Judge rules Arizona ballot recount cannot be private; audit to continue uninterrupted By Bob Christie and FOX 10 Staff Published 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.