The Pima County Election Integrity Commission is concerned that state law might complicate the expected recount in Congressional District 2 next month. The commission fears complexities in the recount law could force Pima and Cochise counties to recount all 220,000 votes in the CD2 race by hand, although Secretary of State’s Office spokesman Matt Roberts said there are easier ways to comply with the law. A portion of the state’s election law requires that the ballot tabulating program used for the recount “differ” from the initial vote counting system. But the law is vague on what exact changes need to be made. Commissioner Bill Beard said the commission, which advises the Pima County Board of Supervisors, is in virgin territory in terms of the state’s first general election congressional recount. He said that while the commission is not making any recommendations, it is important that the supervisors be aware of the state law. Possible alternatives could include a recount by hand, Beard said. But Roberts said the law won’t require new machines or an army of election officials.
Instead, he said, officials in Cochise and Pima counties will use the same equipment, but for the recount the scanners will be reprogrammed to count only votes cast for the Congressional District 2 race.
Incumbent Democrat Ron Barber is down 161 votes in the CD2 race against Republican challenger Martha McSally.
On Friday, the Barber campaign asked the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office to count an additional 156 ballots that have not been counted in Congressional District 2.
Of the rejected ballots the Barber campaign wants to have counted, 147 come from Pima County and nine come from Cochise County.
Full Article: Election watchdogs concerned about CD2 recount protocols.