Arizona Talks: Election Integrity and Voting Rights | Public Policy Panel

We invite you to sign up to join Arizona Talks in Phoenix for a public policy panel and reception on the topic of election integrity and voting rights.

Join us for a policy discussion and social reception as we follow the raging debate on this crucial democratic process, holding elections and exercising the right to vote. How do we make elections competitive and inclusive? Come hear from experts on ways to ensure free, fair, and secure elections.

The Issue

We have heard from the loudest sides. Some point to possible weaknesses in the elections system and even claim the existence of widespread voter fraud. Others see new restrictions on voting as suppression for minority communities and even claim that these tactics are linked to the Jim Crow era.

Recently, President Joe Biden gave a fiery speech, warning that American democracy is facing its greatest threat since the Civil War. "There's an unfolding assault taking place in America today, an attempt to suppress and subvert the right to vote and fair and free elections," the president said.

Heritage Foundation writes, “Election fraud does occur in American elections. Errors, omissions, and mistakes by election officials and careless, shoddy election practices and procedures or lack of training can cause and have caused problems for voters and candidates.”

Secretary of State, and Gubernatorial Candidate, Katie Hobbs wrote in a recent opinion article, “Voter-suppression efforts in Arizona are part of a nationwide dismantling of voting rights — the most sustained and egregious assault on U.S. democracy since the Jim Crow era."

State Senate President Karen Fann recently commented on the voting audit happening in Arizona, “...this is not about Trump. This is not about overturning the election. This has never been about anything other than election integrity” and in a release, she wrote “We remain committed to ensuring election integrity as voter confidence is at the heart of what we set out to achieve in this endeavor. Our constituents deserve no less.”

Public Policy - Now, new legislation at the state and federal levels are putting this issue in the national spotlight:

• SB1485 was passed into law. This new legislation removes people from the early mail-in voting list if they do not vote by mail in two election cycles.

• There is an ongoing campaign to put a voter initiative on the ballot in 2022 that would require identification for mail in voting as well as tightening rules for third party ballot collection.

• The U.S. Senate is currently considering two voting rights bills. One, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, would prevent states from passing further measures to restrict ballot access that disproportionately target minority voters.

• The For the People Act would expand voting rights, change campaign finance laws to reduce the influence of money in politics, ban partisan gerrymandering, and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, 111 East Taylor Street, Phoenix, United States