The Republican Party of Arizona has filed a lawsuit to enforce a state law requiring a hand count of votes by precinct. For the 2020 general election, additional polling places or "voting centers" were set up throughout Maricopa County allowing voters from different precincts to cast a ballot. The Republican Party of Arizona is asking for a court order to direct Maricopa County to follow the state statute.
In a tweet announcing the lawsuit, the Arizona Republican Party also argues that a sampling of precincts would potentially produce a more accurate sampling of votes compared to a sampling of voting centers. Some 175 vote centers were set up throughout Maricopa County, in comparison to 748 precincts.
"The question here is one of statutory construction, and whether the Secretary of State's Election Procedures Manual is able to supersede Arizona's state law," Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward said in a statement. "Arizona voters deserve complete assurance that the law will be followed and that only legal ballots will be counted in the 2020 election."
BREAKING: This afternoon, the @AZGOP filed suit to enforce a hand count by precinct, not voting center, as required by law.
— Arizona Republican Party (@AZGOP) November 13, 2020
"Arizona voters deserve complete assurance that the law will be followed and that only legal votes will be counted." — Chairwoman @kelliwardaz pic.twitter.com/xzcqUT8jTc
A court in Pennsylvania accepted a similar argument from the Trump campaign, ruling on Thursday that Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar lacked the "statutory authority" to change election law just days before Election Day. The judge ordered segregated ballots in Pennyslvania's election to not be counted.
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