PHX Reporter

November 3rd is quickly approaching as we grow closer to finding out the results of the most important presidential election we have seen.  In less than a month, we will know whether we will choose to stay American or if we will cave to the socialist agenda of the radical left that goes against every aspect of the great country our forefathers built.

One of the most controversial topics of the upcoming election has been voting and whether mail in voting is safe, secure and accurate or if it will leave us vulnerable to fraud. Arizona is one of the first and only states to create a mail in voting process that is proven to be secure, but it did not just happen overnight. Arizonans have been perfecting their mail in voting for over three decades and it is nothing compared to the universal mail in voting systems that we see popping up across the nation, specifically in places like Nevada, New Jersey and many others. 

In August, over eighty eight percent of Arizona voters requested their ballot by mail, which is a vital distinction compared to what we are seeing in some states. President Trump has openly disavowed mass mail in voting which is mailing of millions of ballots without individuals requesting them, but he supports Arizona's election process. “In Arizona, we’re going to do it right. It will be free and fair. It will be difficult if not impossible to cheat and it will be easy to vote,” said Governor Ducey.  

Arizona first established absentee ballot voting in 1991, but the voter had to provide sufficient evidence that they would be unable to make it to the polls on election day. By 1997, absentee voting was redefined as early voting and by 2007, Pima County worked with the state legislature to establish Permanent Early Voting.  

Local and State officials have worked to ensure that voting can be convenient, easy and fully transparent and secure. When voters request their Arizona ballot, they can rest assured that their ballot will make its way safely to the election offices. If there are any complications, they will receive a phone call to verify their vote from one of the many hardworking ballot counters. This video shows voters the process to ensure that every vote is counted and recorded, and I encourage those reading this to watch.   

The attempts by left-leaning advocacy groups in Arizona to extend registration deadlines because of the pandemic were recently struck down by the 9th circuit court of appeals. The court agreed with state officials and Republicans that the stay-at-home order Governor Ducey issued during the pandemic specifically mitigated the difficulties for registering voters. The stay-at-home order exempted constitutionally protected speech activities such as voter registration efforts.  

Some people are also worried about their local post office losing their ballot, but in Arizona voters do not have to worry as they have the ability to track their ballot online and county officials, regularly drop in to the post office to make sure things are going smoothly.  

It is vitally important that our election process is kept safe, secure and fully transparent so that the American people are properly represented. States that are trying to throw together universal mail in ballot systems in just months before a national election are acting irresponsibly. Voters will not trust these elections as they prone to fraud. Here in Arizona there was an attempt to disrupt our secure process, by trying to change the rules to allow ballots that arrive after 7pm on election night to be counted, but that request was struck down by a federal judge. There was also a lawsuit to attempt to institute ballot harvesting although it is illegal under Arizona law but luckily the federal appeals court struck it down citing that it violated the Voting Rights Acts. Since these attempts failed democrats will now wait for the Supreme Court to hear their arguments, but the law to ban ballot harvesting will remain in effect through November 3rd. 

Even now, many states are still attempting to undermine the election process by creating an entirely new system of mass mail-in voting. Elections must be safe, secure and fair. On November 3rd, I urge Arizonans to cast their ballot, whether that be by mail or in person, for the only candidate who truly listens to We the People and will stand up for America—President Donald J. Trump. 

– Senator Ugenti-Rita serves in the State Legislature from District 23.