For those who are concerned about your mailed ballots being properly handled, may I suggest voting in person on Election Day, Nov. 3? There is nothing more reassuring than personally running your completed ballot through the electronic counting machine and seeing the display indicate your vote has been counted.
I’ve worked at Maricopa County voting centers for a number of elections and have firsthand experience with this. It takes only minutes to check in through the computerized site book. Merely scan your valid driver’s license with your current address as registered. If your license has a former address, you’ll need additional proof of a current address. Once verified, you proceed to the printing station to collect your ballot. With that in hand, go to a private voting booth for completion. Then, on to the tabulating machine. No one ever touches your ballot. This process should only take 10 minutes.
The electronic tabulation of all ballots, along with the ballots themselves, are hand delivered within an hour of poll closure to the county recorder. These numbers are what you see on election night.
For the recent primary election, the voting center in Fountain Plaza had 12 site books allowing for a rapid check in. I would expect a similar setup for November; however, verify the location. If you receive a ballot in the mail, keep it and use it as a “sample,” just don’t return it. Preparing your choices in advance will speed your final ballot selections. Don’t worry, you’re eligible for a new ballot at any voting center in Maricopa County on Election Day as long as you haven’t returned the mail-in ballot.
If you find a long line on Election Day, relax and enjoy the time spent. Every vote counts; enjoy peace of mind that your vote has been counted.
