Phoenix (3TV/CBS 5) — Officials have released the results of an independent investigation into what caused the ballot printer problem that plagued Maricopa County on Election Day 2022.

The investigation, led by Justice Ruth McGregor, was part of a push by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Bill Gates Chairman Vice Chairman Clint Hickman Nearly a quarter of vote centers on Election Day had problems counting or printing ballots. Investigators conducted dozens of large-scale interviews with county staff and contractors, examining his 9,100 random votes, according to county officials.

report We’ve detailed the extensive steps to reproduce the issue and explored how the printer’s configuration causes the problem and plagues many polling stations. Some of these findings included finding that some older printers were unable to maintain the heat required to print ballots and were not properly readable by field counters. was Other issues noted in the report include some printers having problems with ballots that are 19 inches or 20 inches long, depending on voters’ constituencies and local elections, and that ballots are printed on thicker paper. It included being Investigators wrote that previous stress tests showed no problems with these types of votes.

See full report below.

“This report is exactly what we needed. An unbiased analysis of what happened and a range of recommendations on what to do next. Please make sure you take the necessary steps to ensure your voters have the right experience.”

The report’s recommendations include releasing Oki-branded printers, returning to standard 80-pound paper, and more robust stress testing, including testing at intervals to better simulate election day processing. It involves using tests.

Last November, Maricopa County officials said 245,000 people voted in person in Maricopa County on Election Day, despite problems with the ballot. At the time, officials stressed that anyone who wanted to vote was given the chance to vote. “No one was disenfranchised today.” That day, Republicans attempted to keep polling places open after state Republicans claimed people weren’t allowed to vote. Ultimately, a higher court judge denied the request on the grounds of lack of sufficient evidence.

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