Voters head to the polls in state affected by election denialism

On By Karl

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Arizona voters went to the polls Tuesday in an election landscape irrevocably changed by false claims of stolen races.

Officials across the state said they were prepared for a busy day at polling places and were hoping for a smooth run. But some districts were also preparing for national attention. Four years after former President Donald Trump lost the state and the election, denialism has taken root; authorities continue to face threats, protests and harassment.

They also face increasing pressure to make perfect choices amid ever-changing state laws and intense scrutiny; This is an almost impossible demand to meet. Meanwhile, race margins are getting narrower with each election cycle in battleground Arizona.

Election Day is a chance to regain voters’ trust. Officials across the state have been planning for more than a year to ensure the election runs smoothly under intense pressure. Their preparations include security plans, equipment testing, staffing situations, communication strategies and more.

““We have done our best to ensure our 15 counties are prepared for every scenario, from equipment malfunctions to security threats at our polling places,” said Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. “We stand united against those who threaten our democracy, and we stand ready to defend our elections through a peaceful, democratic process.”

But new challenges continue to emerge. Many counties face lengthy, two-page ballots that could frustrate voters and lead to lines at the polls. Last-minute repeal of new laws regarding early voting could mean delaying results on election night. And both issues can present opportunities for those who seek to sow distrust in the electoral system.

Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates said last month that he and his colleagues have invested heavily in election operations, especially communications, since 2020. He said that the district, which is the most populous region of the state and often the epicenter of election conspiracies, was prepared in this regard. Respond to misinformation that arises during voting and vote counting.

“We know there is great interest in this year’s election, and we want people to have every opportunity they want to vote,” Gates said. “And if people are going to try to dissuade people from doing that by spreading misinformation,” he said, “we will respond to that very quickly by laying out the facts.”

Meanwhile, security is a growing concern. The new election buildings are equipped with state-of-the-art security measures, from cameras to fences and bulletproof glass. But ballot boxes must remain accessible to voters, and law enforcement must balance security and the letter of the law with the constitutional freedoms of protesters and election critics. Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner called it a “double-edged sword.”

“It’s concerning that Maricopa County is seeing this increased sense of security, questions, and national — even global — attention,” he said at a news conference in October. “But I want you to be assured that there has been tremendous planning over many years for this operation of democracy and to ensure that this community is safe.”

Two-page ballots, new laws: Will challenges mar Election Day?

Nine jurisdictions, including densely populated Maricopa and Pima counties, will see double-sided, two-page ballots on Election Day. Authorities repeatedly warned that it could cause wait times, machine jams and other problems.

Maricopa County Elections Director Scott Jarrett said he hired additional election workers, added new vote centers, increased capacity at polling places and made other changes to mitigate the effects of long sentences. Officials are also encouraging voters to vote early or at least research ballot contests before coming to the polls.

“I’m pretty confident in the model we’ve created,” Jarrett said. “We have enough resources there.”

But he still estimates a handful of polling places in the county could see lines of up to an hour. Some lines are normal during a busy presidential season, but this means a slightly longer wait than usual.

“He’s actually at the voting booth,” Jarrett said. “There will be those locations because it takes longer for all the voters in that location to complete their voting process.”

The wait will not end when the polls close. Recent smaller elections show that New state law designed to speed up full unofficial results could delay the release of election night reports.

new statute It was created in response to a new law requiring recounts in races by wider margins than previously required. That law sparked fears that further recounts could disrupt Arizona’s election certification program.

Getting a scheduling fix through the Arizona Legislature this spring required compromises from election officials — including a compromise stipulating that counties must count the number of early voting envelopes received at each polling place on election day and report those numbers to the public on election night.

This counting process delayed the return of election day counts during state primaries. Maricopa County officials predict another wait in general election; This could heighten tensions as politicians, pundits and voters across the country eagerly await the first rounds of election results.

“It really depends on the volume of drop-offs,” Deputy County Manager Zach Schira said. “Like every election, this one will be unique, regardless of the circumstances.”

What do voters need to know?

Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday for in-person voting and for early voters to continue dropping off their ballots.

Most counties will use a polling station model for this election, allowing voters to vote at any polling place within their boundaries. A small group will use a precinct-based voting model, where voters are assigned a polling place based on where they reside, while others will use a hybrid model. Check with: your local election officials to find polling places in your county.

You must show identification at the polls unless you leave a mail-in ballot in a signed affidavit envelope. Don’t forget to bring an acceptable form of identification.

To avoid lines, consider voting in the morning or early afternoon when polling stations are less busy. Shorten the time you spend at the polls by making a plan before you go to vote so you can fill out your ballot faster.

If the polls close while you’re still in line to vote, don’t leave. As long as you get in line at 19:00, you have the right to vote.

What happens next?

Arizonans and voters across the country will see the first results of early and in-person voters at the polls on election night.

But this is only a partial view of the election results. Arizona allows voters to vote early until polls close on election day. Every cycle, hundreds of thousands of voters drop out of their so-called “late early” voters.

These ballots must be processed and undergo signature verification, a mandatory measure against voter fraud. This means it will usually take more than a week to see full results. The more last-minute early voting is received, the longer it usually takes for votes to be counted and tight races to be determined, which is often a given in Arizona.

Maricopa County Elections Department spokeswoman Jennifer Liewer said officials currently expect counting to take 10 to 13 days. Media outlets may be able to release the results of some races quickly, but others are likely to wait, which is sure to inflame national tensions.

“While we will be tabulating ballots faster than ever before, we want people to know that it will take time to get results,” Liewer said. he said. “Our races will be close.”

This story will be updated throughout Election Day.

Sasha Hupka is responsible for county government and election administration for the Arizona Republic. reach out to him [email protected]. Follow him on X: @SashaHupka. Follow him on Instagram or Topics: @sashahupkasnaps. Sign up for the weekly election newsletter, Republic Census.