Republicans Ask Arizona Appellate Court To Consider Challenge to Election Procedures Manual
After an Arizona judge dismissed their challenge to the state’s Election Procedures Manual (EPM), Republicans are asking a state appellate court to weigh in on the state’s elections guidelines.
In May, a trial court rejected the case brought by the RNC in early February that sought to invalidate the state’s 2023 EPM. The court rejected this effort, finding that the plaintiffs failed “to state a claim upon which relief can be granted��� and holding that the state’s administrative rules do not apply to the EPM.
Now, Republicans are appealing the case in hopes of sewing chaos into the state’s election administration ahead of the 2024 election. Democracy Docket is currently tracking three active right-wing lawsuits targeting Arizona’s 2023 EPM.
Original post, May 14, 2024
A state court has rejected the Republican National Committee’s attempt to upend election administration in Arizona, a key state for the 2024 presidential election.
This decision marks the end of the road for a case brought by the RNC in early February that sought to invalidate the state’s 2023 Election Procedures Manual (EPM).
The lawsuit, brought by the RNC, Republican Party of Arizona and Yavapai County Republican Party, alleged that Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) did not provide the public with enough notice or opportunity to comment before implementing the EPM, in violation of Arizona’s Administrative Procedures Act. The case, which specifically targeted the state’s election policies pertaining to proof of citizenship requirements, mail-in voting procedures and signature verification, sought to create chaos ahead of the 2024 election by invalidating the state’s guiding election administration document.
The court rejected this effort, finding that the plaintiffs failed “to state a claim upon which relief can be granted” and holding that the state’s administrative procedures rules do not apply to the EPM.
As Arizona prepares for the 2024 election cycle, right-wing litigants have made a habit of targeting election administration in the state. With the RNC’s case now closed, there are four active anti-voting lawsuits aimed at election administration — two of which are still challenging the state’s EPM. Last month, a state court judge rejected a right-wing bid to upend mail-in voting procedures via two separate lawsuits targeting signature verification and drop boxes.