Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

DesertRat

(27,995 posts)
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 04:45 PM Mar 2016

Long lines to vote in Arizona primary

Apparently a lot of registered independents are unaware that AZ has a closed primary.

PHOENIX (KPHO/KTVK) -
Many Independents who were told not to go to the polls in today's voting are showing up anyway, making wait times and lines that much longer, the Maricopa County Recorder's Office said.

Only registered Republicans, Democrats and Green Party members can vote in Arizona's presidential preference election.

"Yes, we are aware of this problem," said Elizabeth Bartholomew, spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. "There are many Independents showing up to the polls demanding to vote and that slows the process down."

She said average wait times range from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

"Like I said before, we are trying to remind Independents they are not eligible to vote and please do not show up to the polls slowing things down for the voters who are eligible," Bartholomew said.

http://www.azfamily.com/story/31538957/many-encounter-long-lines-to-vote-in-arizona-primary
15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Long lines to vote in Arizona primary (Original Post) DesertRat Mar 2016 OP
Amazing still_one Mar 2016 #1
Not the least bit surprising comradebillyboy Mar 2016 #2
In this case, being clueless is no excuse UtahLib Mar 2016 #3
Can you say clueless??????????? leftofcool Mar 2016 #4
Wait for it: NastyRiffraff Mar 2016 #5
I don't think so. floriduck Mar 2016 #6
This isn't a new state law DesertRat Mar 2016 #7
they are so "independent" they don't even bother to find out the consequences of it Kali Mar 2016 #8
Sounds like the Benson Dems got the word out DesertRat Mar 2016 #9
Mahalo for your report from Arizona, DesertRat! Cha Mar 2016 #10
Of course! The lines have been very long all day DesertRat Mar 2016 #11
There was a little bit of everything going on sweetloukillbot Mar 2016 #12
Yeah, I'm hearing stories like that too DesertRat Mar 2016 #13
Suspicious package forced Recorder's Office evacuation Ptah Mar 2016 #14
I just saw this DesertRat Mar 2016 #15

NastyRiffraff

(12,448 posts)
5. Wait for it:
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 05:30 PM
Mar 2016

Voter fraud! The "Clinton machine" is blocking votes! It's illegal! Stolen election!

Let the whinefest begin. Bring cheese.

 

floriduck

(2,262 posts)
6. I don't think so.
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 05:40 PM
Mar 2016

I wonder if this is a new state law or whether it's always been this way. But it seems odd that an Indie cannot vote at all, for any of the party candidates.

DesertRat

(27,995 posts)
7. This isn't a new state law
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 05:50 PM
Mar 2016

Arizona calls it a Presidential Preference Election (PPE), where registered voters of participating, recognized political parties cast their vote for delegates. Participation in the PPE is voluntary. This time only the Democratic, Republican and Green party are participating. All of this info. is widely published in our local media and on the state's website.

I'm signed up for permanent early ballot voting (which the party strongly encourages), which makes my life much easier on election days.

Kali

(54,990 posts)
8. they are so "independent" they don't even bother to find out the consequences of it
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 05:55 PM
Mar 2016


no problems in Benson and 244 had gone through when we went, not bad for this type of election out here, though the location was a combo of several and I guess you could vote anywhere in the county, hope the Dems were feeling the Bern out here!

DesertRat

(27,995 posts)
9. Sounds like the Benson Dems got the word out
Tue Mar 22, 2016, 05:58 PM
Mar 2016

I wonder how many of these clueless independents are trying to vote for Trump?

sweetloukillbot

(10,788 posts)
12. There was a little bit of everything going on
Wed Mar 23, 2016, 06:38 PM
Mar 2016

I've heard stories of registered Independents trying to vote, but I'm hearing more stories about voter regestrations not getting updated in the system despite being done by the deadline. I know one person who contacted the County Recorder's office on Monday because she was not showing up on the voter rolls, despite having registered on Feb. 8 as a Dem. She was assured there would be no problem, but was not recognized by the system when she went to vote - ended up provisional. Another friend had his registration flipped from Dem to Independent after 10 years as a Dem. His registration was showing under an address that was 15-years old.
I'm not going to blame everything on ill-informed Independents anymore, I'm now wondering if a database was corrupted or restored from some old save, honestly.
But Purcell has always been one of the few Republicans in the State that I respected, no longer. She is flaying at the voters when the mistakes were mostly on her end.

DesertRat

(27,995 posts)
13. Yeah, I'm hearing stories like that too
Wed Mar 23, 2016, 06:53 PM
Mar 2016

Some on the radio are saying that when they updated their driver's license it changed them to "no party", even though they had been registered Democrats or Republicans previously. I also heard the county recorders from Coconino county and Cochise county on the radio saying that the #1 problem that they had were Independents trying to vote and didn't understand the closed election.

Also, a lot of voters missed the news to sign up with a party by Feb. 22nd. Some of the candidates campaigns as well as the media were strongly promoting this. The Cochise county recorder said that many people have been watching the national news and seeing where in some states you can sign up and register on the day of the election, which is something that isn't done here.

So it sounds like there is some data processing problem that has to be worked out before the AZ primaries in August and the general in Nov.




Ptah

(32,983 posts)
14. Suspicious package forced Recorder's Office evacuation
Wed Mar 23, 2016, 07:00 PM
Mar 2016
Pima County Recorder's Office employees are back to work after being force to evacuate the Public Service Center downtown after a suspicious package was found in the packing garage late this afternoon.

Tucson Police Department's bomb squad inspected the item in the parking garage, located at 240 N. Stone Ave, and employees were out of the building for roughly an hour.

During the evacuation staff were unable to answer questions about voting eligibility, polling locations and other voting-related issues.

County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez added 15 more operators to resume handling voter assistance phone calls after being let back into the building at about 6:35 p.m.

http://tucson.com/news/local/bomb-threat-disrupts-pima-county-elections-services/article_cd72927e-f095-11e5-89bb-7b2a3fa997ab.html
Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Arizona»Long lines to vote in Ari...