TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – For the first time in a year and a half, the Election Integrity Commission began its work this week face to face, the first county commission to do so.

The last time it met was in February 2020 when the pandemic was just beginning to take hold.

A lot has happened since, including the contested 2020 election and the audit conducted in Maricopa County.

The Arizona State Legislature passed and the Governor signed 19 pieces of legislation which changes election procedures from a little to a lot.

“That’s where the election integrity commission comes in and political observers as well,” said Pima County Elections Director Brad Nelson. “It’s not just us coming out saying it’s just fine, it’s a group of people coming out and saying things are just fine – or not.”

Those changes will make things a bit more difficult for the commission as it moves forward.

Real or imagined, voter fraud has taken center stage. It’s the commission job to prevent it and instill confidence in the election process.

One of the issues which will be tackled by the commission is vote centers, used by several counties in Arizona.

In a vote center, on election day, a voter can cast a ballot at any one of dozens of vote centers which will be opened across the county.

It will, in essence, replace the precinct voting sites which have been a staple of the American voting experience.

State law says a voter who votes out of precinct, will have their vote tossed.

Still there are those who are opposed to vote centers, such as District 4 County Supervisor Steve Christy.

“As was discussed by the commission members today, I think vote centers can also lend themselves to the possibility of fraudulent votes,” he said. “And will have huge issues of expediency and efficiency.”

He also believes precincts have a place in the process.

“The basic and foundational elements of the voting process are the neighborhood precincts,” Christy said. “That is knowing the populace that is voting at those precincts.”

But Pima and Pinal counties are the only two in the state without vote centers and it appears they have enough support that they could be in place by the 2022 election.

Meantime, meeting again face to face makes some people smile.

“I think its a terrific day,” Christy said.

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