Arizona, Maryland Courts Rule Against Election Officials

The Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled that Secretary of State Adrian Fontes failed to follow proper procedures when adopting the Elections Procedures Manual, providing only a 15-day comment period instead of the legally required 30 days. While the ruling does not immediately affect elections, it ensures that any future objections to the manual will have a longer comment period. Fontes plans to appeal the decision to the Arizona Supreme Court. In a separate case, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland found that the Maryland State Board of Elections violated federal law by suppressing investigations into voter record anomalies and failing to comply with the National Voter Registration Act regarding public access to voter history. The court's decision supports the argument for more transparency and integrity in elections. Both cases highlight ongoing concerns about election procedures and voter integrity in the respective states.