CNN's SARA SIDNER IS IN PHOENIX OUTSIDE THE MARICOPA COUNTY
ELECTION CENTER. ONE OF THE BIGGEST POPULATION
CENTERS WAITING ON VOTE TOTALS TO UPDATE.
SARA, ARIZONA HAD SOME OF THE MOST CLOSELY WATCHED RACES ON
THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. WHEN WILL WE HAVE ANSWERS?
>> THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, ANA.
I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER BUT I HAVE SOMEONE HERE
WHO CAN GIVE YOU SOME GREAT NUMBERS AND UPDATED NUMBERS.
WE ARE HERE WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS, BILL GATES IS HERE WITH US AND WE ARE ACTUALLY
INSIDE LOOKING AT THE TABULATIONS HAPPENING RIGHT THIS
MINUTE. THE COUNTING CONTINUES AND I
KNOW THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE COUNTING UNTIL YOU ARE DONE.
I MEAN THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF HOW
MANY PEOPLE CAME OUT TO VOTE? WAS THIS A HUGE TURNOUT.
>> YEAH, SO THIS WAS -- WE'VE HAD A BIG TURNOUT THROUGH THE
WHOLE ELECTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ELECTION DAY BUT STARTED
EARLY VOTING SEVERAL WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THAT.
WITH RESPECT TO ELECTION DAY ITSELF WE HAD ABOUT 230,000
PEOPLE COME IN PERSON, BUT THEN ALSO -- SO THEY VOTED IN
AMERICAN AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAD ANOTHER 290,000
PEOPLE WHO CAME WITH THEIR EARLY BALLOT, WHICH UNDER ARIZONA LAW
THEY CAN COME AND JUST DROP IT OFF.
THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT IN LINE, DROP IT OFF AND HEAD ON THEIR
DAY. IT WAS A VERY BUSY DAY AND THAT
290,000 MAIL-IN BALLOTS THAT WERE DROPPED OFF ON ELECTION DAY
WAS A RECORD AND BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD BY 70%.
>> 70%. ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S THE NUMBER
MORE PEOPLE, 70% MORE PEOPLE VOTED IN THIS PARTICULAR
ELECTION? >> NO, WHAT I'M SAY SOMETHING
THAT 70% MORE VOTED BY DROPPING OFF THEIR EARLY BALLOT AND WHY
THAT'S RELEVANT IS IF YOU JUST VOTE ON ELECTION DAY YOU PUT IT
IN THE TABULATOR, IT IS COUNTED THAT DAY OR IN THE WEE HOURS OF
THE NEXT DAY. IF YOU DROP OFF AN EARLY BALLOT
IT MEANS IT HAS TO COME IN ON WEDNESDAY AND START THE PROCESS
OF BEING SIGNATURE VERIFIED. SO WE HAVE EXPERTS HERE WHO GO
THROUGH, COMPARE THE SIGNATURE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BALLOT
ENVELOPE WITH THE SIGNATURE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR VOTER
REGISTRATION FILE SO THAT TAKES A WHILE BECAUSE WE GOT TO GET
THAT RIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE UNDER -- WE
WANT TO FOLLOW THE LAW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE
VOTE IS COUNTED AND, BY THE WAY, THAT'S HOW IT'S BEEN SINCE THE
1990s. WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF MAIL VOTING IN THIS STATE SINCE THE 1990s.
THIS ISN'T NEW TO US. I WAS HERE IN 2006 WHEN I WAS A
REPUBLICAN LAWYER WHO WAS HERE WATCHING THE SITUATION MAKING
SURE THAT THE LAWS WERE BEING FOLLOWED AND I SAT ON THE STEPS
OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING FOR DAYS IN A CLOSE CONGRESSIONAL
RACE. PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION THE WAY I HAVE
AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE. THIS IS HOW WE RUN ELECTIONS IN
ARIZONA. IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT THEY
CAN GO TO THE LEGISLATURE AND HAVE THEM PASS NEW LAWS BUT IN
MARICOPA COUNTY WE FOLLOW THE LAWS THAT ARE PASSED BY THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. >> THAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THOSE
QUESTIONING WHAT'S HAPPENING. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
ALLEGATIONS, I LASTLY WANT TO ASK IF YOU CAN GIVE PE A COUPLE
OF VOTE COUNTS. HOW MANY VOTES FROM TODAY ARE
YOU STILL -- DO YOU TILL HAVE TO COUNT?
