Anti-Democracy

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House Bill 2415 — Permanent early voting list change

VETOED: Creates unnecessary additions to state statutes while not solving any actual issues.
 

 Hobbs’ Position:   Arizona's active early voting list is secure and convenient for voters. I stand ready to sign bills that make voting more accessible, accurate, and secure. This bill accomplishes none of these goals.

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House Bill 2560 – Images; voter lists; records; contest

VETOED: Threatens voter privacy and exacerbates conspiracy theories.
 

 Hobbs’ Position:   While I understand this bill is intended to further transparency in the election process, it could create serious problems. First, this bill threatens anonymity and privacy - core tenants of free and fair voting in our democracy. It also opens the door to the spread of additional election mis- and dis-information, which there is far too much of already. Finally, it places a burdensome, unfunded mandate on our election officials, who already face a multitude of challenges going into the 2024 election cycle. I do not doubt that this bill is well-intentioned, but it is clear to me that it creates more harm than good for Arizona's election officials and voters.

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Senate Bill 1074 — Tabulating machine rules

VETOED: This bill neither strengthens our democracy, nor ensures that Arizonans can better exercise their fundamental right to vote.

 Hobbs’ Position:   The election equipment required by the bill, as well as the problem it purports to solve, does not exist. This bill neither strengthens our democracy, nor ensures that Arizonans can better exercise their fundamental right to vote. I stand ready to receive bills that do.

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Senate Bill 1009 — Punishment for damaging monuments

VETOED: Is already covered by existing state and federal laws.

 Hobbs’ Position:   State law already provides adequate tools to prosecute criminal damage to the items contemplated in this bill, including Confederate monuments, and increasing the penalties will do little to deter such crime.

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House Bill 2322 — Ballot signature verification standards

VETOED: Creates unnecessary additions to state statutes while not solving any actual issues.

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 Hobbs’ Position:   The standards in this bill are already several years old and are more appropriately included as part of the Election Procedures Manual required by ARS 16-452, or as ongoing guidance developed by the Secretary of State in consultation with county election officials.

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House Bill 2691 — Chain-of-custody requirements for ballots

VETOED: Creates unnecessary additions to state statutes while not solving any actual issues.
 

 Hobbs’ Position:   As I have stated previously, I am eager to work with the Legislature to advance legislation that strengthens our elections. This bill, unfortunately, does not advance that goal.

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Senate Bill 1021 — Attorney General’s duties

VETOED: Existing state laws adequately outline duties.
 

 Hobbs’ Position:   Though the bill was amended to relieve the Attorney General of the duty to defend the constitutionality of state laws if she provides notice to the Legislature at least 10 days before any substantive or dispositive filing is due, there are often cases in which such filings are due in less than 10 days (e.g., expedited election cases or preliminary injunction deadlines).

The Attorney General, like other elected officials, swears an oath to support the Constitution and laws of Arizona and the United States. The litigation choices made by the Attorney General are therefore dictated not only by state law, but also by this allegiance to the Constitution and her ethical duties as an attorney.

Unfortunately, the legislature has been known to pass laws that its own lawyers advise would not survive constitutional scrutiny. On occasion, the legislature has even passed laws intended to prompt litigation. Rather than change state law to require the Attorney General to defend laws even under such circumstances, I encourage the legislature to be more exacting in its deliberations to ensure fidelity to the Constitution.

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Senate Bill 1262 — Felony violation rearrest

VETOED: Would lead to due process concerns.

 Hobbs’ Position:   This bill raises due process concerns. I encourage the proponents to work with stakeholders in the interim and bring back a consensus proposal next session.

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Senate Bill 1565 — AI in the election process

VETOED: Preventing state resources from being wasted on problems that do not exist.

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 Hobbs’ Position:   I believe that there are opportunities to work together to tackle the challenges facing elections in Arizona. This bill, instead, attempts to solve challenges that do not currently face our State.