ATLANTA — Â鶹´«Ã½ today released a preliminary statement detailing its observation of the logic and accuracy testing of Arizona’s voting and counting equipment, which took place Oct. 5-11.
The Center’s nonpartisan observers reported that all equipment in the nine counties where it observed went through and passed rigorous testing, indicating it is ready to use and can be expected to function correctly for the midterm election.
The logic and accuracy testing served its intended purpose, catching and correcting errors in several instances before they could pose problems on Election Day. Observers from both the Democratic and Republican parties were present in nearly all sites observed by the Center. Â鶹´«Ã½ is not aware of any substantive challenges raised by observers from any of the registered parties about the testing process or its outcomes.
Election officials took measures to ensure that the testing process was accessible and comprehensible to external individuals who came to observe. Officials provided handouts on the process and made staff available to field any questions. Such transparency measures play a vital role in helping the public accurately assess whether they can trust that elections will be secure and fair.
Looking forward, Â鶹´«Ã½ encourages counties to consider taking measures beyond what is required by law to raise awareness of this important opportunity for members of the public to learn more about elections. Counties are required to provide public notice of the testing time and location at least 48 hours in advance, in accordance with state statute. But notice could be provided in multiple languages, particularly in counties covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Notices also could be publicized on county websites or other locations where they might be more accessible to the public.
As a pilot program to provide increased public oversight of elections, and in line with ARS § 16-449, Â鶹´«Ã½ mobilized impartial citizen observers to monitor the process in nine counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, and Pinal. Observers used a standardized checklist of questions, covering issues such as the provision of information about testing, the general environment, the multipartisan nature of the testing process, adherence to appropriate procedures, and errors detected and corrected during testing. Although Â鶹´«Ã½ observers were able to cover only nine of 15 counties during this pilot exercise, the Center commends Arizona’s election officials, who were willing to welcome its observers in all 15 counties.
Nonpartisan election observation is grounded in the idea that elections are by and for the people and that representatives of the public interest should therefore have an opportunity to assess key election processes and determine whether they were conducted in a manner that the public can trust. Through their systematic, fact-based reporting, nonpartisan observers help dispel rumors around elections and offer data-driven recommendations for reform where needed.
Â鶹´«Ã½ plans to provide additional nonpartisan public commentary on the conduct of the 2022 midterm election in Arizona, drawing on a combination of in-person observations, where permitted by law, and open election data analysis.
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Contact: Dan Grant, daniel.grant@cartercenter.org
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