On Saturday, May 1st, I volunteered to observe the Maricopa County Audit process at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon arrival, I checked in with the police at the entrance, who confirmed my name was on the list and directed me to the coliseum entrance. When I entered the building, I went through more check-in procedures, received my name badge, and locked all of my belongings in a locker with a security code. I was only allowed a red pen and a piece of paper on me while observing.
I was told that this was the most secure and transparent process in history. This rang true as I witnessed the measures they are taking to ensure integrity and confidence in the forensic audit system.
The first thing I noticed was the videographer, who documents and records everything (ex. any issue with ballots upon opening box). I observed teams of three “counters” checking each ballot on a rotating table and adding a timestamp to each tally sheet. I saw that the counting of votes was in good hands and was being performed with speed, accuracy, and honor. It was a smooth process….