Reporter’s notebook: Here’s what we saw covering Election Day in the Valley

Maricopa County’s Election Day polls closed at 7 p.m., and the county reported no major issues throughout the day. 

The Copper Courier team visited various polling locations in Phoenix and Tempe throughout the day to capture what was happening and speak with voters and candidates. 

Here’s a look into what we saw throughout the day:

6 a.m. — community editor Jessica Swarner

I arrived at Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix about 10 minutes before polls opened at 6 a.m. 

There were a few dozen people waiting in line on the cold morning. Once polls opened, though, the line grew smaller and the wait time stayed really low. Some people came through to bring in their early ballots. 

I spoke with Phoenix voter Kolby Peoples, who said he had a positive experience voting in his third election.

“Voting was super simple. It felt completely legitimate,” he told The Copper Courier. “I felt like my vote’s going to count. I felt like everybody’s vote that goes into this building at the very least is going to count, legally, effectively, officially.”

A national nonpartisan group called Election Protection had a table outside the library with a few volunteers milling around to answer any voter questions and to share their voter protection hotline number. 

There was also a pretty big media presence, with cameras set up all along the parking median. 

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Yassamin Ansari, Democratic candidate for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, arrived around 7 a.m. to welcome voters. 

Around 7:30 a.m., the Arizona Democratic Party held a press conference in which Gallego and Ansari, as well as Arizona Rep. Oscar De Los Santos and party chair Yolanda Bejarano, talked about the importance of this year’s election. 

11 a.m. — reporter Alyssa Bickle

I arrived at a polling location at the Osborn Elementary School District Office in central Phoenix after polls had been open for a couple of hours. 

When I arrived shortly after 11 a.m., there were about 72 people in line with an estimated 21-minute wait time, according to the Maricopa County voting locator. By the time I left at around 12:30 p.m., there were about 82 people in line and an estimated 24-minute wait, according to the voting locator. 

The parking lot was full, and people were parking in the nearby neighborhoods and across the street and making a short walk in. 

When I first arrived, a man pulled me aside and dove into several pro-Donald Trump conspiracy theories. He pointed to people with “Republicans for Harris” signs handing out donuts near the 75-foot limit marker and called them a slew of derogatory names. 

This man eventually became a little more confrontational with some of the people volunteering for various advocacy organizations, and he went as far to stand inches away from one woman and record her. He was still there badgering people when I left. 

There was a radio reporter from Germany who was speaking to voters as they were exiting the polls. I was catching voters as they walked out, and many were there on their lunch break and had to head to work. 

Carlos Baca, who lives in a neighborhood near the polling location, walked over to drop off his early ballot, and said he was glad he voted early. “I knew the lines were going to be long, but I didn’t think it was going to be this long,” he told me.

I also talked to the Arizona director of Next Gen America, Tia Yap, who was driving students from Phoenix College—which did not have an on-campus vote center—over to the polling location to cast their vote. She then waited for them to stand in line and vote, and then drove them back to campus. 

Erin Dooley, a volunteer with Corazón Arizona, was conducting an “election watch,” where she and a few other people with the nonprofit were directing people to open parking spots and telling voters that were dropping off ballots they could skip the line. She had been there since the polls opened at 6 a.m., and she told me they would have volunteers there until polls closed at 7 p.m. 

I also spoke with Laura Metcalfe, Democratic candidate for Maricopa County School superintendent, who was at the polling location to give out campaign information and talk to voters as they headed into the polls.

2 p.m. — reporter Robert Gundran

I showed up at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus a few hours after noon, and the area between the fitness complex and business college was filled with voters waiting in line, political advocacy groups, and students walking to and from their classes. 

Several hundred people, almost all in their late teens or early twenties, waited in line to cast their ballots. 

US Sen. Mark Kelly and former US Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona showed up to support US Rep. Ruben Gallego in his US Senate race.

“If you’re a young person or voting for the first time, this is the most consequential election of your lifetime. No pressure,” Kelly said. 

Gallego spent time handing out paletas, or Mexican ice pops, to his supporters, people who had already voted, and people who planned on voting. 

“Right now we’re asking young people to go out and change the world,” Gallego said. “Change in this country always comes from the young. Whether it’s the Civil Rights Movement, the LGBT movement, or women’s rights movement. It all started because young people decided that this was a country we wanted to make better.” 

Several local broadcasters from ABC 15 and 12 News were doing their 3 p.m. live hits for television and talking to voters. 

I spoke to three young women about their experience voting for the first time, and what drove them to vote. 

“I registered online early … and it was really easy. I knew who I wanted to vote for,” said Sophia Griffin, an 18-year-old ASU student.

She noted that immigration and support for small businesses were her top priorities in who she decided to support. 

Sophie M., 19, and Kate P., 18, said reproductive rights were what ultimately decided their votes. 

“I’m excited now that our voices are being heard,” Sophie said. “I’m really glad that we went through it. The process wasn’t too difficult, so I would recommend anyone to vote who can.”

Both Sophie and Kate voted in person at ASU’s Tempe campus. 

“We’re very adamant on abortion rights, especially in Arizona because of how strict it is,” Sophie said. 

“I just wanted to vote for my rights,” Kate said. 

I left ASU at around 3:30 p.m., and the line was no shorter than it was when I arrived. 

And a celebrity dropped by: Phoenix Suns guard Damion Lee showed up at the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz tent to walk around and speak with young voters.

READ MORE: Maricopa County reports low wait times, no problems with voting centers