AZ Official Slams Trump’s Mail-In Voting Order as ‘Illegal Overreach’

Arizona Official Denounces Trump’s Executive Order on Mail-In Voting

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has strongly criticized an executive order signed by President Trump that aims to assert federal control over mail-in voting. Fontes, a member of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, called the order an “illegal overreach” and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The order, signed last night, claims mail-in voting is prone to cheating. However, experts and state officials like Fontes argue this move oversteps presidential authority and undermines the decentralized nature of U.S. elections.

Constitutional Concerns and Federal Overreach

Fontes explained that the president’s order attempts to “unconstitutionally usurp the power” of both state legislatures and Congress. He pointed to Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution, which he says clearly defines where the authority for election management lies. “The political part of it is he’s trying to pick his own voters. And that’s not how we do it here in America,” Fontes stated. He emphasized that demanding a fair fight and ensuring the consent of the governed through elections are founding principles that must operate under the rule of law. The president, Fontes argued, is trying to avoid these principles and interfere in matters that are the responsibility of individual states.

Security Risks of Centralized Elections

A significant concern raised by Fontes is the security risk associated with centralizing election control. He highlighted that the U.S. benefits from a decentralized form of governance, unlike many countries with highly centralized administrative systems. “If you centralize everything in the United States of America, it regards to elections, you’ve only got one point of weakness for a variety of problems that could be happening,” Fontes said. He explained that the current system, where states run their own elections and report results, is a security feature. This decentralization extends to the state level, with many states, like Arizona, having counties manage the bulk of election work. This bottom-up approach, Fontes believes, is a crucial security measure that would be jeopardized by federal centralization.

Mail-In Voting: Security and Widespread Use

Addressing the president’s assertion that mail-in voting is easily manipulated, Fontes defended the system’s integrity. Arizona has been a leader in mail-in voting, developing its system over many years. He noted that the system was originally introduced and promoted by Republicans in Arizona to help them maintain power. “We have investigated a variety of different forms of bad acting by some folks in Arizona,” Fontes admitted. He stated that in January, he referred 28 cases to the attorney general for potential prosecution. However, he stressed that these systems are “very robust and very secure.” Fontes also pointed out the irony that over 80 percent of Arizona voters, including President Trump himself, used mail-in voting in the last election. Many states, he reminded, conduct elections primarily by mail, with in-person options for ballot replacement, demonstrating the state-by-state nature of election administration as required by the Constitution.

Lack of Evidence and Political Motivation

Fontes challenged the president to provide evidence for his claims of widespread fraud. “Where is the list?” he asked, referencing the lack of any submitted proof of illegal voters. He drew a parallel to a well-known commercial, asking, “Where’s the beef?” Fontes asserted that in the U.S., the accuser must prove their case, and Donald Trump has never substantiated his allegations. “There’s never been any real evidence of widespread fraud the way he has alleged,” Fontes stated. He believes the president needs to either provide proof or stop making baseless claims, which he says harm election workers and ordinary Americans who administer the democratic process. Fontes concluded that a leader should support, not denigrate, the citizens who run the nation’s elections.

States Prepare to Fight Back

Arizona is among several states planning to sue the federal government over the executive order. Fontes declared that states will continue to push back against what he called President Trump’s “illegal overreach.” The situation highlights a significant political and legal battle over election authority, with states vowing to defend their constitutional rights in managing their own electoral processes.

Source: 'Illegal overreach': AZ official slams Trump ordering for fed control of mail-in voting (YouTube)