On October 10, The Gateway Pundit published an article that revealed concerning video allegedly showing two election workers, one carrying a toddler, entering the Ballot Tabulation Center (BTC)M after hours and inserting a device into one of the adjudication terminals.
Days prior, the Logic & Accuracy (L&A) testing had already been completed. The terminals reportedly had “port blockers” installed over the USB ports in order to ensure no foreign devices were inserted into the systems following the completion of the L&A testing.
BUSTED: Exclusive Video of Maricopa County BOS employees (toddler in tow) in highly secure Ballot Tabulation Center at 10:30pm inserting flash drives into computers (Post L&A) during an active election obtained by our source! Additional video obtained shows 3 hours of activity (Leaving at 11:15pm)
This is why we MUST vote!
Turn out in masses this election and have your voice heard.We must be vigilant, we are watching..
These employees worked a day shift that day, leaving at 6:23pm and then returned at 9:08pm alone (with child) and remained until 11:15pm.
One of the 2 employees has been identified as Brian Ramirez, the same BOS employee who deleted files off the EMS system in 2020. (more details below)
These employees are hired and supervised by Scott Jarrett and the Maricopa BOS NOT the Maricopa County Recorders office.*All relevant details have been reported to authorities.
— We the People USA Alliance (@WethePeopleAZA1) October 9, 2026
On October 14, Maricopa County published via X a “Joint Statement Addressing Election Misinformation” from the Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko.
The statement described the work as “authorized and necessary work to update software and upload election data to a computer terminal” that is air-gapped and did not involve the Election Management System or tabulators.
The update required a USB drive “to load authorized election files onto the duplication terminal,” according to the statement. It also claims that, “The entire process is subject to rigorous audits during and after every election.”
Election integrity is essential so voters can vote confidently.
Casting doubt on our election system and misrepresenting the work of election workers erodes trust in our elections.
Read the full statement from Chair @KateMcGeeAZ & Vice Chair @DebbieLesko: https://t.co/IJZ65FjJxF
— Maricopa County (@maricopacounty) October 14, 2026
Following the joint statement from the Chair and Vice Chair, Supervisor Mark Stewart posted a video to X with “Eric,” the Chair of the Libertarian Party and “Michelle,” who is described as “a friend” of Stewart’s from the Republican Party.
Following a “tour” and “an understanding of what happened here the other day,” Stewart deferred to the Eric and Michelle to explain:
Transparency builds trust. This morning, our Elections team welcomed leadership from all four local political parties into the tabulation center to and ask questions and see a real time demo regarding the after hours access issue. Rather than give you my interpretation, I encourage you to hear directly from the political party leadership who participated. In this video, they share their firsthand observations about: - The questions they brought to the meeting. - What they learned from speaking with staff. - Their assessment of the explanations provided. - What questions, if any, remain unanswered. I’m grateful to the advocates who took the time to participate and to our elections staff for opening the doors and engaging in the conversation. Responsible government starts with listening, asking questions, and bringing people together. We see public input and incredible opportunities to be better. We won’t always agree on the veracity of all suggestions, but transparency and open dialogue are how we build public trust and continue improving. Thank you to everyone who participated. We need more of this.
@LPMaricopa
@MaricopaGOP
@MaricopaDems— Mark Stewart Maricopa County Supervisor District 1 (@MarkStewart_AZ) October 14, 2026
Eric describes the problem with Runbeck’s Novus System (ballot duplication software) as follows:
“When Runbeck provided the election title name for this file, it contained a backslash in it. A backslash generally indicates a folder structure on a Windows machine, and so that character caused a bug on the export when the ballot duplication had finished. By removing the backslash, the export could run. Essentially, what we saw on the evening video was them trying to troubleshoot and figure out that backslash problem.
What this kind of points to to me is that Runbeck needs better software Q&A because that backslash should not be an allowable character in that particular field.
The Elections Department is essentially writing guidance to tell people not to use special characters, which dodges the issue. But that was the full finding from today’s tour.”
This explanation is bizarre. If a Windows-based system user tries to use a backslash ( ) when saving a document on any Windows application, they most likely will be prompted with an “error” message that the backslash character is not recognized. How this somehow made its way into Runbeck’s software is a competency question that needs to be answered.
