Democratic, Latino groups challenge Arizona absentee ballot deadline

Democratic super PAC, Priorities USA and the group Voto Latino filed a complaint Tuesday challenging Arizona’s absentee ballot deadline, marking the latest move from Democrats to protest election laws and regulations in battleground states. 

The groups argue that the deadline, which requires absentee ballots to be delivered to the county recorder office or any polling locations no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, makes it easy for voters to be turned away because a number of voters believe the ballots are valid as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

The complaint said the regulation puts an undue burden on voters and takes away rights to procedural due process in the Latino and Hispanic communities in particular. 

“Creating artificial barriers towards the democratic participation of some diminishes the strength of our democracy as a whole,” Voto Latino President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar said in a statement. “Attempts to silence the voice of the people, in whatever form it may take, must be struck down with the full force of the law.”

A spokesperson from Arizona’s Board of Elections confirmed the office received the complaint but said they could not comment on ongoing litigation. 

The move is the latest in a series of Democratic challenges against election laws in emerging battleground states.

Democratic groups filed a lawsuit challenging a South Carolina requirement that voters in the state provide their Social Security numbers on Monday, arguing that the law turns potential voters away from the polls. 

Democrats have also filed lawsuits in Georgia, Texas, Michigan and North Carolina, arguing that the laws have a negative and disproportionate impact on young and minority voters.

Republicans say the laws are intended to make elections more secure and work to prevent voter fraud.