Black and blue ink are the only colors the Maricopa County election machines can read. That's why it mattered when a reporter from The Arizona Republic questioned why counters for the hand recount of the county's 2020 general election were equipped with blue pens: Blue ink can alter a ballot, causing it to be discarded, or confusing the voter's intent. Based partly on that, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury ordered a temporary halt to the audit, which started Friday morning at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The ink issue is an important part of election integrity. Here are the roles the different colors play, according to elections officials: