Maricopa County to Undergo New Election Systems Audit
In an effort to bolster confidence in its election processes, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will conduct a fresh audit of its election systems. This initiative is set apart from the widely criticized 2021 review of the county’s 2020 election results.
Debbie Lesko, recently elected as one of the three Republican supervisors, pushed for the new audit shortly after assuming office. “I just want to make sure that I’m comfortable with what’s happening now, so that when I talk to the constituents of Maricopa County, I can say listen, I reviewed this, we looked at this,” Lesko stated.
The board’s new chairman, Republican Thomas Galvin, who was unanimously chosen by his peers, emphasized that this audit will not be a repetition of the 2020 election review. That previous examination was conducted by Cyber Ninjas, following demands from the Arizona State Senate amidst unfounded allegations of election fraud during the year President Joe Biden won against then-President Donald Trump in Maricopa County.
Galvin clarified that the upcoming audit aims to improve service rather than revisit election outcomes. “If we get away from the word ‘audit,’ or we get away from thinking we’re going to be examining the results of elections, but if we look at it from the business customer service standpoint on examining ways that we can do better, I think no one can argue with that,” he explained. He further mentioned that this is the appropriate time to examine the county’s election processes “the right way.”
Lesko, previously a congresswoman, has avoided addressing her stance on past elections during her campaign for supervisor. Notably, she was among the 147 Republican members of Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results. When questioned about the accuracy of the 2020 election results, Lesko attributed her decision to a court-ordered extension of voter registration deadlines amidst the pandemic, claiming, “I think that there were liberal groups that used COVID and the system to do things.” A court later found that extending the voter registration deadline because of the pandemic was unconstitutional.
Galvin noted that the majority of the board, comprising him and three other Republican supervisors, support the new audit. However, Steve Gallardo, the board’s only Democrat, has yet to comment on the proposal.
—
Read More Arizona News
