Republican election bill would move Arizona one step closer to a dictatorship
Some Arizona Republicans want the kind of democracy where they alone can change election results.
Laughable, right? It is not.
Republican Rep. John Fillmore is proposing legislation to kill early voting altogether, mandate a hand count of votes within 24 hours and give the Legislature the final say over results.
Under House Bill 2596, the only voters allowed to vote absentee would be those who are serving in the military overseas, visually impaired, hospitalized or out of state on Election Day.
More than a dozen state lawmakers have signed onto the legislation, the latest of a flood of proposals designed change voting.
This week, a Senate committee approved seven election-related bills by those who falsely claim the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Donald Trump.
But Fillmore’s proposal is the ultimate attempt to turn democracy into a de-facto dictatorship.
That’s what dictators do. They hold elections, but they make sure the results always go their way. In this case, the Republican-controlled Legislature would become Arizona’s dictator, deciding which vote results are acceptable and which are not.
Yes, it’s that crazy, and yes, Arizona is heading into a dictatorship if election bills like Fillmore’s become law.
Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona election bill would move us closer to a dictatorship
