Arizona Legislature sends bill to speed up election results to Gov. Hobbs

PHOENIX – The Arizona Legislature on Thursday sent a bill designed to speed up election results to the desk of Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has indicated she would veto it.

Reforming the ballot counting process is a priority this session for Republicans, who control both chambers of the Legislature.

“As promised, the first bill being sent to the governor this year is an election integrity measure,” Senate President Warren Petersen said in a press release after his chamber passed SB1011/HB2703. “Recent polling shows most Arizona voters want us to take action to speed up vote counting. We are providing our citizens exactly what they’ve asked for.”

The Senate passed the legislation a day after the House, with both votes going along party lines.

Earlier this week, Christian Slater, Hobbs’ communications director, accused Republicans of trying to “jam through” legislation without considering bipartisan compromises.

“If they were serious about commonsense reforms for the 2026 election, they would come to the table and truly negotiate,” he said in a statement released Tuesday. “But policies that make it harder to vote, without counter-balancing reforms to increase voter access, are a poison pill. Without real compromise, the bills will be vetoed.”

Chief among the provisions of the bill passed Thursday is a new deadline of 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day for dropping off early ballots at a voting location. It wouldn’t affect the deadline for early ballots returned by mail, which must reach election offices before the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.

The legislation is modeled, in part, after Florida’s voting system, which is known for producing some of the nation’s most complete election results soon after the polls close.

Why are lawmakers trying to speed up election results?

Under current laws, voters can drop off early ballots in person until the polls close. The late early ballots can take up to a week or more to process because they need to go through signature verification before tabulation. As a result, it can take days for enough ballots to be counted to determine winners in close races.

Republican officials in Maricopa County, which has been a prime target for complaints about slow election results, have come out in favor of SB1011/HB2703.

“The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors fully supports this measure, and we strongly urge Gov. Hobbs to sign this widely supported legislation to uphold voter confidence and deliver the efficient, transparent elections. It’s just common sense,” Supervisor Mark Stewart said in the release.

However, Hobbs has repeatedly said she would veto any legislation that could potentially make voting more difficult.

“My line in the sand has been, and will continue to be, anything that makes it harder for Arizonans to vote is a ‘no’ for me, and that includes the flexibility that we have with early voting,” the Democrat told reporters in November 2024.

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap is hoping Hobbs changes her stance.

“I applaud all those who voted for this critical bill and encourage Gov. Hobbs to reconsider her stated opposition,” he said in the release.

Related

Arizona lawmakers propose multiple plans to speed up election resultsArizona Gov. Katie Hobbs maintains opposition to changing state's early voting lawsArizona Senate President Warren Petersen says new bill will speed up election resultsArizona judge rejects Republican effort to block ESA reform ballot initiative; appeal plannedKatie Hobbs dodges debate question twice, says she’d rather meet voters face to faceKatie Hobbs won’t rule out Republican as her pick for Arizona’s 1st lieutenant governor