Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes says voters in the state will still be able to vote by mail following Monday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justices allowed part of President Donald Trump’s plan to restrict mail-in voting move forward as the case is being argued in a lower court.
His executive order directs the U.S. Postal Service to create a list of which voters can receive mail-in ballots ahead of the November election. Under the plan the U.S. Department of Homeland Security would create lists of U.S. citizens that the administration says could be used to find noncitizens on voter rolls.
“The most important thing for Arizona voters to know today is simple: nothing has changed,” said Fontes in a Monday press release. “You can still vote by mail in Arizona. Our election officials are preparing for the election, and voters should continue making their plans to participate just as they normally would.”
A vast majority of Arizona voters cast their ballots by mail, making it an especially consequential decision for the state.
The Supreme Court’s emergency ruling allows Trump’s order to move forward but didn’t decide whether the challenged provisions are ultimately lawful.
A separate case in federal court is determining the legality of the order itself. The new Postal Service regulations could impose new requirements on how states prepare and send election mail.
“There is going to be a lot of noise around this issue,” Fontes said. “Don’t let rumors determine how you participate in our elections. Get your information from trusted sources. And if you vote by mail: receive it, vote it and return it.”
Official information about registration, voting options and election deadlines can be found at https://arizona.vote.
About 80% of Arizona’s. 4.3 million registered voters cast their ballots by mail.
