Republicans file emergency motion to extend Maricopa County voting hours

A Republican coalition is filing an emergency motion to extend voting hours in Arizona’s Maricopa County, citing concerns about voting machine issues.

The Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee, former state lawmaker Jill Norgaard, and the campaigns of the Arizona GOP nominees for Senate and governor — Blake Masters and Kari Lake, respectively — filed a request that all voting centers in the county stay open until 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The coalition alleges that “at least 36% of all voting centers across Maricopa County have been afflicted with pervasive and systemic malfunctions of ballot tabulation devices and printers, which has burdened voters with excessive delays and long lines,” according to the filing, shared by the RNC.

The group is also asking that the public release of any early ballot results be suspended until 11 p.m.

“The widespread issues – in an election administered by Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs – are completely unacceptable, especially as Republicans flock to the polls to vote in-person on Election Day,” said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement.