Maricopa County Certifies Election Results After Unprecedented Ballot Counting Speed

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors confirmed the results of the recent general election on Thursday afternoon, initiating the process for official recounts. The county’s election officials highlighted their achievement of processing an unprecedented number of ballots within a compressed timeframe, addressing prior demands for improvements in the counting system.

Over the span of 10 days, election workers counted 2,078,460 two-page ballots, essentially handling double the workload compared to previous elections. This figure marks the second-highest total in the county’s history, only surpassed by the 2020 election, which also took a full ten days for tabulation.

Maricopa County Elections Director Scott Jarrett noted that the county outperformed other large jurisdictions in voter turnout, achieving an impressive 80%. This figure exceeds the turnout in Harris County (Texas), Miami-Dade (Florida), and Cook County (Illinois), while also surpassing the county’s presidential election average of 77%.

The backdrop of the 2020 election, which saw Arizona shift to a Democratic preference, brought considerable scrutiny to Maricopa County from both national and international media outlets. According to Assistant County Manager Zach Shira, the county issued 686 media credentials to journalists from 17 countries, reflecting the ongoing interest in local electoral processes.

Authorities emphasized that strategic planning for the two-page ballot system was crucial in managing the counting of over 4 million pages. This was the first instance of ballots being distributed over two pages since 2006, with the average ballot in Maricopa containing 79 races and offering more than 13,000 distinct styles due to local contests and propositions.

When queried about the impacts of consolidating the ballot to one page, Jarrett asserted that results would have likely been reported 99% by election night. He remarked on the speed of the counting process, countering claims of delays. Nonetheless, Supervisor Thomas Galvin expressed the view that the counting could be expedited further.

Galvin advocates for changes to early voting methods to enhance tabulation speed, suggesting a cutoff for dropping off ballots at polling sites on Election Day. He proposes aligning the deadline with practices seen in Florida, a move he believes could streamline operations. However, Governor Katie Hobbs has indicated opposition to any measures that might restrict voters’ early voting choices.

In contrast, Supervisor Steve Gallardo pointed to legislative actions as contributing factors to the county’s counting challenges, asserting that past alterations to election procedures had detrimental effects. Galvin has garnered cross-party support for his proposals, including backing from Democratic Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott.

The Board’s approval of the election canvass triggered the commencement of automatic recounts for three specific races in Maricopa County, notably the close contest for the Board of Supervisors District 3 seat, the State Representative for Legislative District 2, and the Fountain Hills Town Council election, where candidates are separated by mere fractions of a percent.