Court: Can't fix unsigned ballots after election

[TexasTowelie]

Arizonans who forget to sign their early ballots have no legal right to fix them after Election Day to ensure their votes are counted, a federal appeals court ruled December 8.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by the state and national Democratic parties that it is not illegal to give those who do not sign the ballots an extra five business days to “cure” the problem. The lawyers pointed out that is inconsistent with other laws which give a five-day window to fix situations where a signature on a ballot envelope does not match what county election officials have on file.

But Judge Susan Graber, writing for the majority, said none of that means those who forget entirely are entitled to the same right.

The decision was not unanimous.

Appellate Judge Wallace Tashima said the state “offered no rational explanation” for the disparity. And he said the majority ruling “is particularly troubling in these times of unprecedented assaults on voting rights.”

Read more: https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2021/12/08/court-cant-fix-unsigned-ballots-after-election/

[onecaliberal]

1. That is their game. Gerrymander, suppress and intimidate.

They've killed off a lot of their own voters and they didn't have the population to win on their own last time so they know they have to cheat like hell to pull it off.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Not sure if more Republicans than Democrats would forget to sign ballots, and yes, wouldn't be

decisive in any large election.

[QED]

6. Raises hand...

A few years ago I got a phone call from a Maricopa County election worker telling me that I hadn't signed my ballot. He said I could come down to the county electron office or vote in person. I voted in person.

I'm definitely not a republican.

[Pantagruel]

4. C'mon, the decision seems reasonable.

"In 2018, for example, the most recent figures in court records, just 2,435 ballots statewide were rejected because they arrived in unsigned envelopes and the voters never made the trip to county election offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day to “cure” the problem.

If election officials find an envelope is missing a signature, they attempt to notify the voter of the problem – ballot envelopes have a space for a phone number – and tell them that it will not be counted. And they offer an option of fixing the problem with a replacement ballot, but only through 7 p.m. on Election Day. "