Bills, bills, bills: Precinct Committeepeople and Transgender bans

We spoke with House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding for an update on the Arizona legislature.

House Bill 2839 was recently signed into law intending to clarify how many signatures candidates would need to get on the ballot for congressional or legislative candidates. However, overlooked by many Arizona legislatures, was Section 4, which changed the process of electing people to the political party precinct committee. Section 4 empowered the party to appoint someone to their precinct committee, eliminating voters from the process entirely.

What is a precinct?

A precinct, also known as a voting district, is the most basic geographical unit in voting. It is one of many voting districts that are part of a larger legislative district.

What is a political party precinct committeeperson?

They are someone who represents a precinct or neighborhood on behalf of a certain political party. Their minimum duties include assisting in voter registration for their chosen political party.

Bolding explains Section 4 was put as a “fix” in response to redistricting. He said it makes “no sense” to have a precinct committee person in charge of a precinct that no longer aligns to their political party due to redistricting.

These changes would also be limited to this year, having no effect after this years elections are over.

The House Judiciary Committee also passed a 15-week abortion bill.

Bolding said it is “part of a larger antiwomen, antitransgender movement that we’re seeing amongst far-right individuals in the republican party who are literally staking their claim and trying to define what women should be able to do and how transgender students and kids should identify themselves. I believe it’s misguided.”

There is also a bill banning transgender girls from girls sports stating it is not fair.

“I think the fairness argument is not a legitimate one,” he said adding “The reality is there is no harm being done to allow transgirls to participate in sports. We’re not talking about a significant amount of people that’s going to change the system.”