Poll finds confidence in system, reform support
Sasha Hupka
Arizona Republic
Arizonans’ attitudes toward elections aren’t clear-cut, new polling shows.
A majority of Arizonans have confidence in election outcomes, according to a survey from Arizona State University’s Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy. But many also support a variety of election reforms, including nonpartisan primaries and nonpartisan oversight of elections.
“There was wide support for a lot of reforms,” said Thom Reilly, co-director of the center and one of the researchers behind the poll. “I say that because, so much, we talk about polarization and that we all we are polarized, but I think this serves as a starting point for conversation. “ The study, which polled more than 1,000 people, leaves ample opportunity for follow-up research, Reilly said.
A majority of voters told researchers that they supported measures to ensure election integrity: for example, testing of voting machines, tracking of
ballots and auditing of election results.
In Arizona, those safeguards are already in place. The machines that tally votes, known as tabulators, are tested before and after every election. For voters on the Active Early Voting List, ballot tracking is available. State law also requires a hand count audit of ballots randomly selected by political party observers immediately after the election.
Reilly said he hopes to do further polling and research to determine whether voters simply aren’t aware of the election integrity measures already in place or if they wish to see them expanded.
