By Ronald J. Hansen | Arizona Republic
Nearly every member of Arizona’s House delegation is involved in the chamber’s historic shift to proxy voting on Wednesday, with Democrats taking advantage of the new rule and Republicans seeking to block it from happening.
Democratic Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Ann Kirkpatrick are among at least four dozen House members who will stay out of the Capitol during the pandemic and still hope to participate in roll call votes.
Arizona’s three other Democrats, Reps. Ruben Gallego, Tom O’Halleran and Greg Stanton, plan to vote on behalf of other members as part of the new, temporary rule, which was approved May 15 in a nod to the coronavirus.
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Two of Arizona’s House Republicans are among the 21 House members suing to prevent the distance voting on the grounds that the Constitution requires in-person meetings of Congress. Gilbert resident Mickie Niland, a GOP party activist, is one of four citizens across the country also participating in a court case filed in Washington.
As it stands, the House is set to begin taking up matters Wednesday morning.
