Maricopa County wants to know how voters feel about this most recent general election. The survey was issued a few hours before the state certified the election results on Monday.
The Monday email from the Maricopa County Elections Department asked voters to describe their voting experience, how they voted, and if they felt informed on election procedures. The county asked voters impacted by Election Day problems the reason for their dissatisfaction, as well as where they voted. They also asked voters if vote centers rather than precinct-based locations made voting more convenient.
In some ways, this general election echoed the voter discontent and mistrust that arose following the 2020 general election. The embattled county has attempted to address the myriad claims of fraud arising from a chaotic Election Day prompted by faulty printer settings causing mass tabulator failures. The county reported last month that they’ve shared over 700 social media posts, conducted over 600 interviews, and submitted monthly newsletters to 40,000 subscribers this election.
There's been a variety of misinformation and misinterpretations of voter turn out data circulating social media. Here's a breakdown on all the data from @maricopavote's election reports:🧵
During its certification of the election results, the county specified further that faulty heat settings on retrofitted ballot-on-demand printers were to blame.
. @MaricopaVote : the faulty printer setting causing widespread tabulator issues occurred in one of two types of printers: the one retrofitted to be a ballot-on-demand printer, "Oki." County expressed confusion with its failure since stress testing went well. 71 sites impacted. pic.twitter.com/jZEmQiZXQn
The attorney general’s office questioned the county about these mass failures and reported complaints of disenfranchisement. About a week later, the day before the deadline set by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright, the county answered with a report.
NEW: County responds to AG letter about Nov. election saying all laws were followed & all voters had the opportunity to legally and securely cast their ballot. Legal response: https://t.co/PItANauVz1 Details: https://t.co/07m2RlEaKH Key points: 🧵⬇️
The county’s troubles began earlier this year when doubts over the pens used for in-person voting resurfaced. The county swapped Sharpies for Pentel felt-tipped pens in July.
The changes prompted some activists to encourage rejection of the county’s protocol. Failed board of supervisors candidate Gail Golec advised voters to steal election pens in August. The county responded with a cease-and-desist letter to Golec.
More than 18K voters have successfully cast a ballot in person so far today! Minor tech issues have been resolved as well as reports of stolen pens. Please do not remove any voting materials from the polling place, including pens.https://t.co/WXsuEj0sDe
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) August 2, 2022
Election officials have reported that both the ink and felt tip pens pose problems. Occasionally, ink pen residue clogs the machines, and felt tip pen ink smears, causing ballot rejection, or the nibs break off.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The Maricopa County Elections Department will swap Sharpies for Pentel felt-tipped pens to ensure that the ink dries fast enough for tabulation machines to process in-person votes.
Wondering what type of pen to use on Election Day? Use the fast-drying felt-tip pens provided in the voting booths. Slow drying ink like ballpoint pens, can easily smear inside the ballot counting machine and cause delays at the polls. Learn more at https://t.co/clsyMr5dWD. pic.twitter.com/cTrCEWkAZk
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) July 27, 2022
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer toldAZ Family this week that Sharpies don’t dry as quickly as Pentel pens.
“If you’re voting on Election Day, we need that pen to dry quickly because you’re going to feed it directly into the tabulation machine that is there at the voting location,” Richer said.
The county’s switch comes months ahead of the two-year anniversary of “SharpieGate,” a viral belief that grew out of local voter complaints in the 2020 election that Sharpies used at voting locations to fill out ballots caused tabulation machines to struggle processing their ballots.
In May, Richer shared with KTAR News that SharpieGate-related concerns among voters were another reason they ceased using Sharpies.
“It’s small but emblematic of what we’re trying to do here,” said Richer.
Yet in June, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Clint Hickman said in a since-deleted interview with AZ Family that Sharpies were the manufacturer-recommended tool because of their quick drying time.
“Sharpies are recommended by the manufacturer because they provide the fastest-drying ink. The offset columns on ballots ensure that any bleed-through will not impact your vote,” said Hickman.
In the weeks following 2020 voters’ concerns that Sharpie ink invalidated ballots, Maricopa County asserted that Sharpies didn’t compromise ballot integrity and were “the best option” for their tabulation equipment. They also claimed that Sharpies were the “fastest drying ink” that “doesn’t smudge.”
Thank you to the 168,000 thousand people who cast their ballot in person! Sharpie pens were used at polling locations because they are the best option for our new tabulation equipment. Rumors that ballots that use sharpies don't count are NOT TRUE. pic.twitter.com/csxMRYvx1h
— Maricopa County Recorder's Office (@RecordersOffice) November 3, 2020
The county added that the tabulation machine manufacturers recommended the use of Sharpies over other writing instruments.
