Today, Monday, March 28, there was a special hearing to discuss problems Arizona voters encountered during last week’s primary election. The problems included a severe reduction in polling locations in Maricopa county, resulting in long lines to vote in last week's primary. Some people had to stand in line for as long as five hours. In addition, many voters discovered that although they had been previously registered as Democrat or Republican, their voter registration was suddenly inactive or they were listed as unaffiliated with any party. Since Arizona is a closed primary, this meant that many people were not able to vote at all. Finally, it appeared that polling stations were closed in areas that had higher poverty rates, causing much concern.

A special meeting was held to discuss these issues, allowing for public comment along with testimony from Helen Purcell, Maricopa County Recorder, and Secretary of State Michele Reagan. These are the personal testimonies of everyone who was able to attend the hearing and had a chance to speak. Many others waited to speak, but time ran out. This likely won't be the end of their stories.to see each person's testimony, including calls for an extended election day on June 7. The spelling of each citizens' name was not available for review, so if you see a name that is incorrect, please send a message and let us know. This first photo shows how packed the meeting was. It required two overflow rooms. ( Facebook /Chi Nieves)