Pullen for the Party

Sec. of State Brewer Gains Clear Victory in Prop 200 Court Battle

Court Rules in Favor of State on a Vast Majority of Legal Claims Against Prop. 200

Phoenix – Secretary of State Jan Brewer today announced a sweeping victory in her ongoing legal defense of voting requirements passed into law by over one million voters in 2004 as part of Proposition 200. The U.S. District Court of Arizona granted the legal motion sought by Secretary Brewer by granting summary judgment on a majority of legal claims against Proposition 200.

“I am extremely happy to have earned this sweeping court victory on behalf of the citizens of Arizona,” stated Secretary Brewer, “yet again Arizonan’s are able to retain their inherent right to properly establish proof of citizenship when registering to vote and require proper identification when voting at the polling place.” “I am very pleased by this decision, and pledge that I will not waiver in my defense of the will of our voters.”

Today’s court decision specifically noted,” …citizenship is material in determining whether an individual may vote and Arizona’s decision to require more proof than simply affirmation by the voter is not prohibited…”

The U.S. District Court sided with Brewer on the following areas:

• the National Voter Registration Act does not prohibit requiring voters to prove citizenship when registering to vote
• Prop. 200 is not an unconstitutional poll tax
• Prop. 200 identification requirements do not create two classes of voters
• Proof of citizenship is material in determining an individual’s eligibility to vote
• the Secretary of State’s submission of pre-clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice on Proposition 200 was in proper form
• The Secretary of State makes available the federal voter registration form as required by law
• Requiring proof of citizenship does not conflict with other Arizona laws
• The Secretary of State has met her statutory obligations required in performing the duties of her job

Added Brewer, “having spent so much time over the last several years drafting the procedures, gathering substantial election materials for the case, and spending hours preparing testimony and affidavits, it is extremely gratifying to gain this summary judgment.” “My staff and the lawyers from the Attorney General’s office assigned to this case worked cooperatively and extremely hard on this case,” added Secretary Brewer.

“The Arizona voters have openly embraced these voting requirements, and as a result of the strong education efforts of my office and the county election officials, over 99 percent of the voters had absolutely no problem complying with the new law during the 2006 election,” said Secretary Brewer.

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Acting Republican Governor Jan Brewer Takes Action

Acting Governor Brewer Declares State of Emergency in Santa Cruz County
Threat of Additional Flood Damage Requires Immediate Funding from State

PHOENIX – Acting Governor Jan Brewer signed a State of Emergency declaration today which authorized and put into effect state funding and emergency response plans to help address the Nogales Wash Flood problems in Santa Cruz county.

With Governor Napolitano currently out of state until early September, Secretary of State Brewer continues to serve as Acting Governor pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Arizona Constitution.

“I want to thank the Governor’s staff for keeping me apprised of the situation down in Nogales,” stated Secretary Brewer, “I do believe this emergency declaration is necessary given the damage to public infrastructure and continued flooding problems in Santa Cruz county.”

While several local, state and federal agencies are responding to emergency threats in the area, Secretary Brewer’s declaration also authorized the Adjutant General to mobilize or activate Arizona National Guard personnel as necessary.

“The public health and safety of our citizens is of primary concern, and I will continue to closely monitor this situation,” said Brewer.

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AZGOP THANKFUL TO HAVE JAN BREWER ON THE JOB

Pullen lauds Brewer for taking aim at fraudulent tactics by Democrat front group

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, voiced his strong support for Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer’s chastising of a Democrat front organization which was named in a complaint for illegal and deceptive petition circulating practices.

“As usual, the Democrats are using fraudulent tactics to advance their own agenda while deceiving Arizona’s voters in the process,” charged Pullen. “It seems typical that a group heavily funded by past Democrat chair and failed U.S. Senate candidate Jim Pederson would use deceptive tactics to try and change the rules of the redistricting process.”

Pullen continued, “Rather than trying to win elections fairly, the Democrats are seeking to change the rules of Arizona’s redistricting process. Rather than explaining to voters what their initiative is about and why they need signatures, Democrats are making false claims that the initiative is for lower gas prices. This is fraud, plain and simple.

