Maricopa County election workers come under attack

The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office said it had to endure a series of attacks during the two weeks it took workers to process votes after the election.

“It does make me very angry. And I've never had to be angry after an election,” said Helen Purcell, Maricopa County Recorder.

Purcell said she’s never seen anything like it after an election.

“I had to lock down the facility, have everybody have to have a guard go to their cars, which I hate, but that's what we had to do,” said Purcell.

Election workers had to verify and count about half a million early and provisional ballots after this year's election.

During that time, Purcell said protestors harassed employees to the point some did not come to work.

“We're not used to the intimidation we saw in this particular election,” said Purcell.

It did not stop there.

Yvonne Reed said someone threw a rock through her office window. It hit a wall hard enough to knock off a picture and leave a dent.

“I could have easily been hit by the rock,” said Reed.

Another threat made it inside the recorder's office and could have crippled communications.

“We were hit with what we call a cyber attack,” said Purcell.

Purcell said she received about 35,000 emails from one organization in a matter of hours that bombarded the server.

“It was an attempt or could have brought down our email system and our recording system,” said Purcell.

Purcell said the attacks never jeopardized the election process or results but she did alert authorities about them.

“I think there should be something done about it but that would be up to the authorities to decide,” said Purcell.

Purcell understands why voters were passionate and admits there are things to improve on in her office but argues violence and threats will not help anything.