The morning after the August 26, Arizona Primary Election, voters became aware of the problems in multiple counties’ voting tabulation systems. A week later, on Tuesday, Sept 2, 2014 the Pima County Board of Supervisors will vote to purchase new election equipment.
While election integrity experts say the move is long overdue, residents and those experts are asking the supervisors to reject County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry’s recommendation to change a long standing policy and exclude precinct scanners in the purchase.
According to the experts, like Pima County Elections Integrity Commissioner William Beard, scanners are the best means of allowing for independent verification and oversight of election tallies. Scanners help to cross check the final numbers, verify the final tally and can be independently verified. Beard says transparency can be maintained and removing the scanners will now concentrate all counting at the central location.
This new policy will mean that fewer citizens will have the ability to oversee the counts, according to Beard. “The system of Checks and Balances engrained in every part of the US and Arizona Constitutions direct that powers be divided and the responsibilities of competing interests help guard against harming the Rights of citizens,” argued Beard in a statement released earlier this week.
“The Board needs to be reminded that it is ultimately the citizens that are in charge of government,” continued Beard. “We will not stand for the concentration of determining the outcome of any election in the hands of a shrinking number of people held accountable only to the County Administrator.”
Beard and others are asking the public to “tell Mr. Huckleberry and the Board “NO.’” They suggest that people weigh-in by participating in an online survey and adding their name to a petition at the end of the survey. They intend to present the petition to the Board of Supervisors and insist that precinct scanners remain a part of our system of ballot counting.
To add your voice visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GR83HBM or visit the website for Az Accountability Foundation and follow the survey link. http://www.azaccountability.org/
The Arizona Accountability Foundation advises members of the public that they can make a change by:
1. Click on the survey link to join the petition. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GR83HBM
2. Email the supervisors http://webcms.pima.gov/government/board_of_supervisors
3. Contact them directly at (520) 724-8126
4. Join us at the meeting listed above and tell the supervisors in person that you want transparency.