Arizona’s Election Day Results: What’s Causing the Delay?

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

Maricopa County voters may face delays in receiving Election Day results following recent legislation that changes ballot counting procedures. The law, passed in February, mandates that poll workers count the number of mail ballot envelopes received before delivering any results to the central counting facility. This initial counting process, primarily a logistical step, prevents results from being reported immediately.

Election officials have indicated that this new requirement will extend the time frame for reporting results, with past elections showing upwards of 1,500 mail ballots dropped off at polling places on busy days. Jennifer Liewer, a spokesperson for the county elections department, noted the challenge in predicting when results would be available due to the additional counting steps introduced.

The primary election this year saw polling place results reported as late as 1:15 a.m. With anticipated long lines and a more complex ballot—comprising two sheets—results may be even more delayed in the upcoming election. Arizona law requires that all voters who are in line by poll closing time must be allowed to cast their ballots, complicating the timeline further.

Historically, Republicans have advocated for prompt result reporting. However, the new law was endorsed by GOP lawmakers as a necessary measure for documenting dropped-off mail ballots to enhance election security—a point emphasized by Rep. Alex Kolodin, who praised the security motives behind the delay.

Nevertheless, some voters remember the chaos of the post-Election Day counting in November 2020, where claims of fraud and incompetence were voiced amid the prolonged counting process. The timing for media organizations to call the presidential contest in Arizona remains uncertain, as a significant proportion of voters wait until Election Day to drop off their ballots. In 2022, approximately 290,000 voters used this method.

The tabulation process in Arizona is methodical, prioritizing early voting results before moving to Election Day ballots. Initial tallies of early ballots are typically uploaded at 8 p.m. on election night, followed by results from in-person voting. The use of on-site tabulation machines allows for quicker results, but processes remain bound by new state laws.

A critical change in this legislative session affects how voters address issues with mail ballots. Previously allowing five business days for corrections, the new timeline is set to five calendar days. This transition could expedite the processing of ballots.

Maricopa County officials are preparing for a surge in last-minute mail ballot drop-offs, expecting 350,000 compared to 290,000 in the last election. The county plans to staff up significantly to handle this influx and improve efficiency. Ultimately, the aim is to post results more swiftly, despite initial delays caused by the new counting requirements.

As Maricopa County navigates these changes, voters should prepare for an evolving election landscape. Final certification of results is scheduled for Nov. 25, with expectations that races may be determined sooner, barring tightly contested outcomes that could trigger recounts.