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Brnovich, Hobbs urge court to reject GOP early ballot suit

The Arizona Republican Party asked the state Supreme Court to strike down early voting laws that are used by 90% of voters.

PHOENIX — Editor's note: The above video aired in a previous broadcast.

Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs both urged the state Supreme Court Friday not to accept a petition filed by the Arizona Republican Party asking to strike down early voting laws used by 90% of voters.

Brnovich and Hobbs laid out their arguments in separate filings with the Supreme Court.

Brnovich said the court has no jurisdiction to take on the question but did not take a position on the GOP's argument that early voting is unconstitutional. Lawyers for Hobbs defended the early voting laws, writing, “Arizona’s early voting system is secure, efficient, and complies with the Arizona Constitution.”

The Arizona Republican Party and its secretary, Yvonne Cahill, filed the Supreme Court petition last month. It asks the justices to get rid of all early voting or at least eliminate the no-excuse absentee balloting system Arizona adopted in 1991 and steadily expanded ever since.

RELATED: GOP lawsuit looks to throw out the vote-by-mail system in Arizona

The GOP lawsuit also argues that Hobbs erred by failing to include procedures for early ballot signature verification in the elections procedure manual and by including rules for ballot drop boxes.

Brnovich sidestepped that question and asked the justices to decide instead whether the 2019 elections procedure manual is valid.

RELATED: Arizona Senate votes down bill to audit every election

RELATED: Judge mulls request to halt Brnovich's threat to secretary of state

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