Responding to reports of voters waiting in line for hours to cast their votes in Arizona’s primary Tuesday, the mayor of the state capital is asking the federal government to investigate the distribution of polling locations that may have put undue burden on minorities’ ability to vote.
Voting in Maricopa County, the state’s most populous county where Phoenix is located, lasted until after midnight, more than five hours after polls officially closed.
Polls are now closed in Arizona, but the line at the Gilbert library is still out the door. pic.twitter.com/KbNTj6QCEd
— Hunter Schwarz (@hunterschwarz) March 23, 2016
In a letter sent Wednesday to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said that the ratio in polling locations in white communities were “far more favorable” than in parts of Maricopa County with higher minority populations, and resulted in hours-long waits and possibly many voters choosing not to vote because of the long lines. Stanton also decried the decrease in the number of total polling locations in 2016 compared with the 2012 and 2008 presidential primaries.
“Because of the unacceptably disparate distribution of polling locations, I respectfully request the U.S. Department of Justice investigate what took place in Maricopa County to ensure all voters are treated equally under the law,” Stanton wrote.
Stanton’s letter mentions that since 2006, Arizona election officials have rejected more than 121,000 provisional ballots and 46,000 mail-in ballots. The mayor also decries a law state officials approved that “aims to suppress voter turnout” by making it a felony for volunteers to turn in another person’s early ballot.
“Yesterday’s fiasco demonstrates the urgent need for an independent and thorough law enforcement investigation to safeguard one of the most sacred rights we have as citizens, and I appreciate your serious consideration on this matter,” Stanton concludes in his letter.
There were 60 polling locations in Maricopa County on Tuesday, down from about 200 in 2012’s presidential primary contest, and 400 in 2008, the Arizona Republic reported.
An official in charge of polling operations took the blame for the long lines at polling stations, by saying that “bad decisions” were made and that they country did not anticipate so many people wanting to vote.
“We were obviously wrong — that’s my fault. So we’ll certainly look at that for future elections,” said Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell.
Purcell said she would not resign over the controversy.
The governor of Arizona also chimed to condemn the long wait times.
“What happened at polls yesterday was unacceptable,” tweeted Gov. Doug Ducey.
One of the candidates who sought to win over Arizona voters on Tuesday called the voting delays “a disgrace.”
“People in the United States should not have to wait five hours in order to vote,” Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders said during a San Diego press conference Wednesday. “What happened in Arizona yesterday is a disgrace. I hope every state learns from that.”
Sanders said the voter turnout was smaller than he expected and contributed to his loss to Hillary Clinton. Sanders noted that his chances of winning are improved with higher turnout.
A top campaign official for Sanders went a step further, suggesting that there had to have been a problem with the numbers after Clinton was projected the winner of Arizona.
“Based on CNN’s calculation and what we know about how many people early voted that would mean only a 100,000 came out and live-voted — Democrats in Arizona. I think that that’s just wrong. So I think this race is going to close up substantially between now and the morning,” campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN.
Sanders ended up losing by a margin of nearly 18 percent according to AP estimates with 99.55 percent of results in.
On the Republican side of the primary, businessman Donald Trump walked away with the win.
Trump supporter and 2008 GOP vice presidential pick Sarah Palin sent her thanks to Trump supporters in Arizona who braved the long wait times.
“Shout out to AZ patriots who waited in line for hours even after race called for Donald J. Trump,” tweeted Palin.
