Grand Canyon Times

State Rep. Bret Roberts (R-Maricopa) is calling out House Speaker Rusty Bowers for allegedly trying to block a letter he wrote ensuring election officials were abiding by state law regarding hand recounts. 

Roberts said his request was imbued with the hope all legal votes would be counted as appropriate. 

“I wrote the letter calling on elections officials to abide by state law and do a proper hand count because protecting the integrity of our elections is necessary to preserve our Republic," Roberts said in a Facebook post. “I also believe that we need to ensure that every legal vote is counted. This is something we should all fight for regardless of party affiliation.” 

In the letter, Roberts said Maricopa County had violated election rules by allowing central voting locations.  

On Monday, Roberts said Bowers called him into his office and asked him not to release the letter. 

“Earlier this week, I learned there are some Republican elected officials who may not share that view,” Roberts said. “On Monday, Republican House Speaker Rusty Bowers called me into his office and made it very clear he was opposed to me releasing my letter calling on election officials to abide by existing state law in conducting a hand count of the ballots. I am not sure what the Speaker’s motives are, but it was disappointing that the Speaker would try and stop our effort to protect the integrity of our elections.” 

The Arizona Repubican Party has filed a lawsuit to compel a hand recount at the precinct level.