Judge now says Arizona voting measure fails; appeal pending

By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona judge who ruled that a voter initiative rolling back Republican-backed election law changes and expanding voting access qualified for the ballot has revised his decision. The judge said Friday that the Free and Fair Elections Act did not make the ballot. The new decision is being appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court. The high court had ordered Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Mikitish late Thursday to show how he concluded the measure had barely enough signatures. Mikitish did that Friday morning, and decided that measure fell 1,458 signatures short, not the 2,281 extra he said said earlier. Backers of the measure said they remained confident. The Supreme Court could rule Friday afternoon.