Arizona Secretary of State - Ken Bennett


 
Arizona Secretary of State Logo AZ.gov Arizona's Official Web Site

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
November 22, 2005
For more information, contact Jim Drake at (602) 542-0681

Frivolous Voting Lawsuit Thrown Out by Courts

Court Finds in Favor of Secretary of State Brewer

TUCSON – The Arizona Superior Court in Pima County this week ruled in favor of Secretary of State Jan Brewer with regard to recent litigation brought against her office dealing with voting equipment decertification standards.

Upon hearing the news, Secretary of State Jan Brewer responded, “I have said from the beginning that this was a completely “bogus” lawsuit and a total waste of taxpayer money, and I am heartened to have prevailed in this case.”

“The Attorney General's office did a good job in arguing that this lawsuit should be dismissed, as my office has a long record in working on these voting equipment issues,” added Brewer, “the real irony here is that I put into law the very decertification statute that I'm was being sued over.”

In his ruling, Superior Court Judge John Davis stated, “The record here does not support a finding that the Secretary of State refused to perform her statutory duties.” The judge went on to note in his findings that the Secretary of State has been actively working to adopt such standards and ultimately declined to issue any legal action against Brewer.

Last May Secretary of State Brewer released the most comprehensive review of Arizona's voting systems in over 50 years. The findings of the Brewer Voting Action Plan specifically called for the establishment of new certification and de-certification standards, imposed stiff penalties on manufacturers who use uncertified equipment, and strengthened the testing of voting equipment throughout Arizona.

“While it is unfortunate that this exercise had to waste valuable judicial resources with a bogus lawsuit when our court dockets are filled with serious criminal cases deserving of immediate attention, I am encouraged by the courts quick action to dismiss this lawsuit in full,” stated Sec. Brewer.

-30-