As voting begins on Tuesday morning, Maricopa County, Arizona is once again in the news for being unable to handle an election without serious issue.
The scene of the Arizona Audit that shaped political opinions regarding the 2020 election, now Maricopa County voters were told by a poll worker that the machines are broken, according to a video relayed by Arizona resident and TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk.
“The poll worker says they have two machines, one is down and the other is spitting out 25% of ballots and their ballots will be taken somewhere else to get recorded,” wrote Kirk, summarizing the video. He added, “Reports of this coming in from all over Maricopa already this morning.”
The poll worker says they have two machines, one is down and the other is spitting out 25% of ballots and their ballots will be taken somewhere else to get recorded.
Reports of this coming in from all over Maricopa already this morning.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 8, 2022
Toward the end of a video, an Arizona voter asks the worker what her options are if she waits in line only to find out her ballot cannot be scanned. It appears the worker instructed voters to leave their ballots in a box that would be moved to another location.
While the meaning of the results of the Arizona Audit became subject to partisan divide – the right wing largely claims it’s proof the election was stolen, while the left wing largely claims it’s proof the election was fair – observers were reminded by the left that the Maricopa County supervisors and their election officials were professionals and beyond reproach.
Now, in the very opening moments of the election, we are receiving reports that voters are unable to vote, and those who can vote, may not have their votes counted on site. All handled by the same people accused by many Republicans of stealing the last election for the Democrats.
Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward appears to be attempting to keep her party’s voters informed on Twitter as information becomes available.
“Maricopa stated at a recent press conference that they will NOT be tabulating ballots downtown today,” Ward explained. “Wait for the on-site tabulator to work and feed your ballot in yourself.”
Do not out your ballot in “door 3.” Maricopa stated at a recent press conference that they will NOT be tabulating ballots downtown today. Wait for the on-site tabulator to work and feed your ballot in yourself. https://t.co/PeQ3EA9HoG
— Dr. Kelli Ward ???????? (@kelliwardaz) November 8, 2022
During the Arizona Senate’s audit of the 2020 election, ballots that were allegedly damaged and needed to be recreated by poll workers were one of many red flags raised by Republicans.
More reports of Maricopa County residents being unable to vote have continued to surface.
It's the responsibility of @MaricopaVote and @maricopacounty BOS to make sure election day runs smoothly@billgatesaz it seems there's a lot more work to do! pic.twitter.com/X2YSbKEL3B
— Merissa Hamilton ???? ⛽ ???????? (@merissahamilton) November 8, 2022
On the ballot in Maricopa County and throughout Arizona are several Trump endorsed candidates including Kari Lake for Governor, Blake Masters for U.S. Senate, and Mark Finchem for Secretary of State.
This news and commentary by Tom Pappert originally appeared on Valiant News.