Democrat Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs rejection A common sense bill that allowed our state to provide voters with the same-day election results further alienated us from the disastrous reporting system that California voters found when they went to vote. The law keeps the policies and procedures found in Florida, which have completed vote counts in recent election cycles, in the dark rather than our current operation of keeping Arizona voters in the dark about the specific outcomes of key election races every two years.

Additionally, my colleagues and I worked closely with a wide coalition of Arizona stakeholders, including most of the state’s county recorders and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. It is one of the largest jurisdictions in the country.

This bill was very necessary in our state. But instead of working with Republicans to provide much-needed reforms in the election process, Hobbs has hampered any effort to ensure Arizona can report the majority of votes on election night. Her veto was a big mistake – not only politically, but also for the future of elections in our state.

Over the past decade, Arizona has seen the seemingly rising razor-thin election results. In 2016, my best friend Andy Biggs won the US House primary at just 27 years old. vote. Unpaid votes were not counted until a few days after election night ended, leaving supporters of the top two candidates in the suspense. 2022, current Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays defeat Her Republican challenger, Abraham Hamade, was under 300 votes. Again, votes were processed and tallyed much after election night came.

In 2024, President Donald Trump did not formally declare the winner of Arizona until a few days later. election Thanks to countless votes after election night. There are many more examples of this kind of late call on the important election race that left voters in the dark about the end result.

The delayed results for Arizona have embodied more of the nature of California’s failed systems over the past decade. Many across the country are shaking their heads in disgust at the obsession of California obsessed obses who can’t count most votes by the end of election night. Often, the outcomes of several important races at various levels of government remain prominent for weeks, not to mention the days after the election. Compare California’s delays with Florida’s successful systems. This allows you to report the results of most races within hours of all polls being completed. There is no doubt which system you want to emulate the state.

These delays in our election results lead to a great sense of distrust in our system and officials. Voters deserve and expect maximum transparency when it comes to the election system that selects the men and women who govern us. But by making voters wait a few days after the election ends, government officials contribute to the growing fear of the integrity of our system. There is a better way.

As a longtime civil servant, I have been hoping for the people of Arizona to live in perpetual anxiety every two years after elections. These voters deserve certainty and transparency in our sacred votes, one of the fundamental pillars of our constitutional republic. That’s why I introduced this bill – SB 1011 / HB 2703 – To speed up voter counts in our state, we will improve voter confidence and end the frustration felt by waiting too long for Election Day results.

This bill should not have been politicized. Even after the widespread coalition around Arizona supported these policies, Legislative Democrats and Hobbs dug their heels into the ground, baffling why they opposed efforts to make reasonable and necessary amendments to the state’s election system. Democrats on the bill are not what Arizonans want from state leaders. Republicans and Democrats should be able to work together to solve these issues in a bipartisan way, without resorting to political talk points. Sadly, that’s not what happened in this case.

I have committed to the people of Arizona that this legislature will make common sense and proven changes to the state’s election process. The current state of elections is not an option. Voters deserve more respect than seeing government officials leave their nation.

To that end, Republicans in the Arizona State Legislature will soon pursue a bill that will send the issue of the same-day election results to voters in the next general election. If Hobbs and Arizona Democrats don’t want to be part of the solution, let voters decide. It’s time for us to somehow bring the same day election results to our great states.

Warren Petersen is an Arizona Senator

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