Arizona Election Fraud Hearing

In 2008 Maricopa County had 400 polling places. In 2012 it had 200. This last election it had 60.

This was a "cost cutting decision." The fact that it resulted in people not being able to vote is irrelevant. Arizona was one of the states subject to the voting rights act, and previously could not have done such a thing without prior approval. Luckily, they no longer need to answer to anyone and can do anything they goddamn well please.

There is no doubt that last Tuesday was a mess in Maricopa County. For a combination of reasons. First, and not least, the reduction in the number of polling locations. That can be tied back directly to the (Republican dominated) legislature severely cutting fund. Widely circulated (as far as I can tell, deliberately) misinformation that those registered as Independent could vote. Thousands of Independents showed up, were told they were not eligible, and insisted on submitting a provisional ballot, which took significantly longer for each one. People had moved and not updated their information with the voter registration office. People had renewed their driver's license online, and the system dropped them from whichever party they had been registered with (this happened on both sides). People who had voted by mail, their choice was no longer in the race, and they wanted a re-do. Those people also had to do provisional ballots.

The main thing I don't understand. All those elderly, infirm, in wheelchairs, dragging along their toddlers, taking time off from work, etc etc people. We have had vote by mail for around 20 years. None of those categories apply to me or my husband, but we have voted by mail since the beginning.

There will be much screaming, yelling, finger pointing, and other upheaval. By the time of the general election it will have faded into the background and nothing will change.

Were people denied the opportunity to cast their ballot? Absolutely. Did it make any difference in the outcome? Probably not. From what I've seen in the paper, the lack of polling places was pretty evenly spread over rich/poor minority/majority areas.

The one thing that would fix all of this: do away with voting in person and require vote by mail. I undertand that there are a couple of states that do this.


edited for rugcat: in 2008 you could have shot a cannon in many of those 400 and not hit anyone.

MM

rugcat said:

In 2008 Maricopa County had 400 polling places. In 2012 it had 200. This last election it had 60.

This was a "cost cutting decision." The fact that it resulted in people not being able to vote is irrelevant. Arizona was one of the states subject to the voting rights act, and previously could not have done such a thing without prior approval. Luckily, they no longer need to answer to anyone and can do anything they goddamn well please.

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Wow. We had 37 just in Davis in 2014, a city of 65,000. 60 for a county of 4 million is ridiculous.

ShaunHorton said:

Dunno how much attention it's actually getting, but apparently there's an actual hearing going on about possible Election fraud over what happened in Arizona.

It seems to be full of drama and protests, and calls for Helen Purcell to step down. We even seem to have a Republican representative openly mocking the people.

The hearing has now been moved to a private room, and further, into recess. There's little doubt that they're all going to get off the hook though. Considering the uproar in the room though before they made it private, it'll be interesting to see what the public outcry turns into.

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The hearing isn't going on right now. It ended two days ago. Here: http://heavy.com/news/2016/03/arizo...hlights-what-happened-protests-photos-arrest/