Arizona’s top elections official to meet with voters over long wait times
Apr 11, 2016, 12:20 PM | Updated: 12:21 pm
(KTAR Photo)
(KTAR Photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan — the state’s top elections official — has scheduled a series of three public meetings with voters to hear about their experiences at the troubled March 22 presidential preference election.
The first meeting was scheduled Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Cartwright School District headquarters at 5220 W. Indian School Road in Phoenix.
Many Maricopa County voters endured long lines and wait times on Election Day while others claimed to have registration problems.
The U.S. Justice Department sent the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office a letter about the issues to evaluate if the state complied with voting rights laws.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton wrote U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch the day after the March 22 election asking for an investigation.
Justice Department Voting Section Chief Chris Herren asked for information on 10 specific items including a description of how county election officials determined how many polling places were needed on March 22 and whether potential impacts on minority voters were examined.
The number of polling places had been cut from 200 to 60.
Other problems included online technical issues and phone problems.
Reagan said her office and the Legislature may consider changes in the way counties run future elections.
Reagan has sidestepped questions about why she didn’t review the changes in the election herself in the absence of federal oversight.
More meetings were planned for Wednesday at Church of the Beatitudes (near Fifth and Glendale avenues) and Thursday at McQueen Park Activity Center in Gilbert near McQueen Road Horne Street.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
