Arizona needs more leaders like us who say elections are safe

We, Republican and Democratic leaders, say with one voice: Your vote matters and Arizona’s elections are safe.

Ian Brewer, Daniel Hernandez, Jonathan Lines, and Matt Salmon
| opinion writers

Increasing political tension and division in Arizona and the nation is causing many voters to feel disconnected from our election process.

With constant barrage of misinformation with social media and the excessive political rhetoric used by both parties, many voters find it difficult to distinguish fiction from reality.

Although many of us disagree on the various public policies that affect our state and nation, we must all agree that strengthening our constitutional federal republic and strengthening confidence in our elections is the main thing, regardless of party affiliation.

Each of us has had the privilege of serving our great nation in various capacities, and we have seen firsthand how strong, principled leadership and truth can restore the trust of voters and protect our freedoms.

Arizona elections just got safer

Arizona has long been a leader in election security. Voting machines have been checked to ensure their integrity.

Audits are conducted after each election to verify accuracy, and we store paper ballots in locked facilities to confirm their security.

These practices are not only about compliance, but also about assurance.

The reality is that Arizona is the toughest and most difficult safe election laws in the country, and many of them were active long before the 2020 elections.

In fact, after the 2020 election, Arizona has implemented many great measures to further secure our elections. I will name only some of them, our current state:

Requests the Arizona Secretary of State remove dead voters from voter lists. Prior to this change, the secretary was permitted but not required to perform this action.
prohibits private money from use in the administration of elections in Arizona.
Prohibits county record holders mailing of ballots for early voting to anyone who has not signed up for an active early voting list or submitted a request to the county in which they are registered to vote.
prohibits same day voter registration.
Requires registration forms to include a statement informing voters that if they move out of state, their Arizona voter registration will be revoked.
Prohibits the use of district recorders uncontrolled boxes to receive voted early voting ballots.

Voters must believe that elections are safe

It is not enough for elections to be secure—they must also be seen as secure. This means expanding public outreach by our state and local officials from both parties and voter education how our voting and vote counting processes work.

When voters hear from people they trust that the process is safe, that their votes count and that the system is working properly, that makes a difference. It’s more than just words; it is about forming a culture of trust in our electoral system.

AND the last poll commissioned by the Democracy Defense Project found that efforts to alter the 2020 presidential election have created an environment in which voters are concerned about interference in the November election.

This includes most independent candidates and Republicans. Even Democrats are relatively divided over concerns about voter intimidation and misinformation.

While there are wide and deep divisions over party affiliation, the poll found that there is also agreement on some of the biggest threats to the integrity of our elections and how to combat those threats.

This includes allowing bipartisan scrutiny of all election results; identifying messages of foreign opponents in social networks and informing voters about them before the elections; as well as a ban on connecting electronic spreadsheets to the Internet.

Fortunately, many of them are already operating in Arizona.

More leaders need to fight misinformation

Local elected officials did their best to inform the public election guarantees in Arizona, but many voters are still unaware of these facts.

As we approach one of the most important and controversial elections of our lifetimes, it is vital that we continue to inform those people that most election issues are already being resolved through very robust election laws.

Thousands of people across the state — your family members and neighbors — are selflessly volunteering at vote centers to help the community participate in this civic duty. These voters and volunteers deserve our thanks and respect.

Given the number of contested races and ballot propositions in this election, ballots will be long and many registered voters will participate.

For those voting in person on Election Day, please be patient. While counties prepare for any scenario, extended voting will result in longer wait times, but your vote is important and secure.

Leaders need to lead. That’s why we need more leaders from both parties to speak out to combat the misinformation that has spread for four years and negatively affected the perception of our election.

The only way to restore voter confidence in the system is to have trusted voices speak the truth, loud and often. By affirming the security of elections and promoting transparency, we can restore and strengthen the trust that is the cornerstone of our democracy.

Former Gov. Ian Brewer, former state representative Daniel Hernandez, Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines and former US House member Matt Salmon are board members of the Democracy Defense Project from Arizona. On X, formerly Twitter, @DemoDefenseProj.