Half of voting center machines in Maricopa malfunctioned, says new report
A new report by Rasmussen says 48% of tabulation machines or printers in Arizona’s Maricopa County voting centers malfunctioned during the midterm elections, not the 20% figure previously reported. No such issues were reported during the early voting period prior to election day, despite the same equipment being used.
The malfunctions reportedly were most prevalent in Republican areas, so that Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake was forced to vote in a liberal area so she would be assured of a functioning tabulation machine.
Maricopa County is Arizona’s largest county and the fourth largest in the United States.
After a week of counting votes, Arizona called the race last week for sitting Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who oversaw the election and will likely certify her own victory. Hobbs pulled ahead slightly at the last minute, erasing Lake’s week-long lead.
But the Arizona attorney general’s office is demanding answers before the election results are certified, with one official citing evidence of “statutory violations”.
“These complaints go beyond pure speculation, but include first-hand witness accounts that raise concerns regarding Maricopa’s lawful compliance with Arizona election law,” wrote Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright Saturday to Chief Civil Division Attorney Thomas Liddy.
In one first-hand witness account, an election observer swore they saw tabulated votes and non-tabulated votes placed in the same duffel bag.
“Maricopa County appears to have failed to adhere to the statutory guidelines in segregating, counting, tabulating, tallying, and transporting the ‘Door 3’ ballots,” Wright wrote. “In fact, Maricopa County has admitted that in some voting locations, ‘Door 3’ non-tabulated ballots were commingled with tabulated ballots at the voting location.”
Wright demanded a full report by November 28th on the legal violations.
“Arizonans deserve a full report and accounting of the myriad problems that occurred in relation to Maricopa County’s administration of the 2022 General Election,” Wright wrote in the letter. “As the canvass is looming, and these issues relate to Maricopa County’s ability to lawfully certify election results – the Unit requests a response to the aforementioned issues on or before Maricopa County submits its official canvass to the Secretary of State, which must occur on or before November 28, 2022.”
