Maricopa County Officials Predict Extended Tabulation Time for 2024 Election
On October 22, officials from Maricopa County, Arizona's most populous county, cautioned that the tabulation of the results for the November 5 election could take between 10 and 13 days. They urged the community to be patient during this period.
Extended Tabulation Time
Jennifer Liewer, Maricopa County Deputy Elections Director, stated in a press conference that the tabulation of all ballots is anticipated to take between 10 and 13 days. She emphasized the importance of ensuring a secure and accurate process.
Zach Schira, Assistant Maricopa County Manager, also addressed the press conference. He warned voters that the longer ballots and increased interest in the 2024 general election could result in lengthy lines on Election Day. However, he assured voters that this was acceptable. To avoid these long lines, Schira recommended voting by mail or early in-person.
Reasons for Extended Tabulation
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates explained that the extended tabulation time could be due to the two-page ballot, dozens of contests per ballot, and increased interest in the presidential election. He anticipated that more than 2.1 million Maricopa voters would cast their ballots in the November 5 contest. He also noted that 400,000 people had already voted.
To save time and avoid lines, the county urged voters to vote early. Voters were given until October 25 to request an early ballot.
Early Voting Data
Early voting data gathered by the University of Florida revealed that Republicans have a 38,000-vote advantage in terms of early voting in Arizona. So far, only mail-in ballots have been returned. The data showed that 41.9 percent of early ballots were submitted by Republicans, while 36.3 percent were submitted by Democrats. Independent or third-party voters accounted for approximately 21.8 percent of the total.
Arizona, a battleground state, is expected to be a close race in the 2024 election. In the 2020 election, state officials certified the race in Arizona for Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of about 11,000 votes.
Election Controversy
Following the 2020 election, Trump and other Republicans claimed that Arizona's election was tainted by voter fraud. This led to several lawsuits against Arizona and Maricopa County officials, all of which were eventually dismissed.
For the 2020 election, county officials certified the results 17 days after Election Day. Many voters cast their ballots early in-person or by mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated stay-at-home orders and lockdown rules.
Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, is the most populous area in Arizona. As of March, it had over 4.5 million residents, accounting for more than half the state’s entire population.
Upcoming Campaigns
Trump is scheduled to campaign in Arizona on October 24, holding a rally at Arizona State University's arena in Tempe. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Arizona near the U.S.–Mexico border in late September.
Before his trip to Arizona, Trump is slated to headline a rally in Duluth, Georgia, with guests Tucker Carlson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Vice President Kamala Harris is also focusing on battleground states and will travel to the outskirts of Philadelphia to participate in a live CNN town hall event with undecided voters from Pennsylvania.
Bottom Line
The 2024 election in Maricopa County, Arizona, is expected to be a close race with a longer tabulation period than usual. This is due to the increased interest in the election, the length of the ballots, and the number of contests. The officials have urged voters to be patient during this period and to consider voting early to avoid long lines on Election Day. What are your thoughts on this extended tabulation period? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.
