MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County Supervisors approved an allocation of $100,000 for staff to conduct today’s election. Recorder Kristi Blair said mailing more than 80,000 early ballots and high voter turnout during the pandemic has increased the expected cost.
Dist. 5 Sup. Ron Gould, who prides himself on his disciplined fiscal conservatism, took pleasure in voting in support of the funding as Mohave County voters participate in the democratic process. “We should be overjoyed,” Gould said.
Supervisors expressed concern during their Monday Board meeting when Blair explained residential relocations, new voter registration and other issues have had some county residents receive as many as three ballots in the mail. She assured the Board that there are safeguards in place that ensure that only one ballot, the first one processed, would be counted in the case of any voter who gets multiple ballots or tries to vote early and on election day as well.
Gould blasted a Court decision extending the voter registration period for Arizona voters. He said the judge exceeded his authority and that late registration processing has been a burden for election officials at the county level who’ve been dealing with unprecedented early voting and potentially historic turnout.
“This is creating chaos,” Gould said. “It’s going to be chaotic because of one Judge’s ruling.”
Gould expressed additional concern that the outcome of the Presidential contest could be tied up in post-election litigation. Gould said that “one party is creating points of contention” for election challenges in Court.
Gould expressed concern that an election decided in the legal arena may have a chilling effect on future participation. “Some may never vote again,” he said.
Dave Hawkins
