Cities And Towns Usurp Voting RightsPosted: 2014-08-21 Wes Harris
I do not know about you but I feel something is very wrong with this picture. For over 30 years I have lobbied the City of Phoenix' mayor and Council to stop interfering in State business on their behalf and not on the behalf of the citizens of this city. This takes the form of spending our money lobbying our elected representatives at the State capital, among other things. For some reason the League of Cities and Towns and their tax supported members seem to think that they are exempt from reporting to We the People.
Now we have others (not Phoenix) deciding that because the State Legislature passed a law that consolidates elections, including those for town/city councils, they have the right to force all voters living within their specified town/city limits to vote ONLY by mail. This move has to be one of the most well kept secrets of this past year because even elected State Representatives living within these cities did not know about it nor did the head of the Maricopa County Republican Committee. The following (I believe convoluted) discussion would suggest that Mr. LaFaro knew about this but I have testimony otherwise and this looks like an attempt to gloss over this fact. Be that as it may, I personally feel that this is totally wrong and must be corrected. Read it for yourself and let me know if you agree. I am glad I do not live in any of these cities or towns because if I did I would be down at city hall with a pitchfork. Mail in ballots (if you agree or disagree with the concept, and I don't) have been and should be voluntary. No elected representative should have the authority to make it compulsory, in my opinion. To add insult to injury, the County is magnanimously providing 'replacement ballots' all you have to do is drive down to the city or town clerk's office to get one. Give me a break! How many voters that missed the mail in deadline will do this? This is a blatant attempt to limit the numbers of citizens who vote, again in my opinion.
Listed Below Are Questions that Maricopa County Chairman A J LaFaro submitted to the County Recorder’s office in an effort to help first time voters in cities that have converted to the “mail in ballots only” elections. We appreciate Kristi Passarelli, Maricopa County Elections Dept Campaign Finance & Jurisdictional Manager, for taking time from her busy schedule to provide the answers. kpassarelli@risc.maricopa.gov (602) 506-8344 · 1. What cities in Maricopa County have opted to conduct their election by mail? There are 7 Cities conducting their elections by mail ballot. City of Buckeye, City of El Mirage, Town of Fountain Hills, City of Litchfield Park, Town of Paradise Valley, Town of Queen Creek, and Town of Wickenburg In addition, the City of Goodyear will also be by mail ballot for August – In order to keep the process consistent for this all mail city we asked them to host replacement balloting for Aug – While they are not having their own City election in August, they are having a special November election and it would be all mail. MCED agreed to conduct Aug as All Mail and to staff and pay for the replacement site for August so not to confuse voters by having a polling place for August and not for November. The city will host and staff/pay for Nov as they normally would for their election. The Town of Carefree received petitions recently that mandates their propositions be on the November ballot. The Town is conducting the election by mail. The petitions were submitted and verified after the August/November elections were set up to accommodate the same situation for Goodyear. We will conduct the November election by mail for the Town of Carefree. · 2. Why did these cities decide to conduct their elections by mail? · 3. When were these decisions made and by whom? See question 2 · 4. Did the voters in these cities automatically receive early ballots from Maricopa County Elections even though they weren't on PEVL? YES – IF they are registered in a recognized political party. If they are not affiliated, the voters on the PEVL were sent the statutory 90 day notices as required by law to give them the options to choose from. If they are not affiliated and are not on the PEVL we at Helen’s request designed a 33 day notice that was sent to these voters with the options to choose from. Additionally, the voters that are on the PEVL that didn’t respond to the 90 day notice also received the 33 day notice. · 5. Were the "Other" voters in these cities automatically contacted by Maricopa County Elections and given the option to choose a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Americans Elect ballot? See question 4 (see attached 90 day notice/33 day notice) · 6. Did Maricopa County Elections and these cities conduct public awareness campaigns to inform the voters that would be effected by these decisions? · 7. Were the voters notified? If notified, when and how? See question 4 and 5 re: notices. For voters in mail ballot only cities/towns there is an insert with their ballot (blue card) indicating the mail ballot election and the options for replacement ballots. Additionally, where there is an all mail city/town that has a requirement for a publicity pamphlet the information is provided on the voter information section of the booklet (inside) as well as on the mailing panel noted for the polling location “Replacement · 8. Which state and county party officials were notified? On June 5, 2014, we had a meeting with all county chairs to discuss the upcoming elections and to conduct the draw. It was at that meeting, Karen mentioned that some cities and towns were conducting their elections by mail. I am not aware of any statutory requirement for the parties to be notified by the city/town as their elections are nonpartisan. · 9. What is the plan, procedure and protocol for the voters that may not be aware they won't be allowed to vote at the polls on August 26th? A voter in an all mail city/town is allowed to vote at their designated location which is City/Town Hall every day of the replacement ballot period through election day. The replacement ballot locations are open the same hours as the polling places on election day. 6am-7pm · 10. Where are the rural voters, beyond the city limits of the mail elections only, suppose to vote? The voter will vote at their designated polling location if they are not in the city/town limits. Their polling location will be specified on their informational pamphlet, sample ballot or they can use the online polling place location which is specific to the voters residence address to get their assigned location. · 11. Why does the Recorder's web site still indicate that regular long-time polling places are stillopen on August 26th in such places as the Wickenburg Community Center? See question 10 – there are voters in Wickenburg precinct that do not live in the Town boundary. Their assigned location is the community center. · 12. Who will be voting at these polling places if those within the city are confined to mail-in ballots? See question 11 · 13. Where are "Other" voters within the city limit mail-only ballot cities to vote if they didn't request an early ballot? – At the Replacement Ballot location – City/Town Hall. · Listed Below Are The Cities That Are Holding All Mail Ballot Elections and the precincts within those cities which will not be open on election day, according to Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell: o El Mirage: Dysart, El Mirage, Rancho Mirage, Soledad o Fountain Hills: Fountain Hills, Four Peaks, Golden Eagle, Palisades, Saguaro o Goodyear: Desert Blossom, Desert Thunder, Desert Vista, Goodyear, Mobile, Palm Valley, Rio Paseo, Pebble Creek, Westar, Wildflower, Wigwam o Litchfield: Wigwam (in both Goodyear & Litchfield Park) o Paradise Valley: Cheney, Doubletree, Kiva, Palo Cristi o Queen Creek: Sanokai o Buckeye: Durango, Festival, Sundance West, Wyman o Wickenburg: Wickenburg Community Center will be open for those living outside the Town All of the voters in these cities were advised, by way of an insert with their ballot, that replacement ballots were available from the City/Town Clerk. This of course is through election day. 602-506-3628; hpurcell@risc.maricopa.gov Wesley W. Harris
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