IN OTHER WORDS, HOW MANY VOTES THAT WERE BROUGHT IN ON THE DAY
OF THE ELECTION IN THOSE ENVELOPES DO YOU STILL HAVE TO
COUNT? >> WE HAVE TO COUNT ALL OF THOSE
THAT WERE BROUGHT IN FROM ELECTION DAY.
NONE HAVE BEEN COUNTED AND REPORTED, THE 290,000.
>> THAT IS FOR SURE 290,000. >> MAKES UP PART OF THAT
400,000, THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO WE'RE STILL AT THAT
NUMBER. BILL GATES, I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING
US IN TO SEE THE PROCESS. AND WE ARE GOING TO SEND IT BACK
TO YOU STILL. WE'RE ABOUT BETWEEN 400,000 AND
410,000 VOTES IN MARICOPA COUNTY THAT STILL NEED TO BE COUNTED
AND THAT IS A HUGE NUMBER BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ABOUT
560,000 VOTES ACROSS THE STATE THAT STILL NEED TO BE COUNTED.
WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS SOON AS WE GET ONE.
>> CAN YOU ASK BILL WHEN HE ESTIMATES THOSE VOTES IN
MARICOPA COUNTY WILL BE COUNTED? >> YES, YES.
YOU KNOW WE DO THIS TO YOU EVERY DAY AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO
IT TO YOU AGAIN. WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE VOTES
WILL BE COUNTED IN TOTAL, THOSE 400,000 PLUS VOTES.
>> WELL, WE HAVE -- WE WILL BE GOING INTO NEXT WEEK.
THERE ARE ONESIES, TWOSIES BUT I THINK WE'LL SEE THE LION'S SHARE
WRAP UP BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. >> EARLY NEXT WEEK.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A DAY, ARE WE TALKING MONDAY?
>> MAYBE -- AS LONG AS YOU WON'T HOLD ME TO IT, YOU ABOUT I THINK
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THIS POINT AGAIN GIVEN THE
NUMBER OF BALLOTS HERE, THE ARIZONA LAWS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW
AND THE FACT THAT ACCURACY COMES FIRST.
>> THERE YOU GO, ACCURACY COMES FIRST.
BILL, JUST TELLING US, LOOK, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE EARLY
NEXT WEEK, WE KNEW THAT I THINK ON -- YOU THOUGHT MAYBE FRIDAY
95% TO 99% BUT THAT CHANGED PARTLY BECAUSE THERE WERE SO
MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME IN AND DROPPED THOSE BALLOTS, THOSE
EARLY BALLOTS OFF THE DAY OF THE ELECTION SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE
AND I PROMISE YOU WE'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION AS SOON AS WE
GET IT. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER COUNT THAT
HAPPENS, I THINK, THIS EVENING AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> BOTH THE AGGRESSIVE'S RACE
AND SENATE RACE THERE IN ARIZONA ARE KEY RACES EVERYBODY IS
WATCHING. THANKS, SARA AND BILL GATES.
>>> NOW TO NEVADA, THE SENATE AND GOVERNOR RACES BOTH TOO
CLOSE TO CALL THERE AS WELL. CNN'S ROSA FLORES IS IN LAS
VEGAS OUTSIDE THE CLARK COUNTY ELECTION DEPARTMENT.
ROSA, WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THE FINAL VOTES COUNTED THERE?
>> Reporter: YOU KNOW, ANA, WE'VE BEEN ASKING THAT SAME
QUESTION JUST LIKE BILL TOLD SARA AND WE'RE GETTING VERY
SIMILAR -- IN HE TENSE, THEY DON'T KNOW BUT HERE IN NEVADA WE
KNOW BY LAW THE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS HAVE TO BE PRESENTED BY
NOVEMBER 18th SO THAT'S NEXT FRIDAY AND, OF COURSE, EVERYONE
HERE WATCHING THESE TWO RACES, BOTH THE U.S. SENATE RACE AND
ALSO THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THE MARGINS ARE RAZOR THIN.
WE ARE WATCHING THIS. NOW, OVERNIGHT THE U.S. SENATE
RACE GOT EVEN TIGHTER. IT'S LESS THAN 3%, RIGHT NOW THE
INDIVIDUAL WHO IS IN THE LEAD IS THE REPUBLICAN.
