{"id":575906,"date":"2021-06-28T18:20:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T22:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=575906"},"modified":"2021-06-28T18:20:46","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T22:20:46","slug":"2-1-million-ballot-count-in-arizona-election-audit-completed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2-1-million-ballot-count-in-arizona-election-audit-completed\/","title":{"rendered":"2.1 Million Ballot Count In Arizona Election Audit Completed"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2F2-1-million-ballot-count-in-arizona-election-audit-completed%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=575906&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/vote-2.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>An estimated 2.1 million ballots from Maricopa County, Arizona, have been counted and photographed in relation to the 2020 election audit.<\/p>\n<p>The audit now undergoes a new phase of review, which includes an evaluation of data from election servers and voting machines before it\u2019s completed.<\/p>\n<p>Officials are expecting a full report on their findings by Labor Day, but things could wrap up as soon as late July.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTechnology consultants hired by Arizona&nbsp;Senate Republicans to probe the 2020 election have finished counting and photographing nearly 2.1 million ballots from Maricopa County,\u201d the Associated Press <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/politics\/articles\/2021-06-25\/arizona-election-audit-enters-new-phase-as-ballot-count-ends\">reported<\/a>&nbsp;Friday. \u201cA final report of the findings is still weeks to months away, said Ken Bennett, a former Republican secretary of state working on the effort. But the milestone marks an end to the most visible portion of the unprecedented partisan election audit, which saw teams of people recruited by supporters of former President Donald Trump working through dozens of pallets of ballots on the floor of a former basketball arena.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What comes next, according to&nbsp;Bennett, is an evaluation of data from election servers and voting machines, and other&nbsp;tasks, the AP noted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Raw-slyvem-0 jAwpMF\">\u201cI think too much emphasis has been put on the tasks that are happening here at the Coliseum, but these are not the only two tasks of the audit,\u201d the former&nbsp;secretary of state said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Raw-slyvem-0 jAwpMF\" readability=\"10.5\">\n<div class=\"Raw-slyvem-0 jAwpMF\" readability=\"16\">\n<p>\u201cAuditors will vacate the Coliseum by the time their lease expires Wednesday evening, Bennett said in a text message,\u201d the report noted. \u201cHe did not respond to questions about where the ballots will go and whether they will be returned to the county.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>GOP Senate President Karen Fann has&nbsp;repeatedly&nbsp;emphasized&nbsp;that the audit is&nbsp;not being conducted to overturn the 2020&nbsp;presidential, but to&nbsp;identify weaknesses in relation to election&nbsp;integrity and&nbsp;promote confidence in forthcoming elections.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/merrick-garland-says-feds-will-review-election-audits-az-gop-fires-back\">The Daily Wire<\/a>&nbsp;highlighted, Biden-nominated U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has made it clear that the Justice Department will be reviewing any election audits for alleged voter violations. The AG also pointedly knocked \u201cabnormal\u201d review methods, without expressly citing the Arizona audit, during his comments in mid-June.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__section article__section_type_text utility__text\" readability=\"37.396825396825\">\n<p>\u201cSome jurisdictions, based on disinformation, have utilized abnormal post-election audit methodologies that may put the integrity of the voting process at risk and undermine public confidence in our democracy,\u201d Garland <a href=\"https:\/\/www.12news.com\/article\/news\/politics\/abnormal-methods-us-attorney-general-says-feds-will-review-arizonas-partisan-election-audit\/75-da6c715a-98b9-43eb-adeb-393b0b9feb92\">said<\/a>, as reported by 12 News.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__section article__section_type_text utility__text\" readability=\"45.678875081753\">\n<p>The news station noted that the AG said he would double the staff of the Civil Rights Division\u2019s enforcement \u201cwithin the next thirty days, in order to deal with challenges to voting rights nationwide.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__section article__section_type_text utility__text\" readability=\"34\">\n<p>\u201cWe must rededicate the resources of the Department of Justice to a critical part of its original mission: enforcing federal law to protect the franchise for all voters,\u201d Garland said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__section article__section_type_text utility__text\" readability=\"36\">\n<p>Election audits will be reviewed \u201cto ensure they abide by federal statutory requirements to protect election records and avoid the intimidation of voters,\u201d he added, and the DOJ will&nbsp;\u201cpublish guidance explaining the civil and criminal statutes that apply to post-election audits.