Arizona Senate GOP revives controversial election bill

By JONATHAN J. COOPER
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona Senate committee has revived and advanced a wide-ranging election bill that would eliminate nearly all forms of early voting and require ballots to be counted by hand. Republicans passed the bill out of the Senate Government Committee in a 4-3 party-line vote, but it is almost certain to die in a vote of the full Senate or in the House. The measure is strongly supported by Republican lawmakers and activists who claim without evidence that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. Democratic groups say the bill would suppress votes, particularly of people of color and those with low incomes.