Arizona Democrats Call For Investigation Into Voter Suppression, Long Lines

PHOENIX (CBSNewYork/AP)-- Hours-long waits for some Arizona residents wanting to vote in the presidential primary have led to accusations of voter suppression from Democrats and civil rights proponents who cited a decision by elections officials to slash the number of polling places this year.

Residents in metro Phoenix have been bristling for years over a perception that state leaders want to make it harder for them to vote, and the mess at the polls Tuesday only heightened their frustration.

Some waited for as long as five hours in Maricopa County, CBS News reported. Only about 60 polling places were open to the 1.2 million voters eligible to cast ballots.

"What happened yesterday in Arizona is a disgrace," Bernie Sanders told reporters Wednesday.

Republican lawmakers passed a series of measures in recent years aimed at cracking down on voter fraud. Opponents believe the changes were merely ploys to stifle Democratic turnout. Those battles are being waged again after people waited in line for hours to vote in some places.

"Whoever manipulated this is playing with our political system," one voter told CBS. "For people to have to stay in line for hours to vote is insane."

Daniel Scarpinato, spokesman for Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, says talk of voter suppression is misplaced, but the governor wants the problems fixed.

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