The Republican chairman of the Arizona House of Means and Means Committee introduced a bill on Wednesday that would give the legislature authority to override the secretary of state’s certification of his electoral votes.
Republican Congresswoman Shawnna Bolick introduced the bill, which rewrites parts of the state’s electoral law, such as sections on election observers and ballot obtaining and auditing, among other measures.
One section grants the legislature, which is currently under the control of the Republican Party, the ability to revoke the secretary of state’s certification “by majority vote anytime before the presidential inauguration.”
“The legislature can take action in accordance with this subsection without regard to whether the legislature is in regular or special session or has held a committee or other hearings on the matter.”
A request for comment from the Arizona Secretary of State was not immediately returned.
The shift comes at a time when the Republican Party faces an intra-party struggle after former President Donald Trump has groundless allegations about the election after the state went to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election – the first time in 24 years. a democrat won the state.
The state Republican Party also went on to censor Cindy McCain, wife of former Arizona Republican Senator John McCain and former Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake. Both supported Biden in the election.
It is unclear how far the bill will go, even in a Republican-controlled House and Senate. Although Republican Party President in Arizona, Kelli Ward, who faces doubts about his own re-election to office, said the presidential election was stolen from Trump, other renowned Republicans have rejected such claims.
Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican, refuted President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to overturn the election results in a blunt statement in December 2020. He also rejected the idea of the legislature nominating its own voters to hand over the votes from the state Electoral College to Trump.
“I voted for President Trump and worked hard to re-elect him. But I cannot and will not accept the suggestion that we violate the current law to change the outcome of an official election,” he said at the time.
