By Howard Fischer || Capitol Media Services January 16, 2023
A newly elected state lawmaker who wants to overturn the 2022 election is now trying to get colleagues to outlaw voting by mail.
The proposal by Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler, says anyone who wants to vote must go to the polls. HB 2229 says the only exception would be those who are physically unable or those in the military who are overseas.
But that’s only part of her agenda.
Harris also is sponsoring HB 2232. It not only would preclude early voting – even in person – but also require that all ballots be counted by hand.
And her HB 2233 seeks to expand the grounds on which anyone could sue to overturn election results and give them and their allies the power to inspect each ballot. Current law permits the review of only a random sample.
But it is her bid to require people to go to the polls and vote in person that could have the broadest impact.
In the most recent race, more than 80% of the nearly 2.6 million voters chose to take advantage of a 1991 law that allows anyone to request an early ballot. But Harris said that doesn’t make it right.
She said the audit of the 2020 election ordered by then-Senate President Karen Fann provided access to both the ballot envelopes and each person’s voter registration card.
