By Allan Stein
Republican voters frustrated with Maricopa Countyâs handling of the midterm election blasted the countyâs board of supervisors on Nov. 16 and called for a new election.
âIâm just disgusted by your behavior and the decisions that youâve made. Look at all these people out here suffering so badly because of your falsehoods,â said Sheila Roberts of Phoenix during the boardâs public comment portion.
While Roberts said she was âpretty frustratedâ by the ballot tabulation process on election day, she wanted âtransparency and truthâ and to âlook every one of you in the eyes.
âPlease, think about what youâre doing. Represent all of us and make sure all these votes count,â Roberts said.
Matt Baker of Phoenix began shouting at board members when it was his turn to speak.
âOnce again, the eyes of the world are upon Maricopa County for another botched election,â he said.
âAm I here to accuse you of stealing the vote? Heavens no. That would make me a terrorist, wouldnât it?â Baker said, and then asked, âWhat is more valuable, your vote or your money?â
County election officials estimate that 20 percent of ballot tabulating equipment experienced problems on election day in the county.
Those uncounted ballots, numbering in excess of 17,000, that didnât get read went into a separate box for later counting at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix. An estimated 25,000 ballots remained uncounted as of Nov. 14, according to Arizonaâs secretary of state office.
âWeâre not going to have any outburstsâ
At least a dozen speakers, mostly Republican, voiced their frustrations about problems with the countyâs electoral process at Nov. 16âs board meeting. Most comments reflected a level of mistrust for the countyâs electoral system not seen since the 2020 presidential election.
âIt is important that we hear the comments from the people who would like to speak today. So I have chosen to put this on the agenda,â said Board of Supervisors chairman Bill Gates just before the live YouTube feed quit working.
âEverybody is going to be treated the same. Everyone will have the same timeâ with two minutes to speak, said Gates, laying the ground rules.
âPart and parcel of everything Iâve been saying is weâre not going to have any outbursts. Weâre not going to laugh. Weâre not going to clap. Weâre going to comment and move on to the next person.â
Calling the election in Maricopa County a âsham,â Robert Canterbury of Phoenix said the county has become the âlaughing stock of the nation.â
Canterbury said Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs should have recused herself rather than overseen her election as Arizonaâs next governor.
âHow many disenfranchised voters in this election wonât vote in the 2024 election because they know that the same people in charge of the last two elections will be in charge of that election?â
âItâs horrible what happened,â said Barbara Jennings of Phoenix. âNobody trusts [now]. Weâre supposed to believe that we have free and fair elections here [and] that we have honest media. Both we do not.â
Michelle Dillard of Phoenix said, âWe canât accept these results. This is an illegitimate election.â
âIt is your job to provide the remedy. We want a secure, fair election. Make that happen.â
Jeff Caldwell told the board that he believes that many voters didnât get to vote on election day, calling the election a âcomplete disaster.â
âHow many voters just said âscrew it,â and left?â