Judge rules Arizona ballot recount cannot be private; audit to continue uninterrupted
By Bob Christie and FOX 10 Staff
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Court battle rages on between Arizona Democrats and Republicans over election audit
Tuesday was the first time the local media has been briefed on the recount of the election in Maricopa County since last Thursday.
PHOENIX - The firm handling the Maricopa County ballot recount cannot conduct their audit in private, an Arizona judge ruled on Wednesday.
The Arizona Democratic Party and the lone Democrat on the GOP-controlled Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had sued the state Senate and the contractor overseeing the election audit, Cyber Ninjas, on April 22. They want the recount of the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe Biden halted unless they get guarantees that voter privacy and ballot secrecy is ensured.
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A judge cast doubt on the future of a Republican-backed 2020 election audit in Maricopa County that Democrats are trying to shut down through a legal challenge raising concerns about adherence to state election laws and regulations.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Martin, who was assigned to the case on Monday after the first judge recused himself, said that he has some reservations about the review process but needs to hear more during a hearing set for Wednesday.
“I will share with you all, I am not yet persuaded that there has been a showing that the rights of the voters in Maricopa County are being projected,” Martin said during a lengthy hearing on Tuesday. “And I think we will touch on this tomorrow when we address the policies and procedures and whether or not they can be withheld from public view.
A judge hearing a challenge to voter privacy policies during the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate's recount of 2.1 million 2020 election ballots says he is not convinced voter secrecy is being upheld.