ARIZONA NEWS

Why actor/comedian Rob Schneider says he might run for governor in Arizona

Nov 5, 2024, 10:39 AM

Rob Schneider governor arizona...

Rob Schneider attends Netflix's "Adam Sandler: Love You" screening at The Plaza Hotel on Aug. 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

PHOENIX – Deuce Bigelow, Arizona governor? Actor/comedian Rob Schneider said he is so frustrated with how long it takes to count ballots in his home state that he might run for office.

It generally takes 10-13 days to count all the votes in Arizona under the state election laws that originated in the Republican-controlled state Legislature over the years.

This is nothing new, but it became a national issue in recent years as Arizona morphed from a Republican stronghold into a swing state. Now that statewide races, including for president, are so competitive, media outlets have to wait for more results to be reported before calling winners in Arizona than they did in the past, creating the impression to some that it’s taking longer to count ballots.

When Maricopa County officials mentioned the timeline during a pre-election press conference on Monday, Schneider, a Valley resident and prominent MAGA supporter, reacted with a partially all-caps rant on X.

“I will do EVERYTHING in my power to have ELECTION OFFICIALS THIS NEXT ELECTION CYCLE THAT CAN COUNT ALL BALLOTS BY THE END OF THE SAME DAY OF VOTING. Even if I have to run and become Governor myself,” he wrote.

Maricopa County official responds to Rob Schneider

For context, it’s worth noting that the governor doesn’t appoint election officials in Arizona. The secretary of state and county supervisor boards, who oversee elections, are all elected. The governor does, however, play a role in the final certification of election results after all the counting is done.

The post by Schneider, a “Saturday Night Live” alum and star of movies such as “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo,” “The Animal” and “The Hot Chick,” caught the eye one elected official who does oversee elections in Arizona: Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin.

Galvin, a Republican, responded Tuesday morning with a brief explanation of why it can take so long to tabulate ballots in one of the country’s largest voting jurisdictions.

“Maricopa County expects 400,000 ballot envelopes will be dropped off today. Those have to be verified, opened, & then 800,000 pages will be fed into tabulators,” Galvin posted.

The politician then invited Schneider to participate in the process, using the actor’s “You can do it!” catchphrase.

“We have room if you want to help, Rob. You can do it!” Galvin wrote.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Peoria Police department...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Peoria police search for vandals who caused $30-40K worth of park damage

The Peoria Police Department is asking the public for help in finding the suspect responsible for vandalizing and causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage to a local park.

4 hours ago

Phoenix-Pittsburgh nonstop flight offered through Allegiant...

Serena O'Sullivan

Fly high: Phoenix travelers getting new nonstop flight option for Pittsburgh through Allegiant

Planning a business trip? You can now book a Phoenix-Pittsburgh nonstop flight through Allegiant at Sky Harbor International Airport.

5 hours ago

fentanyl pills, fentanyl bust Phoenix...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Phoenix man charged after police seized 100,000 fentanyl pills

A man in Phoenix was pulled over by police during a routine traffic stop, which led to the seizure of about 100,000 blue fentanyl pills.

6 hours ago

Thomas Galvin AZ Political Podcast...

Jim Sharpe

AZ Political Podcast: Thomas Galvin on public funding for sports teams, speed of election results

On this week's edition of AZ Political Podcast, Thomas Galvin discusses public funding for sports teams and how election results can be sped up.

7 hours ago

US 60 between Superior and Miami will be closed until Friday due to blasting work that was performe...

David Veenstra

US 60 between Superior, Miami reopens following blasting

US 60 between Superior and Miami has reopened following blasting work that was performed in the area.

8 hours ago

Maricopa County 1 of 4 pharmacists sentenced for fraud...

Serena O'Sullivan

Maricopa County pharmacist among 4 sentenced in fraud conspiracy

A Maricopa County pharmacist named Raef Hamaed was one of four pharmacists sentenced for their roles in a $13 million conspiracy, officials said.

9 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How IRAs are a helpful tool in retirement planning

When it comes to retirement planning, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) can be a great tool for income growth.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

Why actor/comedian Rob Schneider says he might run for governor in Arizona