Purcell Apologizes for AZ Primary Fiasco; Public Calls for Resignations, Revote

By: Joseph Guzman

Cronkite Special to AZLatinos.com

The Maricopa County Recorder appeared before the House Elections Committee and the public on Monday, to explain and apologize for the way her office handled the presidential primary election last week.

“I want to begin by apologizing for what happened; for the long lines, for the inconvenience to our voters. As I said before, I’m deeply sorry. It was my responsibility to put this election in Maricopa County and we obviously made some mistakes,” Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell said.

Purcell told the committee the reason for the decrease in polling places from 211 in 2012, to 60 in 2016, had to do with the increase in the number of people eligible on the early ballot voting list, the lack of funding in her department, and the increase in workers she allotted to the polling sites intended to handle more voters.

Purcell said those on the permanent early voting list chose to vote by mail and that “they should not be going to the polls.”

Purcell shifted blame, stating her department did not receive adequate funding from the legislature. “There was not sufficient money for a full blown election, we were trying to downsize,”

House Representative Michelle B. Ugenti-Rita rebutted Purcell, saying her department has had the same rate of $1.25 per registered voter. “You have functioned fine in 2008 with a $1.25 rate, now you’re not able to do that in 2016 when you’ve been operating with the same reimbursement rate?” Ugenti-Rita said.

Ugenti-Rita then asked why Purcell did not have a contingency plan to have enough polling places, in which Purcell answered: “I made a giant mistake.”

The public had a chance to share their experiences at the polling centers with the committee and Purcell, and many accused Purcell of intentional voter suppression and corruption.

“I witnessed something that has never been done in the state of Arizona. It is voter suppression; even though the authorities don’t want to acknowledge that, it’s voter suppression. We were in line for five and a half hours. People behind me just gave up. We want a revote. Helen Purcell needs to be ousted out of office, as well as the secretary of state,” Virginia Gallegos, a member of the public, said.

Gallegos was not alone in calling for the resignation of Helen Purcell. Almost everyone from the public who addressed the committee urged her to resign.

“Our right to vote and to have that vote counted is the most direct way that citizens can participate in our political system. People tried to do our civic duty and couldn’t,” Arizona citizen Patrick Syfter said.

“You made people choose between voting and keeping their job. You must resign. Stop pretending that you represent us. We do not want platitudes. This will not end today. We will be back [with] every vote to hold you accountable.”