by Tom Joyce
Maricopa County, Arizona, has formed what it refers to as an “election command center” in hopes of combatting election misinformation, adding officials will vet journalists who they deem qualified to participate in the events.
A group of six elected officials plus elections and communications professionals have worked together to establish the “2022 Elections Command Center”, according to a press release from the county’s office.
Maricopa County became the focal point of electoral skeptics after the 2020 general election. Many of his supporters believed that former President Donald Trump won more votes than President Joe Biden in the county’s general election. The Arizona state Senate conducted a review of the county’s votes, finding what they called irregularities but confirming that Biden prevailed.
The command center will serve as “a central hub of information for the weeks leading up to and following the Nov. 8 General Election,” according to the press release.
“At the beginning of the year, I promised we would run the most transparent elections this county has seen, and I’m proud of what the Board of Supervisors, the Recorder’s Office, and our elections team have done to date,” Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, District 3, said in the press release. “The Command Center will further deliver on that promise by creating a structure that allows us to reach more people, faster, with factual information about how elections are run and how people can successfully participate.”
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer added that he helps the office will clear up misinformation during the general election.
“We ran a terrific Primary Election, but because of our ‘continuous improvement’ work ethic, we will have an incredible communications team assembled that will allow us to better respond to constituent concerns and combat misinformation during the General Election,” Richer said in the news release. “I look forward to partnering with the Board of Supervisors to make this a great election for Maricopa County voters.”
The county says that the Elections Command Center will bring together “communicators and subject matter experts” from a few places, including: the Elections Department, Recorder’s Office, County Manager’s Office, and other county agencies.
The announcement also said the county would begin hosting regular news conferences in October and November but limit access to credentialed media of their choosing. Previous news conferences were disrupted by a partisan “elections correspondent” shouting over others’ questions when he wasn’t called on.
The county says this command center will provide:
- Clear, consistent communication about voting deadlines and election processes to Maricopa County’s more than 2.4 million eligible voters, which enables them to cast their ballot in the way they choose.
- Outreach and response to local, national, and international media covering Arizona elections
- Quick and accurate response to mis-, dis-, and mal-information related to the administration of elections in Maricopa County
- Updates on tabulation and reporting of results following Election Day
For more information on Maricopa County election administration, people can visit elections.maricopa.gov. The county also says people can get information by following its official accounts on social media.
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Tom Joyce is a contributor to The Center Square.
Background Photo “Voting Booths” by Tim Evanson. CC BY-SA 2.0.
