As Election Day approaches, Republicans in Arizona are raising alarms about the voting conditions expected in Maricopa County. Concerns include potential long lines and delays in counting ballots, which the county says could take as long as 13 days.
Harmeet Dhillon, representing the Republican National Committee, and GOP congressional candidate Abe Hamadeh issued a letter to the county’s election officials. They argued that the two-page ballot could take voters longer to complete than anticipated, leading to extended wait times at polling centers.
The Republicans also highlighted technical issues, such as printer jams, from previous elections. They warned that similar problems could occur again if the county does not prepare adequately. In particular, they noted that one polling location with historically high turnout will not be available this year.
To address these concerns, the GOP representatives suggested several measures, including deploying backup machines and activating emergency voting sites. They also recommended that the county inform voters of the situation to encourage early voting.
Maricopa County election officials acknowledged that delays might occur but assured that poll workers are receiving extra training to handle potential technical problems. Despite these efforts, Republicans remain skeptical about the county’s ability to manage the situation smoothly.
Kari Lake, a Republican candidate for Senate, voiced her disapproval online, criticizing the timeline for ballot tabulation. She pointed to a law that allows voters to self-tabulate early ballots and questioned why Maricopa County is not utilizing this option to speed up the process.
With Arizona expected to be a closely contested battleground, Republican leaders insist that more needs to be done to ensure an efficient Election Day experience.