Arizona Supreme Court Denies Mail-in Ballot Extension

The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an emergency petition from voter rights groups to extend the deadline for correcting mail-in ballot signature discrepancies, which expired at 5 p.m. on Election Day. The court ruled that there was no evidence of disenfranchisement, as counties had made 'reasonable efforts' to notify voters of issues with their ballots. Over 67,000 ballots remained unprocessed at the time the petition was filed, raising concerns that many voters may not have had sufficient time to rectify issues. The court's decision also aligns with the positions of the Arizona Republican Party and other political entities that submitted briefs against the extension. Critics, including the ACLU, argue that the ruling could lead to widespread disenfranchisement as many voters may not be aware of discrepancies until it's too late. The implications of this ruling could impact the close Senate race between Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego, with Gallego currently leading in the vote count.