Arizona election officials and lawmakers are actively seeking ways to enhance the efficiency and security of future elections, as reported by AZFamily.
The previous election unfolded without any major issues, and there has never been any substantial evidence of widespread fraud. However, a few minor hiccups did occur, causing a delay of 11 days in the complete counting of the ballots.
Lawmakers at the state and county levels are currently exploring various options to make the necessary adjustments.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes cautions about the substantial vulnerabilities present in the technology systems that are vital for our elections.
Updating the system is a top priority for him as he moves forward.
According to former Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, there is not a single county or election official who believes that Avid is in good condition.
Richer has expressed his thoughts on the changes that could be implemented to avoid any future issues with elections.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has recently emphasized the need for enhancements and modernization of the election infrastructure system. He specifically highlighted the importance of updating the statewide voter registration system, referred to as AVID.
According to Richer, deploying the resources towards that particular purpose would be one of the most effective uses.
Last year, a glitch in AVID affected approximately 200,000 Arizona voters, who had been able to vote in previous elections without having to provide proof of their citizenship.
The ruling of the state supreme court caused quite a stir in the political arena, but ultimately, it ensured that all individuals impacted by the decision could exercise their right to vote in local, state, and national elections.
Fontes has released a list of 218,000 Arizona voters who do not have proof of citizenship on file.
Richer emphasized the importance of ensuring that individuals have proof of citizenship on file. He highlighted a previous incident that garnered significant attention and emphasized the need for a functioning system.
According to Richer, fixing this issue is imperative.
But slow election results are not something that would be impacted by this.
According to Richer, this problem is much more complex.
In regards to Avid, it is facing numerous issues that have not received the necessary attention. It is important to note that these challenges are not limited to any particular administration or individual, as stated by the source.
The Secretary of State’s office has issued a statement regarding possible upgrades and changes.
“Our commitment is to the people of Arizona, with a focus on keeping our economy running smoothly, maintaining transparent and accountable democratic processes, and ensuring the continued prosperity of our state. While we are enthusiastic about collaborating with legislative leaders on election reforms, our top priority is to modernize our election systems. We recognize the need to update our technology infrastructure, particularly the AVID system (statewide voter registration system) and our Election Night Reporting and Election Management Systems. As the Secretary emphasizes, we have been prudent with our spending but have neglected the critical systems that require attention.”
The Maricopa County Supervisors took their oath of office on January 6th. Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin has expressed his commitment to enhancing the county’s election system and public safety. He also advocates for conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the county’s election processes and vote counting methods.