Penzone said more security had been sent to the area in case things escalated and the rally turned violent. However, all remained calm and the ballots inside continued their work. One person was checked for heat exhaustion, but no one was injured, Penzone said. The protest broke up after about an hour. About 30 journalists were there to record what happened. Penzone expressed his dismay at the protest during a press conference at 2:30 p.m. “Every time we see a larger gathering outside, that means I’m putting more deputies inside,” Penzone said. “I will not allow, and this I stand for, a threat to this facility, the votes or the people. We will not wait for you to do harm and try to react to it. We will prepare in advance so that you do no harm.” He added that the protest undermines the sheriff’s ability to help other people. However, worrying about security is not something officials want to do during the election process. “It’s unfortunate that we have to think about these things in the context of elections in a democratic republic, but we do,” said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates. Gates added that vote counting was moving “very efficiently” and hand counting had begun on Saturday, with three-person teams made up of representatives from both parties. About 5,000 votes from five polling stations are counted by hand to make sure the machines are working properly. “Having eyes on everything, being involved in it to make sure the machines are working the way they should,” Gates said. As ballot counting approaches its fourth day in Maricopa County, ballot counting has begun. Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