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__section article__section_type_text utility__text\" readability=\"42.021903959562\">\n<p>Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward fired back, writing via Twitter, \u201c<span class=\"css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0\">Seems Merrick either wants to ignore or forgot all about the US Constitution\u2026<\/span><span class=\"r-18u37iz\">#DOJHasNoSay<\/span> <span class=\"r-18u37iz\">#StatesRights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Biden DOJ has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/biden-doj-attempts-to-stop-arizona-election-audit\">already intervened<\/a> in the election auditing efforts by Maricopa County Republicans, sending a letter in May to the president of the Arizona state Senate suggesting the recount is illegal.<\/p>\n<p>The Washington Post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/arizona-recount-justice-department\/2021\/05\/06\/fbe4793c-ae87-11eb-b476-c3b287e52a01_story.html\">reported<\/a> at the time that the DOJ letter raises \u201cthe possibility of a clash between state and federal authorities over the audit.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"teaser-content\">\n<section>\n<div readability=\"11.323368074602\">\n<div data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" readability=\"17.723532638508\">\n<p class=\"font--body font-copy gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md \" data-el=\"text\">Penned by Pamela S. Karlan, who heads the DOJ\u2019s civil rights division, the letter suggests \u201cthat the recount of nearly 2.1 million ballots in Maricopa County by a private contractor may not comply with federal law, which requires that ballots be securely maintained for 22 months following a federal election,\u201d the Post noted.<\/p>\n<div readability=\"9.5\">\n<div data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" readability=\"14\">\n<p class=\"font--body font-copy gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md \" data-el=\"text\">\u201cWe have a concern that Maricopa County election records, which are required by federal law to be retained and preserved, are no longer under the ultimate control of elections officials, are not being adequately safeguarded by contractors, and are at risk of damage or loss,\u201d wrote Karlan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-el=\"text\">Back in February, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/az-judge-sides-with-senate-gop-over-audit-of-millions-of-ballots-election-equipment\">disagreed<\/a> with Karlan\u2019s current analysis. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/az-judge-sides-with-senate-gop-over-audit-of-millions-of-ballots-election-equipment\">The Daily Wire<\/a> reported:<\/p>\n<div readability=\"9.952741020794\">\n<div readability=\"19.407844990548\">\n<blockquote readability=\"12\">\n<p><em>Senate Republicans and the GOP-dominated Maricopa County Board of Supervisors disagreed about the accessibility of the ballots; the Senate wanted to perform an audit to address election integrity concerns from constituents, whereas the board argued the ballots, by law, were to be kept secret for 24 months following the election. The judge scolded the parties for failing to come to an agreement on their own but sided with the Senate, suggesting the law in question does not conflict with the subpoenas.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThere is no question that the Senators have the power to issue legislative subpoenas,\u201d Judge Thomason <a href=\"https:\/\/ktar.com\/story\/4102892\/judge-rules-arizona-senate-can-get-access-to-2-1-million-ballots\/\">wrote<\/a> at the time.&nbsp;\u201cThe Subpoenas comply with the statutory requirements for legislative subpoenas. The Senate also has broad constitutional power to oversee elections.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Arizona legislature clearly has the power to investigate and examine election reform matters,\u201d the ruling said. \u201cThe Subpoenas also do not violate separation of powers principles. Production of the subpoenaed materials would not violate confidentiality laws.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/i><i>member<\/i><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An estimated 2.1 million ballots from Maricopa County, Arizona, have been counted and photographed in relation to the 2020 election audit.The audit now undergoes a new phase of review, which &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2313600,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/vote-2.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"2.1 Million Ballot Count In Arizona Election Audit Completed","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-575906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/vote-2.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"2.1 Million Ballot Count In Arizona Election Audit Completed","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=575906"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575906\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2313600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=575906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=575906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=575906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}