Article Summary –
Maricopa County, Arizona, faces anticipated delays in election result announcements due to a new law requiring hand-counting of envelopes before ballot processing, impacting early result predictions. Historically taking up to 14 days for final tallies, officials are confident in timely completion by Nov 25.
Maricopa County election officials announced it could take two weeks to count ballots from Tuesday’s election.
A clear picture of which candidates win in Arizona hinges on Maricopa County, with over 60% of the state’s population, releasing results. A review of the county’s election history by The Copper Courier shows it takes an average of 14 days to complete tallies. The fastest release was six days in 2002, with 20-day waits from 2008 to 2012.
The November Election includes complex elements—two-page ballots and a new hand count law—but officials remain optimistic. Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates stated that election staff have planned efficiently and are prepared for the process.
“This election is crucial. There’s immense interest,” Gates said. “[Elections Director] Scott Jarrett has devised a plan accounting for significant early and Election Day voting. We all grasp its magnitude.”
Unofficial versus official election results
Though official results historically release a week or later, races were often called quickly, giving a perception of speedy Arizona results. Until 2016, as a Republican stronghold, winners of major races were often clear from Election Day results.
This shifted in 2016, when Arizona results weren’t declared for two days. This went unnoticed as Arizona wasn’t a swing state. Trump had secured the presidency rendering Arizona’s results in that race secondary.
In 2018, results took six days to call as candidates like Kathy Hoffman and Frank Riggs swapped leads daily. Meanwhile, anxious viewers refreshed results between Senate candidates Sinema and McSally.
Official results still took 14 days, staying regular.
What to expect
The 2024 election will likely resemble 2018 more than 2020, when results were unexpectedly quick. Concrete Election Day results are unlikely due to a new law mandating hand counts of ballots dropped off on Election Day, expected to severely delay outcomes.
Counting envelopes before tallies could push initial results back hours, decreasing the Election Night tally. Jennifer Liewer of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office told Votebeat that hand counts make forecasting initial results difficult.
“Providing a timeframe would lead to endless accountability,” said Liewer. “The new envelope counting requirement makes predictions impossible.”
Election departments have boosted staffing to ensure hand counts don’t delay results, aiming for timely submission to the Arizona Secretary of State by November 25.
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