In Arizona’s Bizarre Election Audit, Ballots Are Being Checked For Bamboo And Election Chief Has Been Assigned Protection

Topline

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) has been assigned law enforcement protection after receiving death threats over her opposition to the state's election recount, according to multiple reports, as the second full week of the Republican-ordered audit comes to an end.

Key Facts

What To Watch For

The recount, being held at the Arizona Exposition and State Fair, is reportedly well behind its expected pace, and auditors have been given a hard May 14 deadline to vacate the facility, since there's a high school graduation booked. Ken Bennett, a former Arizona secretary of state who's overseeing the audit on behalf of the Senate, suggested the audit could "take a break" and then resume after the graduation.

Key Background

The audit appears solely driven by former President Donald Trump's baseless claims that widespread voter fraud kept him from winning the 2020 presidential election, and Trump has said he's monitoring the audit and expects "the results will be startling!" The audit is solely reviewing ballots from the presidential election and the U.S. Senate race, both of which Democrats won. It's also only looking at ballots in Arizona’s largest county, Maricopa, which includes Phoenix and its sprawling suburbs.

What We Don't Know

It's unclear exactly how the audit is being funded and who is paying for it. The state Senate is paying $150,000, but Logan said there’s also outside funding.

Further Reading

Arizona’s Presidential Election Recount (Yes, That One) Back On After Democrats Refuse To Pay $1 Million (Forbes)

They’re Still Counting—But Here’s Why Arizona's Election Recount Is Causing Concern (Forbes)