Long lines at Arizona primary polling spots...

[book_worm]

Complicating the confusion at the polls today is the large number of registered independents who are showing up, leading to a surge in provisional ballots.

“These are independent voters,” Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne said. “They refuse to not vote, and federal law requires they be given a ballot.”

But if the voter casting the provisional ballot is determined to not be registered with one of the three parties, their vote will not count.

“In Coconino County, they’re handing them out like candy,” Osborne said of the provisional ballots

More than 200 people were in line at the American Legion Post 35 on Chandler Boulevard west of Dobson Road in Chandler..

"I'm very surprised at this line. I think they should have more polling places. People are going to give up," Dwight Thayer of Chandler said.

The wait didn't surprise Nick Nicholls, though.

"I was kind of expecting (long lines) with what's been happening around the country," he said. "People are coming out to vote and that's good."

Carol Houselog, who worked a polling place at Seventh Avenue and Glendale Avenues, said she was surprised by the long lines at the church. Houselog has worked several elections.

“I’ve never, ever seen a turnout like this even for a regular election, much less a primary,” Houselog said. “I am stunned.”

There was an outpouring of support for Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton at the Maryvale Church of the Nazarene in west Phoenix.

Anahi Barraza, 21, voted for Sanders “because of his stance on immigration and how he wants to take on Wall Street.”

Barraza, who said her biggest issue this election is immigration, said Clinton “embodies a politician perfectly.”

“She just says what the people want to hear and she tiptoes around a lot of things,” Barraza said.

Roberto Fuentes, 26, said he voted for Sanders “because of everything he stands for – not taking big donors, working for the people and with the people and providing free universal higher education.”

Sandra Hernandez, 48, cast her vote for Clinton because of her foreign policy credentials. But, had more states “felt the Bern” this primary, it could’ve been different, she said.

“I love Bernie Sanders,” Hernandez said. “I love him. But right now, I’m being a little realistic." — Ricardo Cano


http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/03/22/live-arizona-primary-coverage-presidential-preference-election/82096726/

[Legends303]

1. The writing on the wall

He is going to lose Arzonia should be an interesting primary night.

[misterhighwasted]

4. Ya probably. Indies are locked out. Should have read the State Primary voter rules

Stay tuned.

[leftofcool]

2. Let the indies vote. Their vote won't count but I say let them at it.

Maybe next time they won't be so clueless.

[DesertRat]

7. I agree, but

they should work ahead of time to change the rules instead of whining on election day.

[misterhighwasted]

3. ? "bernie on immigration?"

Ummm, minuteman militia, well maybe Anahi Barraza is ok with that.
That's pretty sad.

[DURHAM D]

5. It is a closed primary so I assume all the provisional ballots

given to Independent voters will just be thrown in the trash. What a waste of paper.

ETA: I assume their are no Independent primary contests.

[DesertRat]

8. No Independents

Only Dem, Rep and Green party.

[LisaM]

23. There are reports of people who re-registered just for the primary

and the information wasn't updated or was updated wrong. I suspect that there is a clusterfuck - some people probably re-registered too late, some probably didn't do it at all, some probably didn't know they had to do it, some thought they could vote as registered Independents, and then in a lot of cases, the re-registrations may have not been updated properly.

Of course it all needs to be done right - and those who followed the rules should get to vote - but this is what happens when people who really are not members of the parties in which they're running for office - Trump and Sanders - get themselves onto party tickets. Good people can disagree on whether parties have the right to choose their own candidates, but this sounds like a logistical nightmare, adding to which, they apparently reduced the number of polling places from 200 to 60 just to save money.

[sweetloukillbot]

24. I know the registration not getting updated happened to people who did change properly

She called and confirmed with the county recorder but is saying there are lots like her. I'm one to blame incompetence over conspiracies every day, I just think cutting the polling places was monumentally stupid.

[stopbush]

25. I think you needed to change your party affiliation a year ago to

vote in the AZ D primary.

If you are a new voter, you had to register as a D a month ago to qualify to vote in the AZ D prmary.

[jmowreader]

6. Hmm...

Is it possible Sanders is sending out the independents solely to build long lines at the polls, in hopes of convincing Clinton voters not to stay and vote?

[DesertRat]

9. Or Trump independents

[FloridaBlues]

11. I'm also thinking trump voters who don't realize not open primary

Just goes to show voters need to know about their state primaries

[DesertRat]

14. Indeed. nt

[stopbush]

16. BS doesn't have to send out the independents. They're low-info types.

They haven't a clue that they can't vote in the D primary unless they're a registered D.

They'll find their way to the polls all on their own. Wish I could be there to see the stupid looks on their faces when they're told they're ineligible to vote today. Idiots.

[book_worm]

10. Is the GOP primary open or closed?

If it's open then they could be voting for Kasich.

[FloridaBlues]

12. Closed primary sorry indies!

[robbedvoter]

13. I wonder who told indies they could vote...

[DesertRat]

15. Certainly not the AZ Democrats

[Walk away]

17. According to the "Followers of Bernie" this is a plot by Hillary!

Once again, Bernie supporters don't read the rules or the cut off dates for changing affiliation and this is our fault! They are telling people to clog the lines and protest if they are not allowed to vote. Bernie is clearly desperate!

If they try this in NYS they will end up in jail. NY and NJ take this shit seriously.

[72DejaVu]

18. Well, we know what the excuse will be when Hillary wins

Waaaaaaah! They didn't count the independent votes!

[LisaM]

19. So people are trying to vote who aren't registered as Independents?

What I'm getting is that people who consider themselves (I) are trying to vote, even though they haven't registered as such?

[Walk away]

20. No. You cannot vote in the Dem primary unless you are a Dem.

Independents cannot vote and their ballots will be thrown away. The only votes that will be recognized are Democrats, Republicans and Greens. There is no Independent running so Independents can't vote. They should not even try but they are too stupid to understand.

[LisaM]

21. Ha! Just answered my own question too.

http://www.12news.com/news/politics/3-things-arizona-primary-voters-need-to-know/94167564

[Walk away]

22. See my new post about the NY primaries. It's already too late to change!