Could Arizona voting laws get pushback? Bills in the legislature would make voting stricter

Bills in AZ state legislature would make voting stricter

While the MLB pulled the All-Star game out of Georgia over its new voting laws, we're looking at similar efforts in Arizona and the pushback that's coming with it.

PHOENIX - Georgia's governor vows to defend his state's new voting law against lawsuits and boycotts.

Republican Brian Kemp made the comments on April 3, one day after Major League Baseball pulled the All-Star game out of Atlanta.

Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines have also come out against the new law, calling it too restrictive.

The law signed last month makes it illegal to hand out food or water to voters waiting in line. It also limits the use of ballot drop boxes and adds tougher ID requirements for voting by mail.

"Major League Baseball caved to fear and lies from liberal activists. They ignored the facts of our new election integrity law and they ignored the consequences of their decision on our local community," said Kemp.

President Joe Biden said, "The very people who are victimized the most are the people who are the leaders in these various sports. And it's just not right. This is Jim Crow on steroids, what they're doing down in Georgia."

Former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump both weighed in on the issue. Obama congratulated the league for, "taking a stand on behalf of voting rights," while Trump called on people to "boycott baseball and all of the woke companies that are interfering with free and fair elections."

Similar bills are being considered in Arizona right now and also getting pushback from several CEOs to the owner of the Arizona Cardinals.

Business leaders are under pressure to denounce GOP voting bills in Arizona and other states.

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has signed onto a letter by Greater Phoenix Leadership, along with other CEOs, urging the legislature not to pass three senate bills that they say would disenfranchise voters.

"This is simply designed to make it harder for Arizona voters to participate in elections," said Ryan Snow of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights.

23 bills are under consideration in the Arizona state legislature. Many are considered voter suppression bills.

Senate Bill 1485, which concerns early voting, says if a voter misses two federal elections in a row, they can be removed from the permanent early voter list, used primarily for voting by mail.

It would instantly remove 150,000 Arizonans from the permanent early voter list.

"What's new is the kind of fanatical push post 2020 elections to roll back some of the voter programs, voter friendly programs that led to a record high turnout," said Snow.

"40 states are looking at these laws our legislators are working to identify ways that they can restore that trust and confidence in people to go to the polls and vote," said Shelly Kais, chairwoman of the Pima County Republican party.

Similar bills passed in states like Georgia are getting pushback and are being accused of suppressing the vote.

Democrats are hoping Arizona won't get that far.

None of the voting measures have made it to the Governor Doug Ducey's desk to be signed or vetoed, but there's nearly a month left before the legislature adjourns.

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