Arizona officials concerned bias, media may have impact on November election
Oct 18, 2016, 5:40 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2016, 11:11 am
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
PHOENIX — Two Arizona officials said in separate interviews Tuesday that November’s general election may be rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton, but in different ways.
Donald Trump COO and Arizona Treasurer Jeff DeWit said he is concerned personal biases may interfere with some election officials doing their jobs come Election Day.
“Every secretary of state across the country has somebody they want to win. It’s either Trump or Clinton and you wonder, are they going to,” he told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Bruce St. James and Pamela Hughes.
DeWit said every American wants to believe their elections are unbiased and fair, and though he never outright said the election will be rigged, he hinted at it on several occasions.
On one of those occasions, DeWit said people should heed Trump’s words and keep on eye on their local polling station to ensure everything is going smoothly and fairly.
“If nobody thinks to look that direction, then it allows people to possibly gear things one way or the other,” DeWit said.
A coalition of advocacy groups is planning to independently monitor polling locations in Arizona.
On another, DeWit cited the informational pamphlet snafu that happened during Arizona’s special election in May.
“State law was broken in that election,” he said. “That election result would have been different had publicity pamphlets gone out to the 700,000 voters that didn’t receive them.”
However, DeWit did say that some election issues were the result of mistakes.
Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer would likely disagree with DeWit. She said she feels the state is ready for the general election.
“I feel very confident that our elections are above scrutiny and that every vote will count,” she told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos later Tuesday.
Brewer, who was formerly the state’s chief election officer, said Arizona’s system has numerous safeguards in place.
“We’ve got so many things implemented to make sure that people don’t vote twice, that you’re a United States citizen, that you’re doing it right. Our voting tabulators are not online,” she said, adding that plenty of polling places will be open to avoid long voter wait times seen earlier this year.
But that doesn’t mean Brewer thinks everything is squeaky clean when it comes to Election Day. She said she is concerned things are being rigged for Clinton from a media perspective.
“I do believe there is the left-wing media that is very, very biased and they don’t want to talk about the subject of policy, they want to talk about all this nonsense,” she said of the constant focus on Trump’s gaffes.
Despite the spin, Brewer said she is not worried about Arizona voters come Nov. 8.
“They get it,” she said.
