Arizona

It takes days to finalize election results in Arizona. Here’s why

Published

3 months ago

November 7, 2024

Press Room

It takes days to finalize election results in Arizona. Here’s why

It’s the never-fail complaint the day after an Arizona election: It takes so long to get results.

“Why is Arizona so far behind in counting votes?” a Reddit user asked journalists from The Arizona Republic in an AMA conversation Wednesday.

Blame the early ballots that get dropped off on Election Day at the polls. Stir in increasingly competitive contests, and it adds up to days’ worth of waiting for a definitive result. Maricopa County estimated vote counting would run 10-13 days before every ballot is counted.

But help is on the way, if voters are willing to exercise a little patience.

A speedier option

Starting in 2026, voters who are rushing to drop off their early ballot on Election Day have the option of showing their ID at the polls, opening their early ballot envelope on site and feeding the ballot into the vote-counting machine.

That way, the ballot will get immediately recorded, saving hours of time that currently goes to checking the validity of the voter signature on the ballot envelope.

This is the result of a bipartisan bill lawmakers approved in February. It’s intended to speed up the voting counting process.

But there’s a hitch: It’s optional and it remains to be seen if voters showing up close to the voting deadline will slow down to stand in a line and show ID.

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, who sponsored the bill that made the change, said if voters understand that the tradeoff of taking a few extra minutes at the polls would speed up results, the new procedure could end many of the complaints.

“The more voters who choose to present ID, it can only be a plus,” the Scottsdale Republican said. He noted voter behavior can shift quickly: He pointed to GOP voters, who four years ago were urged to spurn early voting. This year, they got the opposite message and they embraced it.

That was proven by returns that showed Republicans outpacing Democrats in turning in their early ballots early.

Days of waiting is routine

The delay that has become a hallmark of Arizona elections is due to the many options Arizona offers its voters. They can get a mail-in ballot and return it via the mail, pop it in a drop box, or take it in person to an early voting center.

Then there’s the late-early voter.

“We have a substantial number of voters who take their early ballot and they kind of keep it on their kitchen counter for like three weeks, ” Kolodin said.

As Election Day nears, they realize they haven’t voted and they use yet another option: dropping it off at the polls. It’s quick and easy; they can avoid the line and deposit their sealed ballot in a box at the local vote center.

But those ballots take time to process because election officials have to verify that the signature on the ballot envelope matches that on the voting register. Verification can take time, especially if there are questions about the signature. The law allows five days to “cure” such ballots.

On Tuesday, 225,118 early ballots got dropped off at the vote centers in Maricopa County, the state’s most populous.

There’s also the factor of close elections. The Arizona state legislative races this year are a prime example. As of late Wednesday afternoon, Senate candidates in the east Phoenix/Scottsdale Legislative District 4 are separated by just 38 votes with 700,000 ballots yet to be counted in Maricopa County.

Two years ago, it took until late December for Democrat Kris Mayes to be declared state attorney general. She won by 280 votes after an automatic recount.

Donald Trump holds a 112,176-vote lead over Kamala Harris in the race where 2.3 million votes have been cast thus far and hundreds of thousands of Arizona ballots have yet to be counted.

Make early ballots come in early

Kolodin said he’s toying with legislation that could further accelerate the vote count.

It would require all early ballots to be returned in advance of Election Day, such as the Friday before. That would give county election officials time to verify the voter signature on the envelopes and get the ballots ready for tabulation ahead of the Election Day rush.

If a ballot were not in by that cutoff date, the voter would have to go to the polls on Election Day to cast a ballot.

It’s an idea that’s been broached before. It takes away one of the very convenient aspects of Arizona voting. But it would reduce the complaints and queries that, for decades, have followed an Arizona election.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.

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Arizona

Andy Biggs files statement of interest for Arizona governor

Published

2 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Andy Biggs files statement of interest for Arizona governor

PHOENIX — Rep. Andy Biggs filed a statement of interest on Tuesday to run for Arizona governor in 2026, the first Republican politician in office to do so for the next election cycle.

Biggs, who represents the 5th Congressional District spanning most of the East Valley, said in a statement that he’d rely on his previous political experience if he did decide to run for governor.

