Arizona’s primary election is August 30th. Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell discusses past problems with elections and gives voters information they need to go cast their ballot.
TED SIMONS: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON". MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER HELEN PURCELL TALKS ABOUT TOMORROW'S PRIMARY ELECTION AND WE'LL HEAR HOW A GROUP OF YOUNG JOURNALISTS INVESTIGATED NATIVE AMERICAN VOTING RIGHTS. NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."
ANNOUNCER: "ARIZONA HORIZON" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS. MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATIONS. THANK YOU!
TED: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON." I'M TED SIMONS. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP'S ON AGAIN OFF AGAIN APPEARANCE IN PHOENIX IS ON AGAIN. WITH THE TRUMPS CAMPAING ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE CANDIDATE WILL APPEAR WEDNESDAY AT THE PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER'S WEST BUILDING. THE EVENT IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 6:00 P.M. WITH TRUMP EXPECTED TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION ISSUES. A NEW POLL SHOWS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IS A TOSS-UP HERE IN ARIZONA. THE O H PREDICTED THE INSIDE POLLS LIKELY ARIZONA VOTERS SHOWING HILLARY CLINTON HOLDING A 1% LEAD OVER TRUMP WITH 13% UNDECIDED AND A MARGIN OF ERROR OF JUST OVER 3.5%. THE SURVEY EMPLOYED LIVE CALLERS AND AUTOMATED PHONES AND WAS CONDUCTED AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.
TED SIMONS: TOMORROW IS PRIMARY ELECTION DAY IN ARIZONA, AND JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE VOTERS SHOULD EXPECT AT THE POLLS AND WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW BEFORE CASTING THEIR BALLOT, IS MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER HELEN PURCELL. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
TED: WHEN DO THE POLLS OPEN?
HELEN PURCELL: 6:00 A.M.
TED SIMONS: WHEN DO THEY CLOSE?
HELEN PURCELL: 7:00 P.M.
TED SIMONS: 6:00 TO 7:00. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THIS ELECT?
HELEN PURCELL: EVERYONE CAN VOTE IN THE ELECTION, THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A RECOGNIZED PARTY, NEED TO LET US KNOW WHAT BALLOT THEY WANT EITHER WHEN THEY ORDER THEIR EARLY BALLOT OR WHEN THEY GO INTO A POLLING PLACE. THEY CAN HAVE THE REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT OR GREEN PARTY BALLOT.
TED SIMONS: TOMORROW WHEN YOU GO IN, AND YOU'RE A INDEPENDENT AND YOU ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THE REPUBLICAN RACE, YOU CAN SAY YOU WANT THE REPUBLICAN BALLOT BUT YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS.
HELEN PURCELL: RIGHT.
TED SIMONS: AND VICE VERSA.
HELEN PURCELL: YOU HAVE TO PICK THE BALLOT OF ONE PARTY.
TED SIMONS: BACK TO JUST GETTING THERE, WHAT KIND OF I.D. IS NEEDED TO GET THE PROCESS ROLLING.
HELEN PURCELL: THE EASIEST IS YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, A PICTURE I.D., A MILITARY I.D. THAT HAS YOUR PICTURE AND ADDRESS. YOU CAN USE A PASSPORT. YOU CAN USE TWO FORMS OF I.D. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. YOU CAN USE A BANK STATEMENT, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE AND A UTILITY BILL.
TED SIMONS: MAKE SURE THAT WAS ADDRESS IS THE SAME. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
HELEN PURCELL: ABSOLUTELY.
TED SIMONS: EARLY BALLOTS, I KNOW THAT IT KILLS YOU WHEN PEOPLE HAVE EARLY BALLOTS AND DON'T SEND THEM IN EARLY. BUT IF THEY HAVEN'T SENT THEM IN EARLY, CAN THEY DROP THEM OFF AT THE POLLING PLACE TOMORROW?
HELEN PURCELL: YES AND WE ADVISE EVERYBODY, BECAUSE OF THE NEW RULES OF THE POST OFFICE, THREE TO FIVE DAYS TO GET SO SOMEONE AND THAT'S FIRST CLASS MAIL SO WE SAID DON'T MAIL THE BALLOT AFTER LAST WEDNESDAY.
TED SIMONS: YEAH.
