“Hand-counting is typically expensive, inaccurate and impractical”
Some conservatives, including allies of former President Donald Trump, have pushed hand-counting ballots as a way to ensure the accuracy of election results. But Mohave County’s experience punctures that talking point, showing that hand-counting is typically expensive, inaccurate and impractical.
In short, hand-counting ballots isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Mohave County, home to an estimated 220,000 people in the northwestern corner of Arizona, is one of a handful of U.S. counties that has considered hand-counting ballots, thanks in part to election conspiracy theories that have driven distrust in ballot tabulators.
After the 2020 election, the Arizona state Senate authorized a controversial hand-count audit of two races. The audit took months and cost millions, and — by its leadership’s own account in text messages obtained by The Arizona Republic — failed to result in an accurate count.
Oh, right. Sure. That’s what the “experts” said, think MAGA conspiracy theorists.
Estimated cost for conducting a full hand count after a limited test run: $1,108,486.
“That’s larger than my budget for the whole year, to run the whole election for the whole year!” Elections Director Allen Tempert said.
Likely MAGA response: So?