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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US Election 2016: Arizona officials decry long voting queues | US Election 2016: Arizona officials decry long voting queues |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Officials in Arizona are asking the US Department of Justice to investigate the lack of polling stations in poor or minority areas during the state's primary. | Officials in Arizona are asking the US Department of Justice to investigate the lack of polling stations in poor or minority areas during the state's primary. |
| Voters in Maricopa County experienced long waiting times during the presidential primary, and some people were turned away after waiting. | Voters in Maricopa County experienced long waiting times during the presidential primary, and some people were turned away after waiting. |
| In some spots across the county, voters waited for up to five hours on Tuesday. | In some spots across the county, voters waited for up to five hours on Tuesday. |
| Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, called the queues "unacceptable". | Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, called the queues "unacceptable". |
| "Our election officials must evaluate what went wrong. And how they can make sure it doesn't happen again," Mr Ducey said on Twitter. | "Our election officials must evaluate what went wrong. And how they can make sure it doesn't happen again," Mr Ducey said on Twitter. |
| In 2012, the county - which includes Phoenix, the state's largest city - had 200 polling places. | In 2012, the county - which includes Phoenix, the state's largest city - had 200 polling places. |
| Phoenix is a predominately Democratic area. In Maricopa County, about 1.2 million people are eligible to vote, but there were only 60 polling places. | |
| Arizona's Republican-led legislature decided to lower the number of polling places to save money, officials said. | Arizona's Republican-led legislature decided to lower the number of polling places to save money, officials said. |
| Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders called the queues a "disgrace" and has expressed concerns that the long lines hurt his showing in the state. | Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders called the queues a "disgrace" and has expressed concerns that the long lines hurt his showing in the state. |
| Rival Hillary Clinton won the state by 18 percentage points. | Rival Hillary Clinton won the state by 18 percentage points. |
| In the past, the federal government would have to approve any changes made to Arizona's election rules because of the state's history of discriminating against minority voters. | In the past, the federal government would have to approve any changes made to Arizona's election rules because of the state's history of discriminating against minority voters. |
| However, a 2013 US Supreme Court decision that did away with much of the Voting Rights Act, allowing Arizona and other states to adjust voting rules without oversight. | However, a 2013 US Supreme Court decision that did away with much of the Voting Rights Act, allowing Arizona and other states to adjust voting rules without oversight. |
| Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said he wants the Justice Departments investigate whether elections officials illegally cut polling stations in poor and minority-concentrated areas. | Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said he wants the Justice Departments investigate whether elections officials illegally cut polling stations in poor and minority-concentrated areas. |
| He wrote in a letter to the Justice Department that elections officials and the state lawmakers have created "a culture of voter disenfranchisement". | He wrote in a letter to the Justice Department that elections officials and the state lawmakers have created "a culture of voter disenfranchisement". |
| Failure of government | Failure of government |
| State lawmakers said they plan to meet to discuss the voting mishaps. | State lawmakers said they plan to meet to discuss the voting mishaps. |
| Arizona resident Bruce Weiss said he waited two hours at a polling place in Phoenix. Many did not get into the polling places until after midnight. | Arizona resident Bruce Weiss said he waited two hours at a polling place in Phoenix. Many did not get into the polling places until after midnight. |
| "It's like a complete, total failure of government," he told the AP news agency. | "It's like a complete, total failure of government," he told the AP news agency. |
| Maricopa County top election official Helen Purcell initially blamed voters, then took it back, accepting responsibility for the long queues. | Maricopa County top election official Helen Purcell initially blamed voters, then took it back, accepting responsibility for the long queues. |
| Officials said they had more mail-in ballots than usual and were expecting less in-person voters. | Officials said they had more mail-in ballots than usual and were expecting less in-person voters. |