PHOENIX — Today, the Arizona State Senate passed SB 1653, a reworking of last year’s vetoed ballot image legislation, which would jeopardize voter privacy and Arizona’s ability to meet election certification deadlines. 

SB 1653 is a nearly identical replica of the ballot imaging bill that was vetoed by Governor Hobbs last year after community organizations, including Common Cause Arizona, raised the alarm on the election certification timeline and privacy issues caused by the proposal. 

As the bill makes its way through the legislature again, voting rights advocates are monitoring the process to protect Arizonans’ rights and ensure that the state will be able to conduct elections safely, securely, and on time. 

Statement from Common Cause Arizona’s Program Director Jenny Guzman

“For over a year, we have been consistent and clear about our concerns with this proposal, and those concerns have gone unaddressed in its new iteration. Loopholes in this bill provide the tools election deniers need to overrule the will of the voters under the guise of election transparency.

Common Cause Arizona is committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and democratic institutions. Arizonans have a constitutional right to a secret ballot — we must ensure that unredacted ballot images will not be released before state certification is finalized. 

Our stance on SB 1653 echoes our concerns from last year’s legislative session. We urge the bill authors to address these loopholes to ensure it aligns with Arizona’s state constitution and preserves Arizonans’ voting rights. Should the proposal as it currently stands get to Governor Hobbs’ desk, we will advocate for another veto.”