Arizona 2020 Vote Audit Finds Potentially Election-Shifting Numbers Of Illegal Ballots

As broadly reported, the audit established "There were no substantial differences between the hand count of the ballots provided and the official canvass results for the County." Maricopa County, which represents Arizona's most populous county thanks to its county seat of Phoenix, had provided Biden a 45,000-vote advantage in the state, propelling Biden to a victory by 10,457 votes.

A report entitled "Compliance with Election Laws and Procedures," issued by Senate Audit Liaison Ken Bennett, highlighted several issues, of which two were particularly significant because of the number of votes involved.

The statute further mandates that a voter "Make and sign the affidavit," and directs the early election board to check the voter's affidavit.

First, Ayyadurai analyzed the early voting ballot return envelopes, on which voters were required to sign an affidavit within a signature block.

Bennett's report on election law compliance highlighted several additional issues, but of particular note, in light of the audit report, was his reference to Arizona's statutory requirements for individuals to be considered eligible voters, as delineated in Articles 1, 1.1, and 2 of the Arizona election code.

"The Audit identified numerous questions regarding possible ineligible voters," Bennett noted, while adding that because "These determinations were made from comparisons between the County's final voted information and private data sources," the cooperation of Maricopa County and further investigation would be necessary to "Determine whether ineligible persons actually were allowed to vote in the 2020 election." The referenced articles of the election code discuss voter registration requirements and the requirement for individuals to be registered to vote at their address of residence, although individuals moving within 29 days of the election remain properly registered to vote in the county in which they previously resided.

Also of significance is the Arizona secretary of state's Election Procedures Manual, which according to the audit provides that "Ballot-by-mail must be mailed to voters by first-class, nonforwardable mail." These statutory provisions and procedures prove significant because the audit revealed that 15,035 mail-in votes in Maricopa County were from voters who had moved prior to the registration deadline, another 6,591 mail-in-votes came from voters who had moved out of Arizona prior to the registration deadline, and 1,718 mail-in votes came from voters who moved within Arizona but out of Maricopa prior to the registration deadline.

https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/27/arizona-2020-vote-audit-finds-potentially-election-shifting-numbers-of-illegal-ballots/