In Maricopa County, we will not tolerate lies about our elections

It was just a year ago that I watched in complete shock as people stormed the halls of the U.S. Capitol, a deadly and misguided attack that represented the first non-peaceful transfer of the power in our nation’s history.

Many of these people were wrongly convinced the 2020 presidential election had been stolen and widescale fraud had prevented their preferred candidate from winning the White House. They believed it because the person who lost the election told them to believe it.

Unfortunately, the situation is more dire today. More people in positions of power have either subscribed to the Big Lie or enabled it.

Unless we all commit now to free and fair elections, Jan. 6 will be more than just one of the country’s darkest moments; it will be a defining one.

Why Maricopa County will not remain silent

The attempt to undermine democratic elections puts at risk everything else we take for granted in a free country – speech, security, economic progress.

And that’s why Maricopa County has not been silent – and will not be silent – in the face of lies.

Roberts: Maricopa County K.O.'s the audit. Trump believers don't feel a thing

Our Elections Department has spent the last few months looking deeply into every accusation leveled by Senate contractors who reviewed the 2020 election.

The Cyber Ninjas claimed there were more than 53,000 questionable ballots cast in 2020.

Our analysis found less than 100 out of 2.1 million with no systemic issues identified and no impact on the outcome of races. You can read our full report at JustTheFacts.vote.

New voting laws should be based in reality

And yet some elected leaders want to make changes to how we run elections based on the demonstrably wrong, amateur guesswork of a $9 million audit. That’s a terrible idea.

The Legislature needs to craft laws based in reality. Where there are common sense ways to make our voting system work better – to make it more secure, more accessible, more suited to our day and age – let’s do it. I know there are good ideas out there.

But legislation based on faulty assumptions, outright lies or the wishes of bad actors hurts our state and our democracy.

To Democrats in the state House and Senate, I respect the role a minority party plays in our system of government. We won’t agree on everything, but I invite your questions.

To my fellow Republicans, we share many of the same goals, but I worry our party is at risk of becoming the thing we despise.

We are not the party of government overreach, making new laws where none are needed. We are the party of smart reforms and efficiencies.

We are not a party bent on tearing down the system; we are a party dedicated to making a good system of government – the best the world has ever seen – better.

We are not the party of bamboo ballots and Italian satellites.

It’s time to tell the truth.

We need more pro-democracy voices

Because we’ve seen what happens when people are falsely told that an election has been rigged or stolen. They storm a Capitol building. They threaten to hang or shoot election workers. They call fellow Americans traitors.

And from this dangerous alternate reality, we see people advocating for all sorts of anti-democratic measures.

Things like decertifying free and fair elections or giving state lawmakers the power to decide elections if the popular vote doesn’t go the way they like.

We need more pro-democracy voices.

So let me be clear: I have full confidence and faith in our elections staff, their leadership, and the operation that we run here in Maricopa County. They deserve your trust.

In the coming year, we will run the most transparent elections this county has ever seen with proactive communications to reach diverse populations, explanations of laws and processes, publicly available election plans, and a nonpartisan voter outreach team. I invite you to learn more at BeBallotReady.vote.

As the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, made clear: the battle for the future is right here at home.

Democracy belongs to all of us, and all are needed in its defense.

Bill Gates is chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. He is a Republican.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why Maricopa County will not be silent about election lies