Talking Points Memo: “J.D. Mesnard, a Republican state senator in Arizona, couldn’t hide his disappointment that a high-powered group of Phoenix business leaders had signed onto a letter calling a bill of his – one that significantly beefs up identification requirements for voting by mail – an attempt at ‘voter suppression cloaked as reform.’ ‘That exact phrasing that was used is beyond disappointing,’ a wounded Mesnard told TPM over the phone Tuesday. ‘I know those guys, at least some of them, that signed the letter,’ the senator said. ‘I’ve got a reasonably good relationship with them. Don’t always agree on every issue. But that specific phraseology – how that’s characterized, my intent being questioned – is beyond offensive.'”

“In Arizona, legislation pushed by Mesnard and others that would make it harder to vote by mail has prompted pushback from businesses. The method of voting is quite popular in the state and works well – most ballots in Arizona are cast by mail. And while voters currently need only to sign their names to their ballot envelopes, Mesnard’s bill would require them to include their date of birth and an identification number, like their voter ID number or a driver license number, as further verification. Another bill, from Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R) could remove tens of thousands of voters deemed inactive from the Permanent Early Voting List, a roll of voters who automatically receive ballots by mail. For Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell, former Petsmart CEO Phil Francis and dozens of others, those bills warranted some protest. The corporate leaders were among those who signed onto the opposition letter Friday from Greater Phoenix Leadership, a well-known business group in the state. The letter, ‘Disenfranchising Voters is not ‘Election Reform,’’ quoted from a March op-ed of the same name. And it didn’t mince words. ‘The onslaught of voter suppression measures that have been introduced or entertained this session has been alarming,’ the broadside read. ‘Attempts to disenfranchise Arizona voters is not ‘election reform’ and cannot be tolerated. Further, pandering to those who willfully choose to perpetuate misleading or inaccurate information cannot continue. True leaders will play an important role in sharing the truth: our election system in Arizona works.'”