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Arizona Secretary of State Confident in Counties’ Readiness for Crucial Primary Election
PHOENIX — The Arizona primary election is set for Tuesday, July 30, marking a critical precursor to the November General Election. This election cycle comes amid lingering skepticism about the validity of the 2020 and 2022 elections, even among some current candidates.
Allison Rodriguez of 12News recently interviewed Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to discuss election safety and protections for election workers. Fontes emphasized the role individuals play in ensuring secure elections. “The biggest and most important thing that voters can do, is learn now about the subject matter that you’re interested in. Learn about the candidates, learn about the issues now,” he advised.
Fontes urged voters to remain vigilant against misinformation. He noted the importance of early voting to avoid last-minute complications and potential misinformation attacks. “Vote early. If you turn that ballot in early, you’re less likely to be caught up right towards the end on election day, in whatever drama might pop up because of these tools,” he explained, citing deepfakes and artificial intelligence as potential threats.
Despite concerns, Fontes assured voters that Arizona’s elections are secure. “We’ve had safeguards in Arizona in our early voting system for a very long time,” he said. He added that collaboration with all 15 county recorders is crucial for a streamlined election process. “I get along real well with all 15 of the county recorders. We speak pretty regularly in statewide meetings,” he noted.
Fontes pointed out that individual counties in Arizona are responsible for their election systems, which are state-certified. Tight races and narrow margins have become common in Arizona elections, prompting questions about the readiness of Fontes’ office for potential Election Day issues. “If I see or hear of something that might impact a person’s vote here in Arizona, then we will do everything we can to protect that voter’s vote. But frankly, I don’t think we’re going to have any of those conflicts this year,” Fontes commented.
As the primary approaches, Fontes remains confident about the election process running smoothly but acknowledges that only time will tell. Voters are encouraged to stay informed and utilize the state’s early voting system to ensure their participation in this crucial election.