“We are lucky to have an able and effective Secretary of State who, when this matter was brought to her attention, acted swiftly and decisively. I want to thank Secretary Brewer for her fairness, her determination, and her willingness to take action. She is working tirelessly to keep our political process fair in Arizona and free from those who seek to manipulate it for their personal gain.”

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Sec. of State Brewer Angered by Deceptive Petition Gathering

Urges Proposed Initiative to Stop Circulators from Misleading Voters

PHOENIX – Secretary of State Jan Brewer last week fired off a strong letter to leaders of a citizen initiative effort over reports of deceptive practices by petition circulators misrepresenting voters about the substance of their petition. Sec. Brewer’s letter to Ken Clark, Chairman of Fair Districts, Fair Elections – whose proposed initiative specifically deals with redistricting – expressed major concern over claims that circulators were collecting signatures over lower gas prices.

“This blatant bait and switch tactic of luring voters to sign petitions by misrepresenting the substance of the petitions is dishonest and deceptive,” stated Secretary of State Brewer, “I hope you will take steps to end this practice and instruct your circulators to be candid and honest with the voters about what you are asking them to sign.”

The letter came on the heels of complaints about such practices which were called in to the Secretary of State’s Election office as well as the Maricopa County Election office.

Secretary of State Brewer pointed out that Arizona law requires each petition to contain a full and correct copy of the measure attached to the petition along with summary description language on the petition itself. Secretary Brewer went on to encourage voters to carefully read the summary language and attachment prior to signing their name to any petition.

“I urge voters to carefully read the full text of the petition prior to signing them,” added Secretary Brewer, “if the full text is not being provided, I encourage voters to report such violations to my office immediately.”

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Election “Reform” Bill would be a Disservice to our Disabled Voters

By Janice K. Brewer, Arizona Secretary of State

Earlier this month, a U.S. House Congressional Committee gave its approval to a so-called election reform bill (H.R. 811) that – if given final approval – would be among the most colossal wastes of taxpayer money in history, and worse still, would severely diminish the ability for visually impaired and other disabled voters to participate in the election process.

This bill, ironically entitled “the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007”, does absolutely none of what its title promises. It will force our State to trash at least $15 million of brand new voting devices for disabled voters – all of which produce a paper record – and replace them with voting technology that does not exist and may not be available to market until 2016.

Arizona has made significant progress in the area of election reform. In 2002, Congress appropriated approximately $3.6 billion to the states in part to rid the country of punch card and lever voting devices (no more “hanging” or “pregnant chads.”) Within a year we replaced our State’s antiquated punch card voting devices with proven optical scan technology, we procured voting devices for the disabled community, we mandated that all voting devices produce an auditable paper record of the votes cast, we required a post-election manual audit be conducted after the election to assure the machines worked properly, and we drafted strict security protocol during all handling and transportation of voting machines and ballots.

In the end, H.R. 811 could cost Arizona taxpayers $15 million to replace perfectly good machines that were used successfully during the 2006 statewide elections. More troublesome, is the fact it will outlaw the very machines that are currently used by the disabled in Arizona, thus taking away these voters’ rights to vote in private for at least another decade. I have no doubt this is why national disability group leaders oppose this bill. The only group that stands to benefit the most from this ridiculous legislation is the voting equipment vendors.

Some in Congress seem bent on moving this unnecessary and costly legislation forward, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Congressman Harry Mitchell, and Congressman Raul Grijalva, who have all unfortunately signed on as co-sponsors. Hopefully, when learning this bill will disenfranchise Arizona’s disabled voters while wasting millions of tax dollars unnecessarily, they will change their minds.

I urge Congress to reject this bill or at the very least change its name to the “Disenfranchisement of Disabled Voters Act” or “Waste More Tax Dollars and Line the Pockets of Voting Equipment Vendors.” Either way, H.R. 811 will have no positive effects here in Arizona.