Increased political tensions and divisions in Arizona and across the country have many voters feeling disconnected from our electoral process.

With a constant barrage of misinformation Social media and the exaggerated political rhetoric used by both sides make it difficult for many voters to separate fiction from reality.

Although many of us disagree on the various public policy measures impacting our state and nation, we should all agree that strengthening our constitutional and federal republic build confidence in our elections is paramount, regardless of party affiliation.

Each of us has had the privilege of serving our great state in many capacities, and we have seen first-hand how strong, principled leadership and truth can restore voter confidence and protect our freedoms.

Arizona Elections Just Got Even More Secure

Arizona has long been a leader in election security. Voting machines are tested to guarantee their integrity.

Audits are conducted after each election to verify accuracy, and we store paper ballots in locked facilities to confirm their security.

These practices are not just about compliance, they are also about trust.

The reality is that Arizona has the toughest and most secure electoral laws in the country, and many of them were in place well before the 2020 elections.

In fact, since the 2020 election, Arizona has implemented many effective policies to further secure our elections. To name a few, our current state:

• Requires the Arizona Secretary of State remove dead voters electoral lists. Prior to this change, the Secretary was authorized but not required to take this action.

• Forbidden private money for use in the administration of elections in Arizona.

• Prohibited to county recorders send early ballots to any person who has not registered on the active early voting list or who has not submitted an application to the county in which they are registered to vote.

• Forbidden same day voter registration.

• Requires registration forms to include a declaration inform voters that if they leave the state, their Arizona voter registration will be canceled.

• Prohibits county recorders from using unattended drop boxes for receiving early ballots.

Voters must believe elections are secure

It is not enough for elections to be secure: they must also be seen as such. This means increasing public outreach by our state and local election officials from both parties and educating voters about how our voting and vote counting processes work.

When voters hear from people they trust that the process is secure, that their vote counts, and that the system is working as it should, it makes a difference. It’s not just about words; it’s about building a culture of trust in our electoral system.

A recent survey commissioned by the Democracy Defense Project found that efforts to alter the 2020 presidential election have created an environment in which voters are concerned about November election interference.

This includes majorities of independents and Republicans. Even Democrats are relatively divided, due to fears of voter intimidation and misinformation.

While there are broad and deep differences by partisan affiliation, the poll found that there are also areas of agreement when it comes to some of the biggest threats to the integrity of our elections and ways to combat these threats.

This includes allowing bipartisan oversight of all election results; identify messages from foreign adversaries on social media and inform voters about them before the election; and prohibit electronic compilation machines from being connected to the Internet.

Fortunately, many laws and procedures are already in effect in Arizona.

More leaders must fight misinformation

Local elected officials have gone above and beyond to inform the public about the electoral guarantees are in place in Arizona, but many voters are still unaware of the facts.

As we head into one of the most important and controversial elections of our lifetimes, it is essential that we continue to inform these people that most election concerns are already resolved by the very strict voting laws in place.

Thousands of people across the state – family members and neighbors – are selflessly volunteering at voting centers to help the community participate in this civic duty. These election officials and volunteers deserve our gratitude and respect.

Given the number of contested races and ballot propositions in this election, the votes will be long and many registered voters will participate.

For those voting in person on Election Day, please be patient. Even as counties prepare for all scenarios, long ballots will result in longer wait times, but your vote is important and secure.

Leaders must lead. That’s why we need more leaders from both parties to speak out to combat the misinformation that has been circulating for four years and negatively impacting perceptions of our elections.

The only way to restore voter confidence in the system is to allow trusted voices to speak the truth, loud and clear. By affirming election security and promoting transparency, we can restore and strengthen the trust that is the cornerstone of our democracy.

Former Gov. Jan Brewer, former State Rep. Daniel Hernandez, Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines and former U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon are members of the Democracy Defense Project’s Arizona Board of Directors. On X, formerly Twitter, @DemoDefenseProj.

This article was originally published on Arizona Republic: Opinion: Arizona needs more leaders like us to say elections are safe