Maricopa County Officials Warn Ballot Counting Could Take Up To 13 Days

Election officials in Arizona’s Maricopa County are preparing for a drawn-out vote count, warning voters that it could take up to 13 days to complete the tabulation of ballots for the 2024 election. With around 2.1 million voters expected to cast ballots in this critical battleground county, the Deputy Elections Director Jennifer Liewer emphasized the need for patience as officials prioritize security and accuracy over speed.

“We do expect that it will take between 10 and 13 days to complete tabulation of all the ballots that come in,” Liewer said on Tuesday. She pointed to the complexity of this year’s ballot two pages long with an average of 79 contests as a major factor in the anticipated delays. As of this week, 400,000 early votes had already been cast, according to local reports.

• Maricopa County is the largest county in Arizona and has been at the center of election controversy following the 2020 and 2022 elections.

• In 2020, President Joe Biden narrowly won the county by just over 2 points, flipping it from Donald Trump, who won it by 3 points in 2016.

• In 2022, malfunctioning tabulators in about 70 voting centers sparked further concerns over election integrity.

Social media lit up with criticism following the county’s announcement. Elon Musk, owner of X, posted, “Our system is broken,” echoing the frustration many Americans feel about drawn-out vote counts. In response, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates defended the process, saying the county is “counting ballots faster than ever” and is on pace with other states. Gates emphasized that “accuracy and security over speed” is the priority.

The county’s track record of election issues has left many voters skeptical. After the 2020 election, Republicans sued to force a hand recount in Maricopa County, citing voter integrity concerns. However, that lawsuit was dismissed. The concerns resurfaced in 2022 when technical issues caused delays and complications at numerous voting centers.

Maricopa County officials are encouraging voters to cast their ballots early either by mail or in person to help alleviate the pressure on Election Day. Assistant Maricopa County Manager Zach Schira noted that early voting will “help us report more results on election night.”

“If you want to avoid long lines and save time, vote early,” Schira said. However, he added that longer lines on Election Day are to be expected, given the high interest in this election. Maricopa County Elections Director Scott Jarrett echoed these sentiments, noting that voter turnout is “approaching 2020 numbers” and will likely continue to rise as Election Day nears.

The delays in Maricopa are mirrored in other battleground states like Michigan, where election results likely won’t be known until the end of the day following Election Day. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson emphasized the importance of accuracy and security over efficiency when releasing election results.

As Election Day draws closer, voters in key states will need to brace themselves for a potentially long wait to find out the final results, but officials remain committed to ensuring a secure and accurate process, even if it takes longer than expected.

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