In a significant legal setback, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Campaign Legal Center lost their emergency lawsuit to extend Arizona’s mail-in ballot curing deadline. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled against the extension on Friday, dealing a blow to efforts aimed at increasing the number of ballots counted in the closely contested Arizona Senate race, where Republican Kari Lake and her Democratic opponent remain locked in a tight contest.
Ballot curing allows voters to fix issues with their mail-in ballots, particularly when the signature on the ballot does not match the one on file. This process ensures that voters have an opportunity to confirm their identity and have their vote counted. In Arizona, the deadline for curing ballots is strict, requiring corrections by 5 p.m. on the fifth day after Election Day.
The ACLU and the Campaign Legal Center filed an emergency lawsuit to extend this deadline, arguing that voters needed more time to address signature mismatches. They contended that a failure to do so could disenfranchise hundreds, if not thousands, of voters whose ballots were at risk of rejection.
However, their request met fierce opposition from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Arizona GOP. In their legal response, GOP attorneys argued that the ACLU’s request was both untimely and baseless.
They claimed the plaintiffs were attempting to override Arizona’s election laws with inaccurate data regarding the number of ballots still requiring signature verification. Additionally, the RNC invoked the Doctrine of Laches, a legal principle that prevents parties from making claims after an unreasonable delay, especially when such delays could disrupt ongoing processes.
The Arizona Supreme Court sided with the RNC, ruling that the plaintiffs had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify their request. Specifically, the court noted that there was no proof that election officials had neglected their duty to make reasonable efforts to contact voters for curing inconsistent signatures.
The court’s decision was final: the curing period ended at 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, as per state law.
RNC attorney Harmeet Dhillon celebrated the ruling, sharing the update on X:
“ACLU lost its hail mary last minute lawsuit to extend the cure period for mail ballots lacking signature matches. Ballot curing is now over in Arizona. Let’s finish the tabulation and wrap this up.”
The ruling was a clear victory for Republicans, who had been keen to prevent any alterations to the election timeline. GOP officials argue that election rules must be upheld to maintain the integrity and predictability of the electoral process.
Supreme Court order below:
“We await for counties to FINALLY finish counting ballots,” said Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer, who oversaw teams of volunteers that cured thousands of ballots.
On the other side, the ACLU expressed disappointment, emphasizing that their efforts were aimed at ensuring every eligible vote counts. They warned that Arizona’s rigid deadlines could lead to legitimate ballots being discarded, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities who might face greater challenges in navigating the ballot curing process.
The Arizona Senate race remains under intense scrutiny as ballot counting continues. With control of the Senate potentially hanging in the balance, both parties are eager to secure every possible vote.
This election cycle has seen heightened tensions over mail-in voting, with Republicans frequently questioning its integrity and Democrats advocating for expanded access and leniency in vote-counting procedures. The lawsuit’s outcome underscores the broader battle over voting rights and election integrity that has defined recent U.S. elections.
The case highlights a growing trend of legal battles over voting procedures and deadlines. As mail-in voting becomes more prevalent, disputes over how these ballots are handled—and how much flexibility should be allowed—are likely to continue.
Arizona, in particular, has become a hotbed for election-related litigation, with both parties frequently clashing over issues like voter ID laws, early voting, and ballot curing. Each court ruling sets a precedent that could influence future elections, not just in Arizona but nationwide.
The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision marks a decisive moment in the ongoing debate over election laws. By upholding the state’s ballot curing deadline, the court reaffirmed the importance of adhering to established electoral procedures.
For now, the focus shifts back to completing the vote count and determining the winner of Arizona’s pivotal Senate race. However, the legal and political battles over election processes are far from over, with both parties gearing up for more fights in the months and years ahead.
I thought they declared Keri lake the loser.?
Or was that premature.?
Anyway, good for the Arizona Supreme Court on their rightful decision and the Hell with the Communist ACLU.!
