GOP’s Kari Lake suggests early, mail-in voting on the chopping block if elected Arizona governor
Republican Kari Lake says if he’s elected governor in November, Arizona voters should have the option of voting early and by mail. (David Zalubowski / AP)
The GOP’s Kari Lake says Arizona voters should have the option of voting early and by mail.
Lake, who is running against Democratic Attorney General Grant Woods for the Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday, said his push to legalize mail-in voting in Arizona won’t fly if his party is the majority.
“I think if we pass this bill, then I would not be able to get a mail-in vote. It would pass the Senate, but probably the House. And then I would not go to governor,” he said. “Then I would be able to work on this mail-in proposal for the next two, three years.”
The bill to allow mail-in voting would require the consent of both houses of the state Legislature to be signed into law.
Lake said he doesn’t support the idea of automatic voter registration for people who are not citizens or who have been convicted of felonies.
“I believe that this is a terrible idea. I think this is a terrible idea for our state. It’s a mistake. It will get you nowhere,” he said. “It’s a mistake for a lot of people who are going to have to vote and for those who are going to vote for Democrats.”
To vote as he sees fit, he said, voters should be allowed to vote early, in person, in the middle of the night, or by mail.
Lake said he would be open to allowing same day registration, but not on the same day as the election, so as not to inconvenience people who come out the night before the election.
He said he supports same day registration for those who qualify, and even those for whom same day registration was unnecessary.
“Do you want to take that person who you really don’t know