New Poll Finds Arizona Voters Oppose Sham Election Review in Maricopa County

Published: 6.9.21

Washington, D.C. — States United Action released a new poll revealing that Arizona voters oppose the sham election review in Maricopa County. The survey also finds that a large majority (89%) of respondents have heard about the “audit” and that the more people know about the operation the more they distrust it.

“It’s no surprise that the more Arizona voters know about the sham election review in Maricopa County, the more they distrust it. It’s a mess created by members of the Arizona Senate and the unqualified companies running the whole thing,” said Joanna Lydgate, CEO of States United Action. “The 2020 election results were litigated, certified and officially audited more than once in Arizona, and voters rightfully want their elected leaders focused on governing right now, not in disarray over an already settled election.”

Conducted by the Mellman Group on May 22-27, 2021 via landline, cell, and text-to-online, the poll surveyed 600 registered voters in Arizona, using a registration-based sample. In one of the nation’s most closely divided states, where Joe Biden won by less than one percentage point, other key findings from the polling include:

• The more people know about the audit, the more likely they are to distrust it. Among the 41% who have heard a “great deal” about the audit, 56% believe it cannot be trusted, with only 34% reporting confidence in the audit.
• Those voters believe the audit cannot be trusted by a ten-point margin (42% to 31%). After everyone hears more background information, voters statewide disapprove of the audit by an even larger 15-point margin (53% disapprove, 38% approve).

• Arizona voters found that the strongest arguments against the audit were the need for a Republican Party that works in the best interest of Arizonans and isn’t embroiled in division over a settled election (44% very convincing, 13% somewhat convincing), and complaints about security breaches resulting from handing voting machines to private auditors, likely forcing Maricopa to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on new machines (44% very convincing, 12% somewhat convincing).
• A near majority (49%) would be less likely to vote to re-elect a state senator who supported the audit, while only a third (31%) were more likely to vote to re-elect, and 20% were unsure. Republicans, plus those independents who did not support Biden, who are also both angry about the audit and less likely to vote for a senator who supported it (4%) combine with Biden supporters (49%) to yield a clear majority (53%) opposing those backing the audit. With the GOP controlling the State Senate by a mere two-seat margin, the backlash against the audit could have a significant impact on the Republican Party’s prospects. By fifteen points, Arizonans believe Biden won fairly, not because of fraud (55% to 40%).

“This whole thing has been an embarrassment to Arizonans,” said Grant Woods, former Arizona Attorney General and States United Advisory Board member. “The people running this process are unprepared, unqualified, and potentially costing taxpayers millions of dollars to replace mishandled election equipment. I am proud of the state and local leaders from both parties who are calling this out for what it is: a sham. Arizona voters deserve local officials who are actually committed to good governance not chasing already settled elections.”

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About the States United Action 

States United Action is a nonpartisan section 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization with a mission to protect our elections and our democracy. States United Action advocates for policies that protect election integrity, hold democracy violators accountable, and prevent political violence that threatens to undermine the will of the American people, and amplifies the voices of state leaders and law enforcement leaders who share these values. For more information, visit https://statesunited.org/states-united-action/.