Arizona's top election official is asking lawmakers to let counties run elections entirely by mail later this year if it's necessary to protect election workers and voters from the coronavirus outbreak.
Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said Wednesday that “we need to prepare now for any eventuality.”
The request was met skeptically by Republican state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who leads the Senate committee overseeing election measures.
She says the proposal is unnecessary because voters can already request a mail ballot for any reason.
Thousands of voters cast a ballot Tuesday on the Democratic presidential primary amid extra sanitation precautions.
Arizona's primary for all other races is in August, and the general election is in November.
