Phoenix (AZFamily) — With 57 days to go until Election Day, Arizona's largest county is already preparing for historic voter turnout, long lines and two-page ballots..
The move comes as Maricopa County leaders address concerns about fair and secure elections after a rise in voter intimidation and harassment.
“We've demonstrated our commitment to worker safety by adding fencing, badging, metal detectors and beefing up security,” said Board of Supervisors member Bill Gates, who represents the 3rd District.
Gates said the effort was a necessary expense, especially since the state's election process has been a breeding ground for misinformation and conspiracy theories.
“Frankly, at this point, this is starting to become just noise, because this has been going on for so long. But that doesn't mean it's right. It has to stop,” Gates said. “Obviously, if they break the law, people will find out, but I don't see why that would be the case. There's no evidence of that in 2020 or 2022.”
The state's narrow victory in the 2020 presidential election has focused national attention on the election process, something election officials understand is typical in a battleground state and don't expect the final outcome to be known for several days after the election.
“It will take longer,” the Maricopa County Elections Office said in a presentation Monday, “specifically, we expect an automatic recount will take place.”
They are now taking more aggressive steps to increase transparency, especially given some anticipated issues with creating two-page ballots for the first time since 2006.
“We estimate it will take voters approximately 11-12 minutes to complete their ballot, and we expect lines to be longer than usual on Election Day,” election officials said.
Election officials said lines would be longest towards the end of the day, with average wait times of 15 to 20 minutes, and that during peak voting times, wait times at some polling stations could be as little as a few minutes, while at others wait times could be up to an hour.
More than 240 venues will be set up to accommodate an expected 310,000 to 415,000 voters on Election Day, even though schools will be closed for voting in November.
County officials say sample ballots will be available on the voter dashboard. Ready to vote..
Click/tap here For more information on how to vote in Maricopa County, click here.
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