Sharpiegate: Email Proves Officials Demanded Ballpoint Pens For Early Voting and Sharpies on Election Day

The Gateway Pundit has done impressive work on covering the 2020 election irregularities. Sharpiegate is one of the topics they have investigated.

An email sent out by Maricopa County Elections Assistant Director Kelly Dixon confirms that she told election workers to use ball point pens for early voting and sharpies on election day. It has been proven that ballots were printed incorrectly on thin paper stock that allowed for ink to bleed through from one side of the paper to the other when Sharpies were used.

Their voter guide specified “Do NOT use a sharpie type pen as it will bleed through.”

According to Pima County’s (Tucson area) voter FAQ:

The ballot system used in Arizona is an optical scan system. The ballots are tabulated by optical scan readers. The readers are machines that have been calibrated to read the markings on the ballots. The type of ink that is most likely to be recognized by the reader is blue or black ball point ink. Other colors of ink may or may not be read by the tabulator depending on the ink formula mixture used by the ink manufacturer. The safest choice is a simple blue or black ink ball point pen.

Since ballots frequently have issues or candidates printed on both sides of the ballot, you want to be certain to use a marking device that does not “bleed through” to the other side since this could cause the bleed through marking to be interpreted as a vote. We therefore strongly suggest that you do not use felt tip markers such as magic markers or Sharpies. Stray marks of any kind should be kept to a minimum. Once again, the safest choice is a standard blue or black ink ball point pen.

However, the email sent out by Maricopa County Elections Assistant Director, Kelly Dixon, confirms she told election workers to use ball point pens for early voting and Sharpies starting on electioin day. On November 18, 2020, Garret Lewis had shared Kelly Dixon’s email on Twitter.

Garret Lewis: CAUGHT! Maricopa County Elections Worker Kelly Dixon ordered her staff to use ballpoint pens for early voting from 10/23-11/2. They NEED to use markers on Election Day. Why? The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors need to see this and call for a full audit. RT and share!

From: Kelly Dixon – RISCX kdixon(arisc.maricopa.gov
Subject: Pens and Thanks! (Not in that order!)
Date: Oct 22, 2020 at 21:03:26
To: Kelly Dixon – RISCX kdixon@risc.maricopa.gov

Hi Amazing Troubleshooters!

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for supporting this historic election. From my seat in the Command Center today, I finally had the chance to marvel at the numbers and feel unbelievably grateful for all of you working so hard in support of democracy. Thanks isn’t good enough, but THANKS!!

Next, we’ve heard you and we know you’re hearing issues and concerns about the Sharpie Markers. Starting tomorrow, 10/23, and through 11/2, we are asking that Clerks hand voters BALLPOINT PENS rather than markers. We NEED to use Markers on Election Day, but for now and through 11 /2, hand voters a Ballpoint Pen. You have plenty of pens in your supplies right now.

Please message this to your Inspectors and ensure they cascade this change down to everyone on the Board.

If you have questions, please let me know.

I hope you have a GREAT WEEK!

Kelly Dixon Assistant Director. Recruitment and Training
Maricopa County Elections
510 S. 3rd Avenue. Phoenix. AZ 85003
Desk: 602-506-4976
Redacted Info
Follow us! @MaricopaVote on Facebook and Twitter

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