Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

The Republic | azcentral.com

Some voters waited hours to cast their vote

There was confusion at the polls, with many voters saying election officials had inaccurate information

If you were on Facebook or Twitter on Tuesday, chances are your feed lit up with friends and family frustrated by hours-long lines to vote in Arizona's presidential preference election and other problems at polling places.

Or maybe it was you venting your rage over the situation.

Voters who insisted they had registered as Democrats or Republicans shared experiences of being told they were listed in the county's voter system as independents. (Because Arizona has a closed primary, independents must re-register as a member of the Democratic, Republican or Green parties for their votes to be counted.)

Some, in disgust, decided to bail before casting their ballot.

"Helen Purcell had ONE JOB. ONE. And she screwed it up. She should resign," said one social media post, referring to the county recorder in charge of Maricopa County elections.

"Did voter suppression happen yesterday? Yes. Was it a conspiracy? Probably not," read another post.

TELL US: Did you have a bad voting experience? Share your story

If you feel like you were cheated out of your vote, here are six things you can do about it:

Lodge your complaint or concerns with the Elections Department.

How: Call 602-506-1511. Or register your concerns here, https://recorder.maricopa.gov/site/contactus.aspx.

Why: Elections officials are reviewing each complaint. They should be able to tell you if your vote was counted, provide voter registration details and answer general questions about your registration.

If you feel like your vote should have been counted and was not, that the polling places’ voter information for you wasn't correct, that you were turned away and shouldn’t have been, or if you feel disenfranchised for any other reasons, let them know.

On Wednesday, the department’s phone lines were flooded with 500 to 600 calls from angry voters and 200 emails. They won’t respond to nasty messages, so keep it civil.

Lodge your complaint or concerns with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.

How: Call 1-877-THE-VOTE or email elections@azsos.gov.

Why: The Secretary of State's Office oversees elections statewide but has no authority over specific jurisdictions, such as Maricopa County. Still, if you need basic information about your registration or how the presidential preference election works, reach out to them.

Lodge your complaints or concerns with the U.S. Department of Justice.

How: Call 1-800-253-3931 or email them using this complaint form, https://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.

Why: This is where you go if you feel your voting rights have been violated. Violations could include lack of access for minorities, the elderly, people with disabilities and others.

Check your registration.

How: You can check it through Service Arizona or by calling 800-251-5866. You can also contact your county elections office.

Why: It's like checking your credit report. You can see what party you're registered with, even though party affiliation isn't required to vote in the special election on May 17 or the November general election. But it could help avoid confusion in the future.

'Nuts, nuts, nuts': Anger builds over long voter waits

Get on the "Permanent Early Voting List."

How: You can get on the list in Maricopa County by clicking here. If you have questions for Maricopa County officials, call 602-506-1511. It’s easy to do and your ballot will automatically arrive in the mail about 27 days before an election. You can keep your laminated voter identification card in your wallet.

Why: The card is proof of your party affiliation, your address and can help resolve discrepancies at the ballot box.

Vote in November.

How: Hopefully it won't involve waiting five hours, but the person who controls how our county elections work is chosen by you. Helen Purcell has held the county recorder's position for decades and she is up for re-election in November. She's on the same ballot as the state lawmakers who have the power to allocate -- and cut -- funding for elections.

Why: If you didn’t like the way things went during the primary, make sure your voice is heard. You can’t complain if you don’t vote.

Lack of polling sites, not independents, caused Maricopa election chaos

Follow the reporter on Twitter @yvonnewingett and reach her at yvonne.wingett@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4712.