Arizona RepublicView CommentsThe results of Maricopa County's independent audit of 2020 election results are in.The verdict: The election was sound.Maricopa County on Tuesday released the results of election audits from two independent auditors it hired to verify that voting machines were not hacked, were not connected to the internet and counted votes properly during the 2020 general election.The auditors found that the county used certified equipment and software, no malicious hardware was found on voting machines, the machines were not connected to the internet, and the...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsThe results of Maricopa County's independent audit of 2020 election results are in.The verdict: The election was sound.Maricopa County on Tuesday released the results of election audits from two independent auditors it hired to verify that voting machines were not hacked, were not connected to the internet and counted votes properly during the 2020 general election.The auditors found that the county used certified equipment and software, no malicious hardware was found on voting machines, the machines were not connected to the internet, and the...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsCorrection & Clarifications: A previous version of this article misstated the number of Phoenix employees who have had COVID-19. Phoenix is paying its employees $75 if they get vaccinated for COVID-19.Other cities in the Phoenix area — such as Glendale, Peoria and Tempe — are rewarding their employees for receiving the vaccine, as well, either by giving them a discount on their health insurance or giving them wellness points that could add up to a discount on their insurance.Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher said the city created an employee...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsCorrection & Clarifications: A previous version of this article misstated the number of Phoenix employees who have had COVID-19. Phoenix is paying its employees $75 if they get vaccinated for COVID-19.Other cities in the Phoenix area — such as Glendale, Peoria and Tempe — are rewarding their employees for receiving the vaccine, as well, either by giving them a discount on their health insurance or giving them wellness points that could add up to a discount on their insurance.Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher said the city created an employee...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsMetro Phoenix ballparks are preparing for spring training baseball to start on schedule, despite pleas to delay the season made by the Cactus League and a coalition of Valley mayors.After they sent a letter to Major League Baseball and , MLB proposed delaying the season by one month. The players union in response  on schedule, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 17 and the planned slate of games. The MLB on Friday , saying games will start on Feb. 28 and run through March."Cactus League host municipalities are working with...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsMetro Phoenix ballparks are preparing for spring training baseball to start on schedule, despite pleas to delay the season made by the Cactus League and a coalition of Valley mayors.After they sent a letter to Major League Baseball and , MLB proposed delaying the season by one month. The players union in response  on schedule, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 17 and the planned slate of games. The MLB on Friday , saying games will start on Feb. 28 and run through March."Cactus League host municipalities are working with...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsAn attempt by Republican state senators to hold the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in contempt failed on Monday as lawmakers seek to conduct their own audit of the presidential election results.Breaking with the GOP caucus and casting the crucial vote against the measure, which could have led to the supervisors' arrests, Sen. Paul Boyer said he wanted to give the county and Senate more time to work out their ongoing legal dispute over the Legislature's proposed audit."Today's vote merely provides a little bit more time for us to work together charitably...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsAn attempt by Republican state senators to hold the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in contempt failed on Monday as lawmakers seek to conduct their own audit of the presidential election results.Breaking with the GOP caucus and casting the crucial vote against the measure, which could have led to the supervisors' arrests, Sen. Paul Boyer said he wanted to give the county and Senate more time to work out their ongoing legal dispute over the Legislature's proposed audit."Today's vote merely provides a little bit more time for us to work together charitably...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsRepublicans in the Arizona Senate have escalated their ongoing fight with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors over the 2020 election.On Wednesday, they introduced a resolution to hold the board's members in contempt for not turning over — or at least providing access to — ballots along with other records. It's not clear exactly what a contempt finding against the supervisors would result in, though the resolution appears to allow for their arrest.Republican lawmakers are intent on conducting their own audit of the...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsRepublicans in the Arizona Senate have escalated their ongoing fight with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors over the 2020 election.On Wednesday, they introduced a resolution to hold the board's members in contempt for not turning over — or at least providing access to — ballots along with other records. It's not clear exactly what a contempt finding against the supervisors would result in, though the resolution appears to allow for their arrest.Republican lawmakers are intent on conducting their own audit of the...WW…

16 PHOTOS…16 PHOTOSWW…

Arizona Republic Law enforcement officials served a search warrant at the home of a Fountain Hills man and seized computers, hard drives and other storage devices as part of an investigation into voter data theft from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office website.The property was seized Nov. 5.The search warrant sought records relating to computer intrusion or conspiracy to commit computer intrusion from Oct. 21 through early November.According to the warrant, investigators were looking for records, information and communications related to the office's:The Maricopa County IT security staff...…Arizona Republic Law enforcement officials served a search warrant at the home of a Fountain Hills man and seized computers, hard drives and other storage devices as part of an investigation into voter data theft from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office website.The property was seized Nov. 5.The search warrant sought records relating to computer intrusion or conspiracy to commit computer intrusion from Oct. 21 through early November.According to the warrant, investigators were looking for records, information and communications related to the office's:The Maricopa County IT security staff...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsMaricopa County's election results are certified and final.The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the elected body that oversees elections in Arizona's most populous county, voted unanimously on Friday to approve the results of this month's general election.The majority-Republican supervisors did so after spending hours on Friday afternoon asking election officials who oversaw the voting process numerous questions related to election fairness, security, technology and oversight.Before the vote, the supervisors, four Republicans and one...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsMaricopa County's election results are certified and final.The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the elected body that oversees elections in Arizona's most populous county, voted unanimously on Friday to approve the results of this month's general election.The majority-Republican supervisors did so after spending hours on Friday afternoon asking election officials who oversaw the voting process numerous questions related to election fairness, security, technology and oversight.Before the vote, the supervisors, four Republicans and one...WW…

Arizona RepublicView CommentsAs the presidential election and several other races in Arizona remain close, election officials stressed that voters' ballots will be counted regardless of what kind of pen they used.Elections departments across Arizona said there was no controversy over Sharpies and that they have processes in place to ensure ballots are counted regardless of what kind of utensil is used to fill them out.Still, the office of Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, asked questions of the Maricopa County Elections Department in a letter on Wednesday, saying...…Arizona RepublicView CommentsAs the presidential election and several other races in Arizona remain close, election officials stressed that voters' ballots will be counted regardless of what kind of pen they used.Elections departments across Arizona said there was no controversy over Sharpies and that they have processes in place to ensure ballots are counted regardless of what kind of utensil is used to fill them out.Still, the office of Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, asked questions of the Maricopa County Elections Department in a letter on Wednesday, saying...WW…