Arizona should make voting easier, not harder. In 2024, 78.49% of registered Arizonans cast ballots. In the 2022 midterms, just 62.56% did. That is more than 1.5 million registered voters who stayed home. Our goal should be 85% to 90% turnout, including in midterms.
Yet some elected officials keep treating eligible voters as the problem. Proposals that add paperwork, shrink voting options, or make registration more difficult threaten to silence citizens while claiming to protect elections. In Pima County, voting by mail and convenient vote centers help people participate. We should strengthen those options and keep voter rolls accurate.
What about claims of widespread noncitizen voting? A study covering 23.5 million ballots in 42 jurisdictions found only about 30 suspected cases referred for investigation. Suspicions are not convictions, and they do not justify barriers for millions of citizens.
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Arizona’s leaders should spend less time inventing obstacles and more time earning votes. Democracy works best when more of us participate.
Lawrence E. Mazin, Ed.D.
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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