An effort to revive a major piece of a repealed 2013 election law by making it a felony for anyone but a family member or candidate to collect early ballots from voters failed in a House committee Thursday. The proposal was tacked on to a bill during a special meeting of the House elections committee, but it went down on a 3-3 vote. Rep. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, joined two Democrats in opposition. The so-called ‘strike-everything” amendment backed by Secretary of State Michele Reagan revived a part of a major election overhaul that angered Democrats, some conservative Republicans and third-party candidates. After a successful signature-gathering effort to block the 2013 law, pending a statewide election, the Legislature repealed House Bill 2305.
“I did not support 2305. This bill still does not address many concerns that I had in 2305,” Carter said. “The language is vague. It could potentially make someone’s aunt or uncle a felon.”
Sen. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, was sponsoring Senate Bill 1340 to tighten rules on what Republicans call “ballot harvesting.” He urged members to back the tough amendment Reagan proposed.
“We have a way to transfer power peacefully, and it’s through the ballot,” Shooter said. “And when we begin to erode that we erode it for all of us, I don’t care if you’re Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative. We have to hold the ballot sacred. It’s the only thing that separates us from a great deal of human history.”
Full Article: Proposal would make it illegal to collect early ballots.