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   XPost: sac.politics, alt.politics.elections   
   From: drooler@gmail.com   
      
   PHOENIX — A judge hearing a challenge to voter privacy policies during the   
   Republican-controlled Arizona Senate’s recount of 2.1 million 2020   
   election ballots in the county that includes metro Phoenix said Tuesday he   
   is not convinced voter secrecy is being upheld.   
      
   The comment from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Martin came   
   at the end of a lengthy hearing where he also declined to extend a   
   previous judge’s order that auditors hired by the Senate comply with state   
   voter privacy laws — at least until he hears more at a hearing on   
   Wednesday.   
      
   “I will share with you all, I am not yet persuaded that there has been a   
   showing that the rights of the voters in Maricopa County are being   
   protected,” Martin said. “And I think we will touch on this tomorrow when   
   we address the policies and procedures and whether or not they can be   
   withheld from public view.”   
      
   The Arizona Democratic Party and the lone Democrat on the GOP-controlled   
   Maricopa County Board of Supervisors sued the state Senate and the   
   contractor overseeing the election audit, Cyber Ninjas, Thursday. They   
   want the recount of the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe   
   Biden halted unless they get guarantees that voter privacy and ballot   
   secrecy is ensured.   
      
   A judge who has since stepped aside from the contentious case on Friday   
   ordered the recount halted if Democrats posted a $1 million bond, which   
   the party declined to do. He also ordered the Senate and private election   
   auditors to follow state law on voter and ballot secrecy and for Cyber   
   Ninjas to produce its recount policies and procedures in court.   
      
   Cyber Ninjas is a Florida firm with no election experience run by Doug   
   Logan, who has shared unfounded conspiracy theories claiming the official   
   2020 presidential election results are illegitimate. His attorney is   
   seeking to have its policies and procedures for protecting voter privacy   
   kept secret, arguing that they are trade secrets.   
      
   Martin plans to take testimony onthe company’s request to keep the   
   material secret at a hearing Wednesday. He also said he plans to consider   
   whether to again order the recount halted or renew the previous judge’s   
   orders on ballot secrecy rules.   
      
   He started Tuesday’s hearing by rejecting the Senate lawyers’ arguments   
   that they are not required to follow state elections law outlining how   
   voters’ constitutional rights are protected.   
      
   “The Arizona Senate has the constitutional authority to conduct the audit   
   as part of its legislative function,” Martin said. “However, the manner in   
   which that audit is conducted must be balanced against the constitutional   
   rights of the voters in Maricopa County, including the rights to secrecy   
   and confidentiality of information.”   
      
   https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/27/arizona-voter-recount-audit-   
   484880   
      
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