Ducey says business opposition wonât influence decision on election bills
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey speaks about the coronavirus pandemic at a news conference July 9, 2020. Photo by Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press | Pool photo
Gov. Doug Ducey said business community opposition to a pair of election bills that critics allege will suppress voters wonât affect his decision on whether to sign the legislation if it reaches his desk.
Greater Phoenix Leadership, a business and civic organization, issued a statement last week urging lawmakers to reject legislation that it said is voter suppression. The proposed bills would purge inactive voters from the stateâs Permanent Early Voting List and to require voters to include driverâs license numbers or other proof of identification with their early ballots.Â
April 7, 2021 1:50 p.m.
J.D. Mesnard, a Republican state senator in Arizona, couldn’t hide his disappointment that a high-powered group of Phoenix business leaders had signed onto a letter calling a bill of his one that significantly beefs up identification requirements for voting by mail an attempt at “voter suppression cloaked as reform.”
“That exact phrasing that was used is beyond disappointing,” a wounded Mesnard told TPM over the phone Tuesday.
“I know those guys, at least some of them, that signed the letter,” the senator said. “I’ve got a reasonably good relationship with them. Don’t always agree on every issue. But that specific phraseology how that’s characterized, my intent being questioned is beyond offensive.”
Arizona executives pressure GOP to drop alarming elections bills. But top Republican says he doesn t know what they re talking about
Business leaders letter to legislature comes as MLB dumps Atlanta All-Star game. Bidwill s signature is a reminder of NFL pressure on state in past controversies. Author: Brahm Resnik Updated: 9:05 AM MST April 6, 2021
PHOENIX A who s who of Arizona business leaders is urging the Republican-controlled state legislature to back off alarming election bills, warning that attempts to disenfranchise Arizona voters are not election reform and cannot be tolerated.
The letter was sent Friday by Greater Phoenix Leadership, the same day Major League Baseball pulled the 2021 All-Star game from Atlanta in response to new election laws in the State of Georgia that have been widely criticized by voting-rights groups.
Arizona currently leads the nation in introducing legislation meant to restrict voters’ access to the polls, but it is hard to tell that from watching local broadcast news in the state. As of April 1, 23 proposed laws are working their way through the state’s legislature, including two, SB 1485 and SB 1713, that have already passed the state Senate.
A Media Matters review of Arizona local television found there were 42 segments that mentioned one or more of these bills throughout the month of March, but only a fraction of these referenced the disproportionate impacts the proposed voting restrictions would have on voters of color and just one segment correctly reported that claims of mass voter fraud in the state’s 2020 election were false.
El proyecto de ley de la legislatura estatal podría eliminar a los votantes infrecuentes de la lista de votación anticipada statepress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from statepress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.