Auditors complete their count of Maricopa County's 2020 election ballots

Auditors in Arizona's largest county late Wednesday finished a third count of 2020 election ballots. They will now shift their focus to compiling the long-awaited draft report on the results of the Maricopa County audit.

The ballots will now be returned to the county, and the data gathered over the last few months will be taken to audit labs for analysis. 

Arizona Senate President Karen Fann said the third recount became necessary because thee initial recount and the number reported by Maricopa County did not match. Maricopa's Board of Supervisors has repeatedly condemned and criticized the audit, ordered by the GOP-led state Senate, and the methods being used to count ballots.

The completion of the audit arrives in concert with a fresh warning from the Justice Department against audits like the one being held in Arizona. The guidance document alerts the states that DOJ officials are closely monitoring the audit effort taking place in Arizona, as well as the proposed efforts in several other states.