Arizona Supreme Court Rejects GOP Challenge to Mail-in Voting
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, June 2, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to review a Republican challenge to the Grand Canyon State’s largely popular and secure mail-in voting system, which has been in place since 1991. Today’s decision stems from a lawsuit filed in May 2022 by the Arizona Republican Party and its chairwoman alleging that the state’s no-excuse mail-in voting system violates the Arizona Constitution.
Back in June 2022, an Arizona trial court rejected the Republican plaintiffs’ request for relief and subsequently dismissed the case, which the state GOP promptly appealed. In January 2023, the Arizona Court of Appeals unanimously rejected Arizona Republicans’ request to invalidate the state’s mail-in voting system, which they appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court. Today’s order from Arizona’s highest court puts an end to Arizona Republicans’ effort to undermine their own election system.
Ironically, the 1991 no-excuse mail-in voting law that the state GOP sought to do away with passed with large bipartisan majorities in both houses of the Arizona Legislature and was signed into law by Arizona’s then-Republican Gov. Fife Symington.
This unsuccessful lawsuit represents Arizona Republicans’ second failed attempt to challenge the state’s no-excuse mail-in voting system in court. Today’s decision is a victory for Arizona voters — a majority of whom vote by mail — since they will continue to benefit from Arizona’s robust mail-in voting system in future elections.