A draft bill from Republican lawmakers would fix a potential election logjam.
It would also stir in unrelated changes to how Arizona runs its elections, likely ensuring it won’t get the bipartisan two-thirds vote needed to meet a Friday deadline. And Gov. Katie Hobbs thinks the draft is “unacceptable.”
Still, Arizona’s election officials say they can work with it.
The proposal would bump up this year’s primary to July 30 and reduce timelines for verifying a voter’s signature on their mail-in ballot and canvassing election results. Those changes are intended to prevent a nightmare scenario: Some military and overseas voters wouldn’t be able to submit a ballot if any of this year’s primary and general races are forced into automatic recounts.
But the draft legislation, written late in the week, goes beyond resolving the current dilemma. It includes proposals to change early voting procedures and, as of 2026, to move the primary election to May — a shift that requires numerous other changes in the law.