AZ Lege repeals HB 2305, the citizens referendum is now off the ballot

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Our lawless legislature continues to demonstrate its contempt for the citizens of Arizona and their constitutional right to refer an act of the legislature to the voters to decide in a citizens referendum ("citizens veto"). The larger context here is its utter contempt for democracy and the right to vote.

More than 140,000 Arizonans braved the heat of an Arizona summer to circulate and sign petitions to refer HB 2305, the GOP Voter Suppression Act, to the ballot in November to let the people decide on what the legislature enacted as a "strike everything" amendment in the dead of night when no one was watching. There was no public notice, and no public hearing before a committee.

Last week, the Arizona House on a party-line vote voted to deny Arizonans their constitutional right to vote on a citizens-referred referendum. Arizona House approves bill to repeal election-law changes.

Yesterday, the Senate Tea-Publicans complete their anti-democraticdenial of your constitutional rights. Arizona Senate repeals 2013 election law:

The Arizona Senate has voted to repeal a sweeping 2013 Arizona election law that included trimming the state’s permanent early voting list and a host of other provisions that incensed voter-rights advocates.

Majority Republicans who pushed House Bill 2305 through last June voted Thursday to repeal the law 17-12. The House passed an identical bill last week. The bill will now go to the governor.

Repealing the law will cancel the voter referendum.

I would ask you to contact Governor Jan Brewer and tell her to veto HB 2196 (substituted for SB 1270), but there is zero chance that she would do so. This is a fait accompli. Piecemeal voter suppression measures to enact HB 2305 will now move through the state legislature.

Your remedy is to kick out of office every member of the legislature who voted to deny you your constitutional right to refer an act of the legislature to the voters to decide in a citizens referendum ("citizens veto"). They are easy to identify on the ballot. They all have an "(R)" after their name, which tells you to "Reject" this candidate.

The Arizona Republic's E.J. Montini wrote the other day, Voters can suppress the suppressors: "The only way voters can guarantee it never happens again is to note of every politician who goes along with the scheme and, when those names appear next on the ballot box, suppress their re-election."

HOW THEY VOTED

HOUSE

SENATE