Trump Pushes to End Mail-In Voting in Arizona

In Arizona, I think it's fair to say we're not big fans of being pushed around by the federal government. We already have some state laws here that differ from most other states, and a few that diverge from federal law.

Arizona's open carry gun laws and legal standing on recreational marijuana use spring to mind. Now, President Donald Trump is trying to square off with Arizona voters, and the citizens in our state are pushing back.

READ MORE: Surprise! Did You Know? 14 Things are Legal in Arizona

Trump Calls Arizona's Mail-in Voting 'Corrupt'

President Donald Trump is once again targeting mail-in voting, calling it “corrupt” and a threat to democracy. 12 News shares that the President recently announced he's planning to sign an executive order to ban mail-in ballots nationwide. And he's starting with states like Arizona.

According to Politifact.com, during the 2016 election, Donald Trump alleged in a tweet on X that "large-scale voter fraud [was] happening on and before election day," and that voting with mail-in ballots benefits Democrats and undermines election integrity.

He claims, without evidence, that the system is riddled with fraud, Fox10 shares, and that "Republicans must act to stop it."

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Arizona’s Long History of Mail-In Voting

Yeah. This is Arizona. There's little chance Arizona will comply with the president's edict.

Our state has used mail-in voting for more than twenty years. It's not only convenient for voters, it's deeply ingrained in the state's election process.

In the last national election, the website Target Early reports that more than 2.4 million people in Arizona voted early, and most of those votes were cast by mail.

That means more than three-quarters of the state’s voters cast ballots by mail. In a press release by Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, he pushed back on the president's claims, calling the statements “false” and “a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution”.

Some of Donald Trump's other executive orders have raised eyebrows. Here's how Social Security Changes are Hitting Arizona's Retirees.

Legal Experts Defend Arizona’s Voting System

Legally, elections are run by individual states, not the federal government. Experts, like those at UC Law San Francisco, have looked at the president's executive orders and believe this one may not stand.

Trump’s proposed executive order to eliminate mail-in voting in Arizona will probably see significant legal challenges. Before it could become law, it would need congressional approval.

Both Democrats and some Republicans in Arizona are pushing back. They argue that mail-in voting is secure, convenient, and trusted by voters across party lines.

Right now, Donald Trump can demonize and try to eliminate mail-in ballots, but Arizona isn't likely to change anytime soon.