoral laws by civil servants forms the basis of democratic institutions, and that postponing certification is not an appropriate means of venting grievances about the conduct of elections. They are asking the Cochise County Superior Court to order the Cochise County Oversight Board to fulfill its mandated ministerial duties of investigating and certifying county election results. Two of the three inspectors illegally delayed certification past the Nov. 28 legal deadline, citing unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and a desire to protest an election in Maricopa County, Arizona. voted in favor of it.
If two rogue regulators complied with state law and were not ordered to certify county election results, those results may not be included in statewide vote totals, effectively All voters will be stripped of their rights.
“The refusal to recognize the valid results of free and fair elections goes beyond politics and parties and has no place in our democracy,” he said. Damon HewittPresident and Secretary General of the Lawyers Commission. “What Cochise County officials are doing now is part of a nasty election sabotage conspiracy movement and cannot be separated from a violent attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. The right to be counted is fundamental to the foundation of functioning democracies and free societies and must be defended.”
The groups filed briefs in support of the Secretary of State and private plaintiffs who petitioned the court Monday to issue a warrant to compel the board to certify the county’s results. The Secretary of State must certify statewide results by December 5, extended through December 8 at the latest, regardless of whether counties have certified results by then.
“Cochise County regulators have no legal right to delay or deny the certification of 2022 interim results. is an inappropriate and unlawful abuse.It amounts to election interference.” Wendy WeiserDeputy Director for Democracy, Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law.“In addition to stopping this abuse, courts must issue a clear reprimand that such misconduct is unacceptable.”
“The Cochise County Commission’s only legal role today is to uphold the will of the people and certify election results,” he said. Pinney Sheoran, president of the League of Women Voters of Arizona.“The public voted, and their decisions cannot be thwarted by the oversight committee’s misconduct. It is time for the oversight board to stop playing political games with voter decisions and meet its legal obligation to prove results.”
“Further delays in confirming election results will continue to undermine confidence in our democracy and undermine our basic right to vote,” he said. Jared Keenan, ACLU Legal Director, Arizona. “The people of Cochise County deserve to have their votes counted.”
“Voting rights are sacred and embedded in Arizona’s history. will be stolen,” he said. Chris Gilfiran, Political Director, Arizona Empowerment Center.“The Cochise County Board of Supervisors, elected by this very system, should uphold the very fair and correct process it has followed because it respects the law and at least Cochise himself. world.”
###
About the Civil Rights Lawyers Under the Law Board–The Commission on Civil Rights Lawyers Under the Law is a non-partisan non-profit organization founded in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to mobilize the country’s leading lawyers as agents for change in the civil rights movement. was established in Today, attorneys’ commissions use legal advocacy to achieve racial justice and to ensure that blacks and other people of color have a voice, opportunity, and power to fulfill the promise of democracy. fighting inside and out. Learn more about. https://link.edgepilot.com/s/caa98cf3/SEdJG1r10k_L1z8Cw6sxmQ?u=https://lawyerscommittee.org/
About the Brennan Center for Justice, New York University– The Brennan Center for Justice is an independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization that works to reform, revitalize, and, where necessary, defend our nation’s democracy and justice system. The Brennan Center conducts rigorous research to identify problems and develop innovative solutions, fights in courts, works with elected officials to advance legislation, and communicates our message to the press and Contributing to the formation of public opinion by communicating directly to the general public.
