Fogbow

Stephen Richer—MaricopaCountyRecorder (prsnl acct) @stephen_richer wrote: Good question @Jnet_margarita!

1) The image in the original post is of signatures on a candidate petition sheet, not on return ballot affidavit envelopes

2) Arizona law makes signatures on candidate petition sheets public records. Conversely, Arizona law prohibits public production of the signatures on the ballot affidavit envelopes.

3) Why is that? Because voting is a constitutional right, and the state legislature likely thought it shouldn't subject anyone exercising that constitutional right to also have to reveal their signature. In contrast, signing a petition sheet is a form of public endorsement that is an inherently public act.

4) This very topic has recently been ruled on, and the court affirmed that ballot affidavit envelopes are not subjected to public records law. Producing them for a public records request would violate the law. That's why we didn't do it.

Question 2: Doesn't this show that people attempt to commit mass signature fraud?

The scenarios -- committing fraud on a petition sheet versus committing fraud on a return ballot affidavit envelope -- are very different.

For petition sheet fraud, the candidate has a very specific interest (to get the exact number of signatures required), he has access to where the signature would be written (on the sheet), and the signatures are not automatically subject to review (only if specific line is challenged by opponent).

For ballot affidavit fraud, the fraudster doesn't know how many efforts at fraud are needed (he doesn't know if just a few more voters are needed or thousands), he doesn't have access to where the signature would be written (he would have to steal ballot packets out of mailboxes), he has to rely on the silence of the intended recipient (as soon as the intended voter says something, the stolen ballot packet would be deactivated, and if enough missing ballot packets are reported, or a whole neighborhood, then we would launch a law enforcement inquiry), and every signature is checked before moving forward.

So the two scenarios are not similar at all.

And yes, almost every election cycle, we see petition fraud by a candidate or by a paid signature gatherer.

Jeannette Garcia @Jnet_margarita wrote: Hey .@stephen_richer since this was posted then can we now see the envelopes?

The Arizona Supreme Court set off a political earthquake on Tuesday, resuscitating a 160-year-old territorial law making abortion a criminal act.

But it’s the aftershocks that will be long lasting.

That movement you feel under your feet? That’s one of America’s key battleground states swinging blue.

Republicans are cheering today -- or in the case of some, backpedaling -- but what they should be doing is strategizing about how to get out of a political mess of their own making.

If that’s even possible at this point. I’m not sure it is, given the makeup of their voter base and their own sincerely held belief that abortion is, as Kari Lake has said, “the ultimate sin.”

But here is what is clear: If the GOP-run Legislature does nothing and allows this 19th century law to stand, Republicans soon could be looking at a state where abortion is a constitutional right and Democrats take total control of the state.

The Arizona for Abortion Access initiative, enshrining abortion into the state constitution, already has the signatures to get on the November ballot. It already was going to boost voter turnout, which is no small thing in a state that Joe Biden won by just 0.3%.

SCOAZ wrote:The legislature included a two-part construction provision in S.B. 1164, expressing its unequivocal intent that, in restricting elective abortion to fifteen weeks’ gestation, it did not create, recognize, or expand a right to an abortion, nor did it repeal § 13-3603’s proscription on elective abortion [the 1864 criminalization] :

This act does not:

1. Create or recognize a right to abortion or alter generally accepted medical standards. The Legislature does not intend this act to make lawful an abortion that is currently unlawful.

2. Repeal, by implication or otherwise, section 13-3603, Arizona Revised Statutes, or any other applicable state law regulating or restricting abortion.

Acyn @Acyn wrote: Simone: If you had to travel to another state to get an abortion, it’s not the worst thing in the world. Hopefully this is very rare occurrence in your life… Buying a bus ticket to go somewhere to get it is not the worst thing in the world.

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 6:33 pm In this episode, Richer uses a lot of word to call someone wrong, so very wrong.

Stephen Richer—MaricopaCountyRecorder (prsnl acct) @stephen_richer wrote: Good question @Jnet_margarita!

How did I miss this???? I magnanimously thank you for the find. See? My mom taught me how to share.

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:14 pm Exactly, they did exactly what they wanted to do. Now they are trying to disown it. As if.

Not getting it on so many levels.
https: //twitter.com/Acyn/status/1777799954339188880

Acyn @Acyn wrote: Simone: If you had to travel to another state to get an abortion, it’s not the worst thing in the world. Hopefully this is very rare occurrence in your life… Buying a bus ticket to go somewhere to get it is not the worst thing in the world.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office @mcsoaz wrote: Sheriff Skinner's statement on the Arizona Supreme Court ruling to ban nearly all abortions in the state.

