Maricopa County Recorder decides not to release report on Primary Election voting problems

PHOENIX (KSAZ) -- Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes has decided not to release a report on what went wrong on primary night.

Fontes says 62 polling locations had problems opening due to technical issues, and opened late on the morning of the Primary Election, out of over 500.

Blame has been batted back and forth between the County Recorder and Insight, the company hired to help out with the county's election system.

The County Recorder had said his report on what went wrong would be released to the public yesterday, but Adrian Fontes said lawyers are advising him to wait, until auditors working for the county complete their investigation.

"We, as we do, sent it to attorneys, and based on facts there will be litigation, we were advised that it is not a good idea to put it out there," said Fontes. "It has been sent to the Auditors, which will be put out as part of overall report. So it will come out, but not at the same time we thought it would come out."

Fontes continues to maintain his office didn't drop the ball. Instead, the company hired to do tech support for voter check-in equipment failed to provide enough staff to get the job done right.

"We had contracted for a company to get out and provide services on the Monday before Election Day," said Fontes. "They did not provide what they had contracted for."

Fontes says he may pay a political price for the primary election day glitches, but he says he is not worried about that.

"People are going to think all kinds of things. The proof is in pudding and not the recipe," said Fontes. "When people see work and how things play out, they will have confidence in this office, and the way we have improved things overall."

Maricopa County has hired outside auditors to look into what went wrong. That report has not been released, but should come out before November's general election.