From early ballots to the in-person polls, elections in Pinal County were an EPIC FAIL.
As previously reported, over 60,000 mailed ballots were incorrect. Their solution? The county mailed out supplemental ballots. The mistake not only impacted ballots that had been mailed, so people that had voted early on the misprinted ballots were expected to return to vote one of the supplemental ballots. Is that really a solution?
Fresh off of that embarrassing disenfranchisement of their voters, Election Day arrived and the county continued their mistreatment of voters. Within a few hours of opening, polling locations began running out of (Republican) primary ballots. County officials admit to 20 polling sites being affected (I heard it was 27) and they’re estimating that about 750 voters were impacted. Apparently they believe that to be a low enough number to be considered acceptable to deny their right to vote.
I’m not sure how they came up with that number, so let’s examine the facts as we know them.
During the 2020 primary election, there were 228,028 registered voters, and there were 71,296 ballots cast. That was a 31.27% voter turnout.
During the 2022 primary election, there were 275,143 registered voters. As of approximately 2:00pm on 08/04/22, the county was reporting that there were 49,527 ballots cast. That is an 18.00% voter turnout.
750 voters impacted?!
Maybe, the difference is attributable to lower voter turnout for another reason. So, let’s look at the turnout difference in Maricopa County.
In the 2020 primary, the voter turnout in Maricopa County was 35.4%. In this election, voter turnout was reported to be 28.94%. That is a reduction of 6.46%.
Voter turnout in Pinal County declined by 13.27%. That’s more than double the rate of reduction that Maricopa County had.
Pinal County voters were disenfranchised!
Yet again, Pinal County officials have come up with a solution that leaves a lot to be desired. The Board of Supervisors has fired the Election Director, David Frisk, and intend to move the elected County Recorder, Virginia Ross, into that position ahead of the November general elections.
Is it supposed to instill voter confidence in the residents of Pinal County to install the current Recorder that is leaving the state upon completion of her home being built in Texas? It is my understanding that Ms. Ross has committed to stay until after the elections in November, but handing off the elections to a woman with one foot already out the door does not restore trust.
The voters in Pinal County deserve better! Let the Board of Supervisors know how you feel before their meeting Friday, 08/05/22, at 11:15am.
