FACT SHEET COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform in Arizona

The document highlights the intersection of public health disparities and voting access in Arizona, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for administrative election upgrades. It recommends the adoption of same-day registration, improved vote-by-mail protocols, and the establishment of rural voting centers to protect marginalized communities and ensure a credible 2020 election.

• Arizona has a strong foundation for mail-in voting, with 68 percent of voters using this method in the 2016 US presidential election, and expectations that approximately 80 percent of votes would be cast by mail in November 2020.
• Significant health disparities exist in Arizona, where Indigenous people represent less than 5 percent of the population but account for 16 percent of COVID-19 deaths where race and ethnicity are known. Disadvantaged communities also disproportionately suffer from summer heat and mining-related water contamination.
• The document identifies several critical gaps in Arizona's current voting protocols, noting that the state lacks automatic voter registration, same-day registration, and statutory ballot tracking.
• To improve electoral safety and accessibility, the Union of Concerned Scientists recommends establishing voting centers on Indigenous tribal lands and in rural areas at least two weeks before Election Day, as well as implementing same-day registration and electronic ballot tracking.
• Proposed improvements to the vote-by-mail process include providing postage-paid, self-adhesive envelopes, ensuring any ballot received by Election Day is counted, and requiring that voters receive notice within two to three days if a ballot is not initially verified.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2020). FACT SHEET COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform in Arizona. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/covid-19-voting-reform-az.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. FACT SHEET COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform in Arizona. 2020. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/covid-19-voting-reform-az.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=FACT SHEET COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform in Arizona |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/covid-19-voting-reform-az.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2020fact, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{FACT SHEET COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform in Arizona}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/covid-19-voting-reform-az.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }