/ Modified apr 5, 2016 3:14 p.m.

National Democrats Complain About Arizona Elections

The Democratic National Committee says long voting lines suppressed voters

Election Presidential Primary 16 spot
AZPM Staff

Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders is threatening to sue for a recount in Arizona.

Even though Sanders won’t win the Presidential Preference Election in the state, Democrats award their delegates on a proportional basis, so he could gain more delegates.

The Democratic National Committee will not commit to backing Sanders if he goes to court.

DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, said it is hard to say whether long lines in Maricopa County disproportionally hurt Democratic voters.

“I certainly have not looked closely enough to know, but the point that we’ve always made is no matter whose vote is made more challenging to be cast, we are opposed to that,” said Wasserman Schultz

The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation, last week, into Maricopa County’s long voting lines.

Data from the county shows the last ballot was cast nearly six hours after polls closed.

Officials in Maricopa County have repeatedly apologized and admitted they miscalculated when they reduced the number of polling places to 60.

In Pima County, and throughout the state, many voters who updated their information online through the motor vehicle department reported party registration problems.

Arizona law prohibits registered independents from voting in the Presidential Preference Election.

The Arizona Secretary of State’s office is looking into the voter registration problems. The Justice Department did not join that investigation.

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