GOP tensions rise as Arizona Senate votes down more election bills

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - The Arizona Senate has once again voted down a slew of election bills that Republicans say would foster confidence in the election process, but opponents fear would have a chilling effect on voters.

Bills on the table Monday included protective measures that would create new criminal charges for election workers and contractor errors. Also part of the proposed legislation was new rights for election observers such as the right to question election officials during vote counting, the addition of new requirements for record-keeping and audits, as well as a new requirement that every ballot has a serial number.

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Another measure voted down Monday was Senate Bill 1572, which would have required the county recorded to publish a list of eligible voters on its website before each election and ballot images and the cast vote record before the county canvass after every election.

Republicans hold a slim 16-14 majority in the Senate. That means opposition by all 14 Democrats and just one Republican is enough to end a bill. In Monday’s votes, the opposing Republicans were either Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita of Scottsdale or Sen. Paul Boyer of Glendale – sometimes both. Both Ugenti-Rita and Boyer were critical of the controversial audit of the 2020 election commissioned by Republican Senate leaders. The audit didn’t uncover the massive voter fraud some supporters had claimed was rampant in the election. But Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 100 pieces of legislation to alter state elections. Boyer found himself at odds with many in his own party after early on, he acknowledged that President Joe Biden was the legitimate winner.

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One of the bills voted down last week would have required the Arizona auditor general to review every election in Maricopa and Pima counties. While the process would be similar to the third-party audit of the 2020 election, the proposed reviews would be handled by a government agency.

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