ADAM LAXALT, THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT, CATHERINE CORTEZ
MASTO, IS TRAILING BY UNDER 3%, BUT OF THE BALLOTS THAT ARE
COMING IN, THE BALLOTS THAT HAVE COME IN OVERNIGHT THEY HAVE BEEN
TRENDING IN HER FAVOR. NOW, WE ARE HEARING FROM BOTH
CAMPAIGNS TAKING TO TWITTER TO SAY THE FOLLOWING, THE
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FROM CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO'S
CAMPAIGN SAYING LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT CONTINUE TO COME IN
AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO WIN, ADAM LAXALT ALSO TAKING TO TWITTER
SAYING LAST NIGHT WHENT EXACTLY AS WE ANTICIPATED.
HE SAYS, HE ADDED MORE IN THE RULES AT THE END THERE, HE SAYS,
NO STATUS CHANGE AND WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT, ANA IS THAT HE
COULD WIN AS WELL. BOTH CAMPS CLINGING ON TO EVERY
SINGLE VOTE, TENS OF THOUSAND, THOUGH, ARE STILL REMAINING TO
BE COUNTED, ANA. >> WE KNOW THOSE BALLOTS HAD TO
BE POSTMARKED BY ELECTION DAY AND ARRIVE BY SATURDAY, SO THOSE
BALLOTS ARE STILL ARRIVING AND WILL BE COUNTED THIS WEEKEND OR
BEYOND. ROSA FLORES, THANK YOU.
>>> NOW, IF DEMOCRATS LOSE EITHER NEVADA OR ARIZONA SENATE
RACES, IT WOULD ALL COME DOWN TO GEORGIA AGAIN.
DEJA VU AND IT WILL BE WEEKS BEFORE WE HAVE THAT WINNER, A
RUNOFF ELECTION IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 6th.
CNN'S NICK VALENCIA IS IN NORTH OF ATLANTA.
ARE WE ALREADY SEEING NATIONAL MONEY FUNNELING INTO THIS SPRINT
TO THE FINISH? >> Reporter: WELL, WE ARE SEEING
THE START OF THE CAVALRY OF TOP REPUBLICANS COMING TO TOWN, ANA,
WHEN LATER HERSCHEL WALKER KICKS OFF HIS RUNOFF CAMPAIGNING
ALONGSIDE SENATOR TED CRUZ SO SEEING THIS DOUBLING DOWN IN THE
INVESTMENT BY THE GOP AND WALKER'S CAMPAIGN AND SHOULD
EXPECT TO SEE THE SAME FROM DEMOCRATS WHEN IT COMES TO
RAPHAEL WARNOCK. ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS
THOUGH AFTER TUESDAY'S ELECTION IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL SEE
THE FORMER PRESIDENT HERE, DONALD TRUMP, OR IF WALKER WILL
BEGIN TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM HIS LONGTIME ALLEY JUST LIKE
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF REPUBLICANS DO SO SINCE THE ELECTION.
JUST LISTEN TO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HERE IN GEORGIA GEOFF
DUNCAN AND WHAT HE SAID TO OUR ANCHORS ON CNN THIS MORNING.
>> IT'S MY VISION IF ANYBODY IN THE HERSCHEL WALKER TEAM WANTED
TO LISTEN WOULD BE TO MAKE THREE SUCCESSFUL PHONE CALL, ONE TELL
DONALD TRUMP TO STAY OUT OF GEORGIA FOR FOUR WEEKS, HE'S
TOXIC AND WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP THE TICKET.
SECONDLY I WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL BRIAN KEMP AND
ASK HIM FOR HIS HELP AND APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ENDORSING HIM
IN THE PRIMARY AGAINST PURDUE AND CALL RON DeSANTIS AND ASK
HIM TO COME TO GEORGIA AS OFTEN AS HE POSSIBLY CAN THE NEXT FOUR
WEEKS. >> YOU HEAR DUNCAN MENTION BRIAN
KEMP, A BIG TAKEAWAY FROM TUESDAY HOW MUCH WALKER
UNDERPERFORMED KEMP, ABOUT 163,000 VOTES WITH KEMP NOT ON
THIS RUNOFF, HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT WALKER'S ATTEMPT TO
GET OUT THE VOTE? MEANWHILE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW,
RAPHAEL WARNOCK IS HOSTING HIS KICKOFF TO HIS RUNOFF
CAMPAIGNING JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM HIS OLD CHURCH EBENEZER
BAPTIST, THE START OF A VERY LONG FOUR WEEKS FOR BOTH
CANDIDATE, ANA.