Mary Jo Pitzl

The Republic | azcentral.com

Voter registration is set to close on Columbus Day, a state and federal holiday on Oct. 10

Democrats argue for a one-day extension so would-be voters aren't denied

Democrats are asking county elections officials to extend the voter-registration deadline so it doesn't fall on the Columbus Day holiday, when state and federal offices will be closed.

In letters to all 15 county elections officials, party officials are asking for a one-day extension, to Oct. 11. They cite a state law that allows the deadline to be moved when it falls on a holiday, and cite a 58-year-old attorney-general opinion that reinforced that practice.

In a practical sense, they said, not extending the deadline could deter would-be voters who attempt to register at state motor-vehicle offices or by mail. Those offices are closed Oct. 10, the published registration deadline.

"You can't get a piece of mail postmarked when the post office is closed," said Spencer Scharff, voter-protection director for the state Democratic Party.

County officials have been operating under direction from Secretary of State Michele Reagan's office that the Oct. 10 deadline holds firm. Her office relies on a court case that said a weekend deadline could not be bumped forward to the next business day.

But that case did not involve voter-registration deadlines, Scharff argued.

The Secretary of State's Office criticized the request as a political ploy and questioned why the issue was being raised now since the deadline was announced in February. The office stood by its Oct. 10 deadline.

“The truth is, we simply apply the law as it is written. Plus, 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties, including Maricopa, have decided to be open on Columbus Day. Not to mention, people can use www.ServiceArizona.com to register until midnight," said Matt Roberts, spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office. "If ... Democratic officials had bothered to ask before issuing a press release, they might have learned we came to that decision after consulting counsel....

"Next year we’ll push for changes to the election calendar to solve the problem once and for all.”

Eric Spencer, state elections director, defended the deadline in a directive to county elections officials. It is based on a state Supreme Court decision that says an election deadline could not be moved, he said.

Democrats note that case did not involve a voter registration deadline. Democrats say the closure of state and federal offices — where, they argue, nearly 40 percent of voters register — will impede voter access.

Democratic Party spokesman Enrique Gutierrez said the move would help all voters, but acknowledged Democratic-leaning voters tend to be the procrastinators who are motivated by a deadline.

The letters ask each of the counties to seek a legal opinion from their respective county attorneys.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Eric Meyer, D-Paradise Valley, is seeking a legal opinion on the matter from Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl