PHOENIX — With well over a million ballots already returned in Maricopa County alone and less than 24 hours to go until polls open on Election Day, ABC15 is advocating to keep you informed.
Maricopa County election officials gave an update ahead of election day Monday. Watch that news conference in the player below:
I recently sat down with District 3 Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates to get a status check heading into Election Day.
"If I had to boil it down to one word, it's 'patience,'" explains Supervisor Gates.
Gates, a former elections attorney himself, says he wants voters to realize secure elections take time and that Maricopa County elections officials are working within the confines of state laws.
"We may have lines on Election Day; that is not a violation of the law to have a line on election day," he explains.
There are other factors that could influence that - like a two-page ballot. But with 246 voting centers across Maricopa County alone, Gates says they're ready for what's expected to be a record turnout.
"We're going to do everything we can to make those lines as short as possible. We encourage people to go to locations.maricopa.vote if there is a line at their vote center and go to another one."
But it's not just patience with voting - it's patience with results, too. Gates says he understands people want to see results quicker but also encourages them to make their voices heard at the legislature to change laws.
Maricopa County has even faced criticism recently from billionaire and supporter of former President Donald Trump, Elon Musk.
See ABC15's complete voter guide here
Musk, on X, recently shared a news story about voting in Maricopa County elections and said, "Our system is broken" when referencing part of the story that said it may take 10-13 days to count all the ballots countywide.
Also on X, Gates fired back, saying, "Our system isn't broken. Maricopa County is counting ballots faster than ever and is on pace with every other state. Arizona law requires processes that dictate the timing by which we count the ballots. More importantly, I'll take accuracy and security over speed every time."
Gates also mentioned that, as required by state law, election officials must give voters five days to cure their ballots. In other words, there would be no way to legally have all votes counted before that five-day period was over.
"We have a Republican and a Democrat there to determine who the voter was trying to vote for," Gates explains. "That takes time, too. What that will ensure is accuracy. Isn't that most important? Isn't that more important than speed, particularly when these are such close races and there is so much attention?"
Gates went on to say he has no problem with people asking questions in "good faith," but when it comes to spreading misinformation, he says it needs to stop and worries the more people hear false things, he worries it will mean less faith in the system, which he says is "very dangerous."
For questions about polling places or tracking your ballot, head to BeBallotReady.Vote.