But more concerning was the explanation from Michelle, the friend from the Republican Party. She stated:
“The backslash and the export process was in the process of generating the pdf file that is used to actually print the replacement ballots and I think that that piece of that is important.
The system they were working on is the duplication system. The duplication system is on an air-gapped network so its separate from everything else in the room. That’s by design. It’s not part of the logic and accuracy testing as prescribed by law and by the election procedures manual, the EPM.
It’s not part of it because its not part of the Election Management System, its not part of the tabulation system.
It’s something that happens outside of it which could happen manually bubbling in to replace a damaged ballot or formats of ballots like braille and others that cannot be read by the tabulation system.
Once the ballots are generated from the input from the system and the exported pdf file, that’s what actually goes through the rest of the system that has been already certified as well as the logic and accuracy testing.
The assertion that the duplication system is not subject to Logic & Accuracy (L&A) testing “as prescribed by … the election procedure manual (EPM)” appears to be misinformed. The EPM actually states that damaged/defective ballots “must be manually duplicated by a Ballot Duplication Board.” It does not authorize electronic software to adjudicate or duplicate damaged or defective ballots.
The EPM does later state that “an alternative” to “manual duplication of ballots … by the Ballot Duplication Board” can be performed by an Electronic Vote Adjudication Board appointed by the Board of Supervisors and that they must “utilize a certified electronic adjudication program” in doing so.
Further, the EPM also states that “If electronic adjudication of votes … will be utilized … that functionality shall also be tested during the L&A test to ensure secure and proper functioning.”
In another section of the EPM for “Conducting the L&A Test,” it states that, “If the county intends to use the electronic adjudication or electronic write-in tallying functionality in the upcoming election, that functionality must also be tested during the Secretary of State’s L&A test.”
Maricopa Election Update Thread (and more questions)
This is a very concerning explanation video below for a few reasons, one of which ties directly into allowing misinformation to come out through ‘official’ channels.
It’s interesting that @MarkStewart_AZ himself doesn’t explain much and, instead, passes the buck off to political party representatives.
First, let’s start with the Libertarian party’s explanation that the file name had a “/” in it and makes it unable to save and export.
Open up ANY application that allows saving on your desktop computer and try to save a file with a “/” or “” in it and you will get the below messages.
If Runbeck was SO incompetent that they used a bac-slash to name an election file used in Maricopa and their system ALLOWED IT, then they shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near not just voting systems, but ANY software.
That is the simplest explanation and I’m welcome to rebuttals.
But Post 2 is where the Republican Party rep spews mis- and dis-information to the public.
@Rach_IC @WethePeopleAZA1 @MerissaCaldwell @BarnettforAZ @realAlexKolodin @AzPinkLady
— CannCon (@canncon) October 15, 2026
One position Maricopa County could potentially take is that the Novus duplication software is entirely separate from the electronic-adjudication functionality and therefore not subject to the testing and certification.
If that is the case and the distinction is drawn, then the EPM appears to preclude the usage of electronic duplication software as it states damaged/defective ballots “must manually be duplicated by a Ballot Duplication Board,” not by untested, uncertified software.
At the very least, Maricopa County should clarify the authority in which an untested, stand-alone duplication system could be used to replace the manual duplication process.
The Gateway Pundit has reached out to Supervisor Mark Stewart for comment regarding the video as well as Vice Chair Debbie Lesko for more information regarding the authorization records related to this update. The Gateway Pundit will update this article accordingly.
Response below in your comments @DebbieLesko
So it’s public, I would like to see whatever forms authorized this update as well as the certification for the update. Any chain of custody records would be much appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance. You can post here, DM me or my email is in my bio.
— CannCon (@canncon) October 14, 2026
@DebbieLesko Can you post the authorization forms from the SOS or whomever authorized and certified this update? I followed so you can DM if you’d like.
— CannCon (@canncon) October 14, 2026
The post More Questions Than Answers: Maricopa County Supervisor Releases “Explanation” of Controversial Late-Night Election Video appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.