A final report for the Maricopa County, Arizona audit is on its way. Senate President Karen Fann confirmed on Aug. 16 a draft report should be sent to the senate team for review on Monday. The final report will be made public once the draft is fully vetted.
The audit report is not the only election-related thing brewing in Arizona. There has also been a call for canvassers in the county, although it is unclear whether the canvassing is linked to the official audit team. The Arizona Conservatives Take Action sent out a message on their telegram channel requesting volunteers using Liz Harris' web-based form for volunteers "to assist with election integrity research." Harris went door to door with a team of volunteer canvassers in the fall to verify voter addresses in Arizona.
Republican lawmakers also held an Aug. 17 press conference calling for, among other things, new identification requirements for early voters, called the Arizonan's for Voter ID Act. The lawmakers contend that a growing number of Arizonans support the use of IDs in early voting and at the polls. Ballot harvesting is also addressed in the Act.
"The main provision of the proposed ballot measure would require voters who cast early ballots to confirm their identities with one of several forms of identification. They would be required to include their date of birth along with their driver’s license number, state identification card number, voter identification number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on the affidavit they include with their early ballots."
"[Another] provision would change the voter identification requirements for people who cast ballots in person. Voters must currently show either a photo ID or two documents that include their names and addresses, such as bank statements, utility bills, vehicle registration, property tax statement or tribal enrollment card. Under the proposed act, voters would be required to show a photo ID in all cases, and if that identification has an out-of-date address, they must show another document that includes the address in the voter registration records."
Arizona is also mulling over a complete overhaul of its ballots led by Rep. Mark Finchem, as reported by UncoverDC. He has launched the Ballot Integrity Project. The new ballots, if approved, will make it almost impossible to commit fraud.
UncoverDC asked Finchem to comment on the developments in his state. He said he is actively working with legislators from all over the country to deliver more trustworthy elections:
"From coast to coast and border to border, all Americans have an interest in protecting our elections system. In Arizona, 64% of votes favor photo IDs and enhanced voter laws. Combined with the ballot fraud countermeasures we propose, we are working to implement reasonable measures to protect a legitimate vote."
Arizona's Attorney General, Mark Brnovich, at the request of Senate Majority Whip Sonny Borelli, is in the process of investigating the Maricopa Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) for their failure to comply with Senate subpoenas, per reporting by UncoverDC. The county has refused to supply key admin passwords, routers, and hardware keys needed to complete the Maricopa County Forensic audit.
With this first-of-its-kind forensic audit, Arizona has been a leader in the push for election integrity. The results of this audit may well cause other states currently in the battle for election integrity, like Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, to follow suit.
