By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is asking the Arizona Supreme Court to force Pinal County to comply with state election laws – and do so this year.
In new filings, Fontes said that even Pinal County Superior Court Judge Delia Neal, appointed by then-Governor Doug Ducey, ruled that the county was acting illegally in not allowing residents to cast a ballot in any polling place where they show up and have their votes counted. That is a requirement of the Elections Procedures Manual which has the force of law.
But Neal, in a ruling earlier this month, agreed to allow the county to avoid that requirement this year based on its arguments that it was too close to the election to make such changes.
Fontes, however, said that argument doesn’t wash, pointing out the provision was adopted last December.
“The county knew about the requirement, and chose to ignore it,” Fontes told the justices through Assistant Attorney General Kara Karlson who is representing his office.
