Cochise County election officials are considering not using tabulation machines for the 2026 elections.
The Cochise County Board of Supervisors held a voting equipment work session to discuss whether electronic voting machines were legal in the state, whether county boards of supervisors are obligated to use electronic voting machines, and whether Arizona law requires county board of supervisors to certify elections.
Supervisor Frank Antenori, a former state senator and Army Special Forces veteran, said the county must challenge state law requiring the use of tabulation machines in court.
“We have to make a case to go fight this again or get the legislature to change the statute,” said Antenori.
Supervisor Kathleen Gomez said tabulation machines have lost her vote of confidence, especially in recent elections which she blamed on a “perfect storm” rather than any individual actors. She expressed interest in moving toward hand counts.
“I don’t think any machines are secure that can actually be 100 percent correct either. And in fact I’ve stated in the last election that I was in — there were a lot of issues with machines,” said Gomez.
An invited speaker who monopolized the meeting’s duration, Paul Rice, said that what happened in 2022 with Supervisor Tom Crosby and former supervisor Peggy Judd was “all in good faith.” Rice said that requiring supervisors to certify despite concerns over an election’s legality constituted a violation of their oath of office and constitutional duty to fairly represent their constituents.
On that latter point, the board expressed concerns about the lack of a legal process to address anomalies or concerns during elections prior to certification.
Crosby criticized Secretary of State Adrian Fontes for refusing to meet with Rice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stPQ-I_qrmI
A spokesman for Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told Votebeat the supervisors’ proposed actions would go against state law. Fontes declined to attend the meeting. The board noted this was the fourth rejection they’d received from him.
“[This would] do more to undermine public confidence than address any real issue,” said communications director Aaron Thacker.
Earlier this year, the legislature passed a bill along party lines, HB 2651, that would have only allowed the use of tabulation machines sourced, manufactured, and assembled entirely in the United States beginning in 2029. The use of tabulation machines with any parts made outside of the U.S., no matter how miniscule, would prohibit the certification of votes.
Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed the bill. The governor offered Republican lawmakers a single sentence as her explanation for the veto.
“This legislation is predicated on conspiracy theories rather than fact,” said Hobbs.
During its regular meeting last month, the county also adopted a resolution to authorize the county’s voluntary participation in the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Field Services Program (FSP).
The FSP would assert and verify the elections system and software (ESS) verification procedures were followed during the review; perform a conformance review of the Election Voting System (EVS); and observe, assist, and document HASH verification. It would take effect immediately.
Vice-Chairman Tom Crosby expressed concerns over voter ID laws and Runbeck Election Services, referencing a recent investigative request from Congressman Abe Hamadeh.
“Should we have corporations in charge of our voting? My opinion, we should not,” said Cook.
Keep challenging the law as it doe snot reflect the will of the people. Submit new legislation to have one-day, in-person, paper ballot elections. Counted by the local precinct and never counted again by corrupt county or state officials.
During the Bush v. Gore election, with all the brouhaha about hanging chads, pregnant chads, dimpled chads, etc., some clever soul made a meme (were they called that back then?) showing child’s shape sorter toy where the politician’s face was on a uniquely colored and shaped object that matched the uniquely colored and shaped hole with his party’s name and mascot on it. I think that’s where we are with the voting public.
We’ve lived in an idiocracy for so long, it’s hard to conceptualize the unimagineable risk we assume with universal suffrage, even when it stares us in the face and laughs manically.
Ballots should be on paper and done at a polling place. The only mail in ballots should be from our military or those outside of the state. Nothing else is ac ceptable.
Ban them everywhere.
the state should do the same