Sharpie markers were available at each Vote Center through the early voting period & Election Day by recommendation of the tabulation equipment manufacturer. It's the preferred and stress tested method to mark a ballot. See the response to @GeneralBrnovichhttps://t.co/wKopolSaVPhttps://t.co/OgUj81T0Fu
— Maricopa County Recorder's Office (@RecordersOffice) November 6, 2020
Richer pleaded with voters to use the felt-tipped pens, saying that other pens — like ballpoint — might cause residue buildup in the tabulating machines.
We will give ALL voters a special pen at voting locations. PLEASE PLEASE use this pen.
— Stephen Richer—Maricopa Cnty Recorder (prsnl acct) (@stephen_richer) July 26, 2022
The changes prompted some within GOP leadership to openly balk county protocols. Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward instructed her voters to use their own pens when voting.
Get out and vote. Don’t be bullied by poll workers. Use your own pen if you want. Vote for your choices. #SaveAmericahttps://t.co/DYEopB6HT4
State Representative and secretary of state candidate Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix) announced that she would be using her own pen to vote in person.
I will be taking my own blue or black ballpoint ink pen to the polls when I vote in person. The tabulation equipment will not read red ink or a highlighter properly according to a FAQ I read online. https://t.co/DFavAWN7PK
Bolick later shared that poll workers were giving her reports of the pens bleeding through the ballots. The county has assured voters repeatedly over the past two years that bleed-through doesn’t affect the machines’ ability to read ballots.
Wondering what type of pen to use on Election Day? Use the fast-drying felt-tip pens provided in the voting booths. Slow drying ink like ballpoint pens, can easily smear inside the ballot counting machine and cause delays at the polls. Learn more at https://t.co/clsyMr5dWD. pic.twitter.com/cTrCEWkAZk
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) July 27, 2022
In response, Richer said that naysayers of the new pens were attempting to disrupt the primary. He advised voters to comply with their election workers by using whatever pen they’re given.
“It’s a primary. What the heck do you think we get out of giving people a special pen other than a smooth functioning election?” asked Richer. “Do you think we’re just asking you to use the Pentel pen to be funny? Good lord people.”
🧵Just texted a friend who sent out a message that she will ignore instructions, not use the given pen, and will use a ballpoint blue pen.
Let's call it what it is. She's trying to disrupt the primary.
Just use the darn pen given to you on election day.
— Stephen Richer—Maricopa Cnty Recorder (prsnl acct) (@stephen_richer) July 27, 2022
Primary Election Day is next Tuesday, August 2. Maricopa County drop box and voting locations are available online, and ballot tracking is available here.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The Maricopa County Elections Department spent $10,000 on two of the same custom ballot mascots last February, according to records. That price is within the normal range of costs associated with custom mascots – they typically cost several thousands of dollars. In a statement to AZ Free News, Maricopa County Elections Department spokeswoman Megan Gilbertson explained that the mascot was necessary to mitigate updates to the elections equipment and the fresh outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a new ballot style, new equipment and a global pandemic, Maricopa County wanted a way to ensure voters had the information they needed to successfully and safely participate in elections in 2020. Voter education can help keep polling place lines shorter by providing voters with critical details about election deadlines and important election information. The Elections Department and Recorder’s Office created BeBallotReady. Vote, a customized dashboard where voters can find election information and deadlines, sample ballots, voting locations, information about the new ballot and equipment, and more. Along with the dashboard, the County launched a coordinated campaign to inform voters about the new ballot and equipment as well as direct information about the 2020 elections. The spokesperson of the campaign was Phil the Ballot. The mascot costume was used in all of our videos and graphics during the election and has become a beloved and well liked figure of Maricopa County elections.
The department’s invoice was dated February 27, 2020. At that point, only one case of COVID-19 was discovered in Maricopa County at the end of January: an Arizona State University (ASU) student who’d traveled to Wuhan, China. Additional cases weren’t reported on widely until March, and the first known community spread case wouldn’t occur for over another week.
The county also told AZ Free News that they weren’t going to use the mascot, named “Phil the Ballot,” at any of their polling locations because photography isn’t allowed within 75 feet of any polling location.
Behind the scenes at the Election Department. We're preparing all ballot envelopes dropped off today for signature verification. Thank you to all of our election workers who helped to #BeBallotReady. pic.twitter.com/KZ75ayuf6r
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) November 3, 2021
According to the invoice, each mascot cost $4,450. The carrying bag set to hold both Phil the Ballot mascots cost $300, and the cooling system and fan for the costume cost $530 altogether. Shipping totaled nearly $464.
However, the elections department did get a discount of $200 for purchasing two of the same costume. The mascots came from Ohio-based Promo Costumes.
Phil the Ballot appears in instructional or informational videos posted by the department on YouTube. These videos cover various topics, such as how to request a one-time ballot or how to locate a voting center. One of Phil the Ballot’s videos published several weeks before the 2020 presidential election even discussed how Sharpies could be used to mark ballots.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
