The Arizona Supreme Court on Sunday refused to grant an emergency request that would extend the deadline for voters to correct signature discrepancies on mail-in ballots—a process eliciting concern for potential disenfranchisement in the context of a tightly contested election landscape. Advocating for the extension were voter rights groups, notably the American Civil Liberties Union and the Campaign Legal Center. These organizations underscore that more than 250,000 mail-in ballots remained unverified as of Friday evening, with a significant majority being in Maricopa County, as detailed by ABC15 News.
Justice Bill Montgomery, responding to the petition, indicated that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest disenfranchisement. The justice, a Republican and 2019 appointee of former Gov. Doug Ducey, emphasized in the court's communication, "The Court has no information to establish in fact that any such individuals did not have the benefit of ‘reasonable efforts’ to cure their ballots." However, the Navajo Nation highlighted concern for its members, advising the court that over 182 individuals in Apache County were in need to swiftly cure their ballots—an action which now faces the constraints of the unyielding deadline. Notably, Maricopa County reported early Sunday the presence of approximately 202,000 ballots still pending count, as reported by AP News.
The dispatches from election officials outlined that voters with inconsistent signatures were notified at least once, countered with attempts to reach them by email, text messages, or traditional mail, as per ABC15 News. "All such affected voters" in the eight reporting counties received at least one telephone call alongside "other messages," according to statements recorded by Montgomery.
