For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Lorna Romero Ferguson
[email protected]
Phoenix, AZ— Democracy Defense Project Arizona board members Governor Jan Brewer, Congressman Matt Salmon, former State Rep. Daniel Hernandez and Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines issued the following statement regarding proposals to end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines before the 2026 midterm election:
“Protecting voter access and the integrity of our elections is our top priority in Arizona. Mail-ballots have long been a secure voting method that Arizona voters have utilized to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Any changes to the system now could result in decreased voter access and upend our mail-in voting system that has been in place for many decades. Similarly, the use of electronic tabulation machines that count paper ballots and are never connected to the internet has improved election security and integrity in the state, making voting easier and tabulating votes faster.
“Our elections are decentralized by design, allowing states and local jurisdictions to operate in the manner that best meets the unique needs of their voters. Creating a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach determined by the federal government is short-sighted.
“Arizona acts on any potential wrongdoing or fraud that is identified and it is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We have a pivotal election quickly approaching in 2026. Let’s focus our attention on making our system more efficient, transparent, and secure.”
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More information on the Democracy Defense Project can be found at
https://www.democracydefenseproject.org/az.
Published: Aug 19, 2025
