Coliseum Observer Notes 2021
Coliseum Observation Notes
The effort to hand-count the 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County during the 2020 Presidential Election resumed on May 24, after a weeklong pause. Observers on behalf of the Arizona Secretary of State's Office continued to note problematic practices, changing policies, and security threats that have plagued this exercise from the start.
Please find a summary of both new and ongoing incidents noted by observers during the "audit" at the Coliseum beginning on May 24, 2021.
Security Concerns
Observation: On May 24, 2021, the external security gate was left unattended and partially open, allowing observers to walk in. It was later noted that the check-in process had changed but observers were not notified.
Observation: For several days, beginning on May 24, 2021 observers noted a copy of a Wake TSI procedure manual marked "confidential" was left out and sometimes unattended at the check-in counter.
Observation: On May 25, 2021, a black pen was brought onto the counting floor. Pens with black and blue ink, which can be read by tabulators, are prohibited from being near ballots to ensure they cannot be used to alter the ballots.
Observation: On May 24, 2021, Senate Liaison Ken Bennett brought a cell phone onto the counting floor. Previously, cell phones were not permitted on the floor as a security measure.
Observation: On May 27, 2021, observers noted State Senator Wendy Rogers was on the counting floor and was provided a black pen to take notes by Cyber Ninjas. Pens with black and blue ink, which can be read by tabulators, are prohibited from being near ballots to ensure they cannot be used to alter the ballots. She also was writing on the white note paper that was provided to her and carried her cell phone in her back pocket, both violations of their own security measures.
Observation: On May 29, 2021, observers confirmed that participants are allowed to bring firearms into the Coliseum and on the counting floor "as long as they are concealed."
Equipment Concerns
Observation: On May 24, 2021, Senate Liaison Ken Bennett confirmed that copies of voting system data was sent to a lab in Montana. He did not specify what security measures were in place, or what the lab in Montana will do with the data or how long it will be in possession of the copies.
Observation: On May 31, 2021, Cyber Ninjas implemented another software update on the paper examination "forensics" workstations. The software update created so many errors and problems during the first shift that they stated they were going to roll back to the old software during the afternoon shift.
Communication Concerns
Observation: On May 26, 2021, Audit Co-chair Randy Pullen told an observer that the shirt he was required to wear on the floor made him "look like a transgender" because of the color of his shirt.
Observation: On May 29, 2021, observers confirmed that organizers require them to wear pink or fuchsia shirts and refer to them as "pinkies" or "pinkos" to either imply and/or assert that the observers are communists.
Policy and/or Process Changes
Observation: On May 24, 2021, Senate Liaison Ken Bennett was unable to identify the new person or entity leading the process, contributing to general confusion.
Observation: On May 24, 2021, new people and processes in place at the check-in point added to general confusion.
Observation: On May 26, 2021, paper examination stations had only two people working, instead of three or four as before.
Observation: On May 26, 2021, observers noted that quality control practices to ensure data is entered correctly are still not in place rendering all of the data and findings unreliable.
Observation: On May 29, 2021, observers saw that at least three people who are not residents of Maricopa County rifling through thousands of military and overseas ballots. Observers had been previously told that only Maricopa County residents would be allowed to handle any ballots, yet all three people were not residents.
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