“Arizona has a bright future but will need strong leadership to reach its full potential,” Biggs said. “I have been honored to serve Arizona at the state and federal levels and will bring my experience home to my native state to help it fulfill its tremendous capacity.”

What would gubernatorial race look like with Andy Biggs?

A statement of interest filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office doesn’t mean a candidate will officially run for a position, but it does signal Biggs’ captivation with being the Republican nominee for governor.

The list of interested politicians will grow as the 2026 primary election moves closer, but it won’t be the only hurdle for Biggs.

President Donald Trump has already endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson for governor in 2026. Taylor Robson lost to Kari Lake in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary.

“Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin. Because if you do, you’re going to have my support,” Trump said after pointing to Robson in the crowd during Turning Point’s AmericaFest event at the Phoenix Convention Center in December.

If Biggs won the primary, he’d likely face off against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in the general election.

Scott Neely, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022 and Mesa mayor in 2024, is one of five other politicians to file a statement of interest for governor in 2026.

“I have a firm understanding of what the state needs to thrive,” Biggs said. “I look forward to conversing with my fellow Arizonans as I consider this weighty decision.”

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Arizona

The ESPN BPI Expects West Virginia to Protect Home Floor vs. Arizona State

Published

9 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

The ESPN BPI Expects West Virginia to Protect Home Floor vs. Arizona State

It’s a rather quick turnaround for the West Virginia Mountaineers, who are coming off yet another massive win, this time over second-ranked Iowa State.

Tonight, Darian DeVries and Co. will welcome the Arizona State Sun Devils to the WVU Coliseum for the first time in what will be the first-ever matchup between the two programs.

West Virginia University basketball / Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, West Virginia has a 75.2% chance to improve to 14-4, while Arizona State has a 24.8% chance to pick up their second win in league play.

Given Arizona State’s struggles throughout the first half of the season, this number feels like it’s in the right spot. They have the talent to win some games in the Big 12 and aren’t likely to finish in the bottom three or four, so that’s why it’s hard to justify going much higher than the 75%. Plus, can WVU control its emotions and put the Iowa State win to bed?

Ben Queen-Imagn Images

For the Mountaineers to remain in the Big 12 title picture, they really needed to go 1-1 at worst last week against a pair of top-10 teams, and they did exactly that. They fought as long as they could on the road at Houston but just wore out at the end of the second half. DeVries’ squad was able to bounce back and protect its home floor on Saturday, knocking off No. 2 Iowa State on the day they honored the legendary Jerry West.

Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Sun Devils lost both of their games last week against UCF and Cincinnati by six and seven points, respectively. In their loss to UCF, ASU shot the ball extremely well, going 52% from the floor and 50% (12/24) from three-point range. They accomplished just about everything they wanted to do offensively. The problem is that UCF did as well. The loss to Cincinnati was more of an old-school slugfest where they found themselves trailing by 14 at the half. They outscored the Bearcats in the second half, but it was too little, too late.

Arizona

Arizona driver sentenced in wrong-way crash that killed Maui woman, 2 others

Published

17 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Press Room

Arizona driver sentenced in wrong-way crash that killed Maui woman, 2 others

PHOENIX (AZFamily/HawaiiNewsNow) – An Arizona man who pleaded guilty in a 2022 wrong-way crash that killed three people, including a Maui woman, has been sentenced.

Vincent Ian Acosta, 27, was sentenced to 22 years in prison, with credit for time served, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

The crash happened just before 4 a.m. on Oct. 10, 2022, when Acosta hit three other vehicles while driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes of Interstate 17 near New River.

Two people died at the scene and a third died at a hospital. They were later identified as:

Hunter Balberdi, 19, from Wailuku, HI
Abriauna Hoffman, 18, from Clarkston, WA
Magdalyn (Maggie) Ogden, 18, from Clarkston, WA

According to court documents obtained by Hawaii News Now’s sister station, Arizona’s Family, Acosta’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.129. The legal BAC in Arizona is 0.08.

Balberdi was a 19-year-old Baldwin High School graduate and pre-med student at Grand Canyon University. Hoffman and Ogden were her roommates.

Acosta pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder last August.

His plea deal detailed a potential sentence between 18 and 22 years in prison on each charge, which are to be served simultaneously.

His license must also be revoked, AZ Family reported.

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