► Show Spoiler

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 12:31 pm So the tact all around appears to be pretend that the law doesn't exist.
[url]https: //x.com/mcsoaz/status/1777864020894339564[/url]

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office @mcsoaz wrote: Sheriff Skinner's statement on the Arizona Supreme Court ruling to ban nearly all abortions in the state.

► Show Spoiler

bill_g wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 12:41 pm

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 12:31 pm So the tact all around appears to be pretend that the law doesn't exist.
[url]https: //x.com/mcsoaz/status/1777864020894339564[/url]

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office @mcsoaz wrote: Sheriff Skinner's statement on the Arizona Supreme Court ruling to ban nearly all abortions in the state.

► Show Spoiler

Was there a call for the sheriff to immediately start bustin heads at Planned Parenthood, or was he telling anyone thinking along those lines to back off?

A Republican ‘Guardrail’

Stephen Richer and I have recorded a Q&A, here. At the beginning, I say something like this: “I don’t mean to insult you right off the bat, but are you a little too famous, nationally, for a county recorder?” Yes, he says. Then he adapts a line from Casablanca: “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world . . .”

In short: Election denialism exploded in Maricopa County, Ariz. It exploded elsewhere too — Capitol Hill, obviously; Georgia — but it has been very ugly in Maricopa County. This is an immense county, the fourth-largest in America. Its seat is Phoenix. Richer, as the recorder, is an important elections official. He ran for the office in 2020. He did not bargain for what he got. But he has stood strong, one of those “guardrails” — human guardrails — who protect our democracy.

raison de arizona wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:25 pm ...
The latter, I believe. Rs are backpedaling right and left on this one in AZ. They were all about it before Roe fell, but the climate has changed.

Barry Markson @BarryMarkson1 wrote: BREAKING: Arizona legislature had opportunity today to vote to repeal the 1864 total ban on abortion law. It was a clean bill that did nothing but repeal the old law. The 2022 15 week ban would then be the law. Very simple vote for any republican who has stated this week they don’t support the total ban. Every democrat was ready to vote for repeal.

Guess what happened. The Republicans, who control the legislature, voted to adjourn rather than vote to repeal the law. Such lying hypocrites. Republicans want a total abortion ban. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.

Wayne Schutsky @WayneSchutsky wrote: Dem Rep Stahl Hamilton makes a motion to bring her bill repealing Arizona’s territorial near full abortion ban. Republicans are now trying to adjourn rather than vote on her motion. This comes an hour after Republicans Matt Gress made a failed attempt to vote on the repeal.

Democracy watchdog identifies 31 'election deniers' at AZ Legislature
The nonprofit States United Democracy Center released the study, analyzing the seven states that were focal points in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.

A recent report says Arizona stands out nationwide with the amount of so-called “election deniers” at the state legislature. The nonprofit States United Democracy Center released the study, analyzing the seven states that were focal points in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.

In Arizona, 31 sitting legislators – who supported former President Trump and election conspiracies – meet the nonprofit’s criteria of election deniers. They account for 34% of the state legislature, the highest percentage of any state.

“Election deniers in state legislatures have the potential to undermine the will of the voters,” said Kelly Rader, Research Director for the nonprofit. “We also think there is a connection between the election denier rhetoric, the conspiracy theories about our elections, and the potential for violence in and around elections.”

Maricopa County Recorder's Office @RecordersOffice wrote: Here's the full lineup of Maricopa County's "I Voted" stickers for 2024.

Voters will get one of these eight sticker designs, which include the winners of our "I Voted" sticker contest.

These stickers are exclusively available during this year's July 30 primary and November 5 general election.

The AZ - abc15 - Data Guru @Garrett_Archer wrote: BREAKING: Motion to consider repealing Arizona's territorial era abortion law FAILS in a vote of 30-30.

Arizona Agenda @arizonaagenda wrote: A #Democrat running for the state Senate says posing for a photo with Kari Lake “does not align me with her extremism.”

But how about if that photo was at a Lake fundraiser? And what about all the other photos with #MAGA Republicans?

Link in bio

Maricopa County Recorder's Office @RecordersOffice wrote: Set a reminder to tune in!

Maricopa County Recorder @stephen_richer is hosting a livestreamed tour of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) today at noon.

Don't forget to tune in to watch and ask any questions you have about the process!