Pillars of the Community Hosts Maricopa County Election Facility Tour with Stephen Richer, Scott Jarrett, and Rey Valenzuela

On June 27, Pillars of the Community facilitated a tour of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center. The tour, led by Stephen Richer (Maricopa County Recorder), Scott Jarrett, and Rey Valenzuela (Maricopa County Co-Election Directors), provided Pillars members with an in-depth look at election operations. Attendees, including over a dozen community leaders, learned about early voting, ballot processing, and the security measures that ensure election integrity.

As part of the tour, Stephen Richer explained signature verification and mail-in ballot handling, highlighting the importance of these steps in maintaining trust in election results. Scott Jarrett and Rey Valenzuela offered a detailed overview of ballot tabulation, hand-count audits, and the technology used to ensure secure and accurate outcomes.

Key Takeaways

Attendees gained insights into:

• How early voting and ballot processing are conducted.
• The equipment and protocols safeguarding election integrity.
• How misinformation is addressed to maintain public trust.

The tour gave community leaders a deeper understanding of Maricopa County’s election system, enabling them to evaluate processes, engage with officials on accuracy and integrity, and understand the safeguards that ensure accurate vote counts.