Arizona Governor allowed a bill that keeps private donations out of electoral operations in the state. This comes after the 2020 election that was the most controversial that ended with President Biden winning the electoral college.
Arizona Governor takes the first step to cleansing election procedures
Last Friday, the Republican governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, signed a bill from legislation in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections, reported the Epoch Times. The bill will not allow donations of any kind for the election process under any circumstances.
Ducey wrote in a letter when he signed the election integrity bill, "With public confidence in our elections in peril, it's clear our elections must be pristine and above reproach-and the sole purview of government."
He added that the Republicans of Arizona approved the bill unanimously in the state Senate and House. They passed legislation then signed by the governor last Friday.
Last year in September 2020, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife donated $300 million to two nonprofit organizations that will endorse safe and reliable voting in states during the CCP virus pandemic last year. The Zuckerbergs mentioned on September 1 that the amount would be used for local and state-run election offices. Other than that, no discussion was made on what or how it would be used.
In a statement they released, these are the contents.
"These contributions will help to provide local and state officials around the state with the tools, training, and facilities they need to ensure that every voter who wants to cast a ballot is able to do so, and, in the end, to protect the integrity of our elections."
Senator Lankford Says HR1 Bill Will Allow Democrats to Rig Elections
According to the source which says the nonprofit organizations are non-partisan, neither Republican nor Democrat-aligned. The majority of the endowment ($250 million) was received by the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), whose specialty is gathering data on candidates and races all over the US, and another is to train poll workers.
The organization was begun by managers and staff from the New Organizing Institute; it is a progressive nonprofit which trained Democrat digital organizers.
The money the state received last year from organizations with support from Zuckerberg's foundation, according to Arizona Governor Ducey, a Republican, was helpful and used with "integrity."
He cautioned that election officials must not expect private grants to do voter outreach for its staff or as a way to pay all expenses. He added that election officials should not be forced to rely on private grants for voter outreach, staffing, or other expenses in the future. Although he mentioned the new law could be considered a sign that the state is ungrateful, he added that the bill is necessary to maintain election integrity and voter trust.
According to Logan Churchwell of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, the amount of money is legal but unprecedented, a conservative election watchdog said at the time, where he is the communications and research director.
Democrats in the state tried to blame Republicans for the underfunding of the election administration. Republican Arizona Governor Ducey said that passing the bill on private donations is essential for election integrity that is crucial now. At the same time, funds are needed by Arizona for other counties requiring the money for election expenses.
Arizona Attorney General to Senators: Vote Against H.R. 1
Greg Abbott Supports Election Integrity Bill
Miller-Meeks Calls Out the Democrats' Dirty Methods