HELEN PURCELL: WE'VE SEEN THAT TRICKLE OFF, SO THERE'S ARE STILL A LOT OF BALLOTS OUTSTANDING, THEY CAN DROP IT BY ANY POLLING PLACE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN LINE. THEY CAN GO TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE. I DON'T THINK TOMORROW THEY'LL BE LINES FOR THE PRIMARY BUT THEY CAN CERTAINLY MOVE UP TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE. THERE'S A BOX THERE FOR THE EARLY BALLOTS AND DROP IT RIGHT IN.
TED SIMONS: IF I WANT TO VOTE AT THE POLLING PLACE, I CAN'T GO TO JUST ANY LOCATION CORRECT, I'VE GOT TO GO TO MY POLLING PLACE.
HELEN PURCELL: YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR POLLING PLACE. THIS IS DIFFERENT, WE HAVE 724 PRECINCTS AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO THAT PRECINCT THAT YOU LIVE IN.
TED SIMONS: BUT IF I HAVE AN EARLY BALLOT I WANT TO DROP OFF, ANY PLACE IS FINE.
HELEN PURCELL: ANYPLACE IS FINE IF YOU HAVE AN EARLY BALLOT.
TED SIMONS: INTERESTING. HOW MANY POLLS PLACE DO WE HAVE IN MARICOPA COUNTY, THIS GO-AROUND.
HELEN PURCELL: 724 LOCATIONS. SOME OF THEM ARE CO-LOCATED AND WE HAVE 60 PLUS POLLING PLACES LOCATED TOGETHER IN ONE FACILITY. JUST BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND A FACILITY IN ONE OF THE PRECINCTS.
TED SIMONS: AND COMPARE THAT NOW, THAT NUMBER TO THE PROP 123 VOTE WE HAD RECENTLY.
HELEN PURCELL: WE HAD 116.
TED SIMONS: 116. AND NOW HOW MANY.
HELEN PURCELL: 724.
TED SIMONS: COMPARE BOTH OF THOSE TO THE ILL-FATED PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE ELECTION BACK IN MARCH.
HELEN PURCELL: WE HAD 60.
TED SIMONS: 60. SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE INCREASED OUR POLLING PLACES.
HELEN PURCELL: WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF PRECINCTS AND WE HAD THAT BEFORE, BUT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU COULD GO ANYPLACE, BUT NOW YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR PRECINCT.
TED SIMONS: AS FAR AS GOING TO YOUR PRECINCT LET'S SAY YOU'RE NOT WATCHING "ARIZONA HORIZON" FOR REASONS WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND BUT YOU WIND UP GOING, I'M GOING TO GO SHOPPING IM GOING TO THAT ONE OVER THERE, YOU GO TO THE WRONG POLLING PLACE, WHAT HAPPENS?
HELEN PURCELL: OUR NEW ELECTRONIC POLL BOOTHS WILL PRINT A RECEIPT AND SHOW YOU THE PROPER POLLING PLACE, NOT ONLY THE ADDRESS OF IT BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU THE MAJOR CROSS STREETS TO GET THERE AND THAT'S HANDED TO THE VOTER.
TED SIMONS: YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING LINES THIS GO-AROUND AT ALL.
HELEN PURCELL: NO, USUALLY THE TURNOUT FOR THE PRIMARY IS VERY SMALL SO WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING THAT. WE'VE HAD OVER 423,000 BALLOTS COME BACK IN THE MAIL. WE'VE COUNTED A MAJORITY OF THOSE. SO WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING A HUGE NUMBER OF TURNOUT AT THE POLLS.
TED SIMONS: IF THERE'S, LET'S SANCTION GUY TO MY POLLING PLACE AND THERE'S A LINE AND PEOPLE ARE GRUMBLING AND OH, BOY, HERE WE GO AGAIN. THERE WAS CRITICISM LAST TIME, THE PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE ELECTION, SPECIFICALLY. YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO AND WHERE TO GO. DO WE KNOW WHO TO TALK TO AND WHO TO GO TO NOW?
HELEN PURCELL: WE'VE ADVISED IN OUR TRAINING, ALL OF OUR MARSHALS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE WALKING THE LINE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS OUT THERE THEY DON'T HAVE A EARLY BALLOT. THEY ARE NOT SOMEONE THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN VOTING. SO THEY SHOULD ALSO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURES THAT MARSHAL IS CONSTANTLY KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT THE LINE LOOKS LIKE.
TED SIMONS: OK, NOW, YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING LINES.
HELEN PURCELL: RIGHT.
