“Hand-counting is typically expensive, inaccurate and impractical” NBC News: Some conservatives, including allies of former President Donald Trump, have pushed hand-counting ballots as a way to ensure the accuracy of election results. But Mohave County’s experience punctures that talking point, showing that hand-counting is typically expensive, inaccurate and impractical. In short, hand-counting ballots isn’t as easy as it sounds. Mohave County, home to an estimated 220,000 people in the northwestern corner of Arizona, is one of a handful of U.S. counties that has considered hand-counting ballots, thanks in part to election conspiracy theories that have driven distrust in ballot tabulators. After the 2020 election, the Arizona state Senate authorized a controversial hand-count audit of two races. The audit took months and cost millions, and — by its leadership’s own account in text messages obtained by The Arizona Republic — failed to result in an accurate count. Oh, right. Sure. That’s what the “experts” said, think MAGA conspiracy theorists. Estimated cost for conducting a full hand count after a limited test run: $1,108,486. “That’s larger than my budget for the whole year, to run the whole election for the whole year!” Elections Director Allen Tempert said. Likely MAGA response: So?