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'Let the cheating begin!': Broken voting machines in Maricopa County fuel fraud allegation and blame game

Maricopa County Recorder announced only a few hours into election day that about a fifth of its electronic vote tabulation machines were not working

MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer announced only a few hours into election day that about a fifth of its electronic vote tabulation machines had started to malfunction. He said ballots were not lining up properly inside the machines. They were not being read, he claimed, but also promised all votes cast would be counted. An emergency suit was launched by Republican campaigns, including Blake Masters, who is running for governor, to keep polling stations open late. 

Republican candidate for governor, Kari Lake, asked voters to stay in line. She also said the voting problems in Arizona could be part of a plot to thwart a "red tsunami" on Tuesday, November 8. "The people of Arizona would walk over hot coals and they would walk over broken glass to vote today," she told reporters, according to the Daily Mail. "And I know that they can stand in line for a couple hours if they have to. I know they'll stand in line for eight hours. And they will vote and my message to the people of Arizona is do not get out of line until you have cast your vote. Do not get out of line until you've cast your vote. Things are looking very good for us. They may be trying to slow a red tsunami but it's coming." The incident has fueled conspiracy theories, with many claiming the Democrats were trying to subvert the vote of Republicans, who usually show up in greater numbers in person on Election Day.

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Social media engaged in a blame game and made allegations, with one user saying, "The DISGUSTING and corrupt HUMAN WORM known as #Arizona Senator #MarkKelly just had his scu**** LAWYERS move to STOP #Maricopa County from extended hours after the Voting Machine failures today. Kelly HATES "democracy" and shows DEMS don't care about VOTING," one user wrote, while another said, "Machines in Maricopa County are brand new, the “Dominion 5.5 Democracy Suite”, cost taxpayers $3million. It’s inexcusable to have these issues, who’s fault is it? If you criticize the company they’ll sue you, if you criticize the County you’re a threat to Democracy." "Let the cheating begin! Maricopa County Long lines in Anthem, Arizona with Poll Workers explaining that the @maricopacounty machines are not working," one user said. 

"Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs is directly accountable for the massive systemic failure of 20% of the tabulation machines in Maricopa County. Ironically she’s on the ballot for governor on a platform of how competent she is. If you haven’t voted yet, you know what to do," one user wrote, while another said, "Katie Hobbs is Secretary of State of Arizona. She's running for Governor. And the machines are malfunctioning in her opponent's stronghold of Maricopa County. Think that's a coincidence? Punish Democrats for fvcking everything up, including elections." "Voting machines are already breaking down in Maricopa County... the very place at the center of the 2020 election fraud allegations!" one user said.

Meanwhile, around 2:30 pm local time, officials said they had apparently found a fix by changing the printer settings of the machines. "Maricopa County has identified the solution for the tabulation issues at about 60 Vote Centers. This solution has worked at 17 locations, and technicians deployed throughout the county are working to resolve this issue at the remaining locations," Maricopa County Elections Department tweeted. 

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