Arizona‘s election results were slow to come in during last year’s election, but now Republican lawmakers in the state are aiming to reform the system to speed it up with some inspiration from the Sunshine State.

In Florida, election results for the 2024 election were quick, while Arizona results took significantly longer. The Associated Press called Florida for President-elect Donald Trump at 8:01 p.m. EST on election night, while Arizona was called for Trump four days later at 9:21 p.m. EST – being the last state called in the election despite it not being the closest race.

Republican State-Rep. Alexander Kolodin introduced legislation earlier this week he claims would speed up election results, by mirroring several of Florida’s election policies.

THE PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN

“In Florida, election results are counted with greater speed and security, leading to something that most Arizonans can only dream of – high levels of public satisfaction with the ways that elections are
administered,” Kolodin said in a statement Tuesday.

The legislation would change the signature verification process used for early voting, instead giving voters a “unique Early Voter ID number” as a way of doing away with the “time-consuming signature verification process.”

The other major change it would make is the deadline for when early votes may be dropped off. Currently, Arizona voters may drop off their early ballots at a polling place on Election Day, but under this legislation, it would make the Friday before Election Day the deadline for ballots to be dropped off.

Other changes to election law under the proposed legislation would include verifying a voter’s address each election cycle and banning foreign funds from elections.

During a committee hearing in the state legislature Wednesday, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap praised the legislation for proposing changing the verification system away from signature verification, and the ballot drop-off deadline.

“Having a cut-off several days before the election allows the recorder’s office to catch up and make sure that we can get the segregation, so we can get you the results out on election night,” Heap, who was elected in November, told the committee, according to 12News.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The legislation, HCR 2013, is being considered in the form of a ballot measure that would appear before voters in November 2026, if the bill is approved by both the Republican-led state House and Senate.

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), who has pushed back on changes to early voting, would not be able to veto the proposal from appearing before voters.