Several pictures and videos posted on social media early Tuesday morning show various Arizona polling stations encountering issues as voters attempted to cast their ballots.
In one such video posted to Twitter by Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of the conservative group Turning Point USA and a member of the Republican National Committee, a poll worker explained to voters in Maricopa County that the voting machines are not working.
The video was recorded in Anthem, Arizona, at a polling station located at a local outlet mall.
Long lines in Anthem, Arizona with Poll Workers explaining that the @maricopacounty machines are not working.
Do not get out of line! pic.twitter.com/lInh8KnTz3
— Tyler Bowyer 🇺🇸 (@tylerbowyer) November 8, 2022
“We have two tabulators. One of the tabulators is not working. The other tabulator is taking about 75 percent successful. So, 25 percent of them are being misread,” the poll worker said in the video.
He went on to say that the error could be the result of a printer problem, or the second tabulator was malfunctioning as well.
After assuring everyone in line that all the votes would be read, the poll worker was met with skepticism from some of the voters present.
Another tweet posted by Cronkite News Tuesday morning revealed additional voting machines at the Burton Barr Phoenix Library were malfunctioning as well.
Poll workers at the Burton Barr @PhxLibrary wait outside for replacement voting machines. Early this morning, a problem with the machines prevented prospective voters from casting in-person ballots. pic.twitter.com/GwOuNIY8jW
— Cronkite News (@cronkitenews) November 8, 2022
The tweet showed a picture of poll workers waiting outside for replacement voting machines to arrive.
According to Amelia Fabiano, a reporter at of KNXV-TV in Phoneix, poll workers told her the site was only being used as a ballot drop-off site until the new tabulation machines arrive.
Poll workers here at Burton Barr Library tell me it is a ballot drop off site ONLY currently. They are having an issue with the tabulation machine and are sending people down the street to the art museum to vote in person. Working to find out what specifically the issue is @abc15 pic.twitter.com/gIl1HJoNxi
— Amelia Fabiano ABC15 (@AmeliaFabianoTV) November 8, 2022
Maricopa County officials responded directly to the picture shortly thereafter, informing voters of alternatives.
Update: Voters at Burton Barr have three options. They can drop off ballots at door number three, wait for tabulator to come online, or go to another location nearby. https://t.co/t4LUfb9wch. https://t.co/u6C2B8u3er
— Maricopa County (@maricopacounty) November 8, 2022
“Update: Voters at Burton Barr have three options. They can drop off ballots at door number three, wait for tabulator to come online, or go to another location nearby,” a tweet from the county’s official account read.
Several key high-profile races are taking place in the Grand Canyon State, including the gubernatorial contest between former Phoenix television anchor Republican Kari Lake and her Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s current secretary of state.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the polls heading into Tuesday looked to be in Lake’s favor.
As of Tuesday, 49.5 percent of votes appear to be heading Lake’s way versus 47.1 percent for Hobbs, according to FiveThirtyEight.