TED SIMONS: BUT WHAT KIND OF TURNOUT ARE YOU EXPECTING?
HELEN PURCELL: I'M HOPING FOR 30%.
TED SIMONS: HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO --
HELEN PURCELL: IT'S HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD THE LAST FEW PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES. WE'VE HAD IN 2008, THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CONTESTED PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, WE HAD A 21% TURNOUT AT THE POLLS IN THE PRIMARY.
TED SIMONS: INTERESTING.
HELEN PURCELL: THE PRESIDENT IS NOT ON THIS BALLOT. THEY CALL OUR CALL CENTER, I GOT MY BALLOT AND THE PRESIDENT IS NOT ON IT. NO, WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER.
TED SIMONS: YOU MUST GET A LOT OF ODD QUESTIONS.
HELEN PURCELL: WE GET STRANGE ONES.
TED SIMONS: BUT EXPECTING 30% THAN WOULD BE --
HELEN PURCELL: HOPING FOR.
TED SIMONS: HOPING FOR 30%. BUT THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN PREVIOUS.
HELEN PURCELL: YES, BUT THERE AGAIN, WITH THE EARLY BALLOTS WE HAVE OVER A MILLION PEOPLE WE SENT AN EARLY BALLOT TO.
TED SIMONS: YES.
HELEN PURCELL: AND ONLY RECEIVED 423,000 BACK. NOW, THE EARLY BALLOT HAS BEEN THE MAJOR PART OF OUR VOTING PUBLIC IN A PRIMARY ELECTION. THE LAST ELECTION, IT WAS 82% OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED IN THAT ELECTION VOTED BY MAIL.
TED SIMONS: INTERESTING. 82% OF PEOPLE ARE VOTING BY MAIL NOW?
HELEN PURCELL: YES. THAT WAS THE LAST ELECTION, THE 2014 ELECTION.
TED SIMONS: YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I ENJOY GOING TO THE POLLING PLACE. I LIKE THE FEELING OF VOTING AND THE FEEL.
HELEN PURCELL: A LOT OF PEOPLE DO AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE VOTING PLACES.
TED SIMONS: SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD EVENTUALLY GO AWAY.
HELEN PURCELL: WE HAVE, OF COURSE ASKED BEFORE FOR AT LEAST FOR SPECIAL ELECTIONS IF WE COULD HAVE AN ALL-MAIL ELECTION. IT'S NEVER GONE ANYPLACE IN THE LEGISLATURE. BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO LIKE AT IN THE FUTURE. IF WE SEE THE NUMBER INCREASE, THAT GET EARLY BALLOTS WHY DO YOU NEED TO HAVE IT?
TED SIMONS: AS FAR AS FINSING POLLING PLACES, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. IT'S NOT EASY, IS IT?
HELEN PURCELL: NO, IT'S NOT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF A DEVELOPER IS LOOKING AT A NEW AREA, BUILDING HOUSES AND SO FORTH, THIS THEY DON'T THINK OF PUTTING A FACILITY THERE THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR A POLLING PLACE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT LARGE ENOUGH AND ADA COMPLIANT, THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. WE STILL OPERATE UNDER ALL OF THE RULES THAT WE HAD UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHT THE ACT. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT COVERED BY THAT. I THINK WE SHOULD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IS GOOD FOR OUR VOTERS.
TED SIMONS: WITH THAT IN MIND, ARE YOU READY?
HELEN PURCELL: YES, WE ARE.
TED SIMONS: ANY LAST-MINUTE CONCERNS?
HELEN PURCELL: NO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THEY HAVE TO GO TO THEIR OWN POLLING PLACE. EASY, GO ON OUR WEBSITE, MARICOPANOW.VOTE AND YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE YOUR POLLING PLACES, WHAT'S ON OUR BALLOT, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT--YOU CAN BE ALL PREPARE BEFORE YOU GO THERE.
TED SIMONS: IF YOU HAVE THE SAMPLE BALLOT --
HELEN PURCELL: IF YOU'VE GOT THE EARLY BALLOT AND YOU'VE GOT A IPHONE, WHERE IS THE CLOSEST PLACE I CAN GO, PUT IT IN TO MARICOPA.VOTE AND IT WILL TELL YOU THE THREE CLOSES POLLING PLACES.
TED SIMONS: THE GPS AND TELLS YOU WHERE TO GO. GOOD INFORMATION TONIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HELEN PURCELL: YOU'RE WELCOME. ¶¶ ¶¶