Why should the taxpayers pay for the ACLU when they’ve always been one sided in favor of the Communist Democrats and criminals on the streets.
Defund the ACLU President Trump.!
Brother Michael I totally agree! This deadline request is as usual just another attempt by the ACommieLU to rig an election in favor of their choices all being DemoCommie! While on the subject of curing these different issues that keep coming up in Arizona, as well as other States, and yes this court ruling points out clearly that “the real cure is to adhere to appropriate voting regulation rules and guidelines,” but I add that most assuredly the actual final cure will be to boot the ACommieLU the hell out of America, and existence for that matter!
Where did the Founders point out that such a device or “squawk box” would be needed in the voting process, for hundreds of years all went as it should; until these “commie A-holes infiltrated and infested” our Country!
Yes brother I totally agree.
Actually, the ACLU could not have been an injured party and therefore had NO STANDING to begin with. If the ACLU was representing a SPECIFIC individual that was harmed (as attorney) that would be different.
The courts need to LOOK at who is filing and what relationship they have to an election, The entire idea that a non-profit can file a suit for a “what if” scenario is absurd. “What if” scenarios presented to a court, by law, are forbidden and create NULL verdicts by law. IN fact Roe v Wade was exactly such a filing as later on Norma McCorvey told her story that nothing in the filing was true except her name! It took almost 60 years to reverse and uphold what even later Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg wrote was an illegal action by SCOTUS. They corrected it 60 years later and after her death.
The Democrats wanted mail in voting (in my opinion to commit voting frauds), therefore they MUST live up to the rules for mail in voting.
If a specific candidate were to bring the action, or the election officials made the suit due to time constraints it might have had standing, however, the law is CLEAR that any vote whose signature does not match is in fact VOID, therefore it disenfranchises no one as the vote was not legal to begin with.
Worth mentioning here is another comment I made to a Spreely News article. ://news.spreely.com/gen-flynns-bold-message-to-democrats-turns-heads/
General Flynn is absolutely correct about all of this!
I just wrote today a comment on this site in a different article but which speaks to the same underlying issue that we as Americans face due to the Leftist Agenda of Marxist Woke Insanity and evil. They in unison with the Deep State and Democrats has poisoned nearly every aspect of our culture, educational system and government with their sole aim being to destroy America’s fundamental foundational precepts and to then replace them with Communism totalitarian control. Here follows my other commentary.
The current State Department became a mechanism of evil causes when Biden and Harris were installed into those top executive positions all of which was a hidden or “Camouflaged Coup d’ etat” to consolidate their power and to allow one of the former evil cohorts the former total fraud Obama to “lead from behind” and “fundamentally transform the United States of America.” This agenda in unison with the Deep State and MIC would bring on a “totalitarian government” with complete control over the Citizens, no more Free Speech or 2nd Amendment, right to privacy gone and even changing your grade school children’s gender without your parental consent, a done deal, like now in Califonication under the ever so evil and insane Newsom!
The “many elitists and operatives” behind all of this evil don’t plan to disappear any time soon without first trying whatever they can to “destroy anything or anyone that they see as an obstacle to their agenda!”
But they are all total “Crazy” and many are “EVIL” on the Left and throughout the Demoncrap Party; many of which “sold their souls to the Devil” and are already hopelessly forever lost in the madness and mire they helped the Devil to create. The big difference now over what happened in 2020 is that we (most of the public) clearly see that a majority of the “Citizens” have seen the truth and won’t accept their lies anymore, so what these fools do now is “futile and stupid!” Let us recall how just after the 2020 scammed election how the Demoncrap Party began all kinds of investigations accusing Trump of trying to flip the election results when he asked for officials to look for any errors and possible additional votes, “a normal review of the tabulations;” but what these stupid A-holes are doing is outright “Criminal Conspiracy and Treasonous Manipulation” of the facts!
Proverbs 26:26-28 “Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.”