In these scenes from "Denial," a new short documentary, directed by Paul Moakley and Daniel Lombroso, we watch as Arizona residents, convinced that election conspiracies are swirling around them, vent their fury to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Bill Gates, a lifelong Republican and the target of their anger, responds flatly to each speaker, thanking them for their comments. The chaos surrounding election processes is palpable, highlighting the deep effects of misinformation on civic discourse.
"Denial" follows Gates during the week leading up to the 2022 midterms, as the board in Maricopa prepares to run voting on Election Day and to later certify the results. The film captures the sense of frenzy that has surrounded what was formerly considered a bland bureaucratic exercise, and the emotional toll it takes on one man at its center. Gates's challenges reflect a broader struggle between democratic institutions and the rising tide of election denialism.
As the New Yorker writer Rachel Monroe notes in an introduction to the documentary, this year, before the voting has even started, "a number of the candidates have already begun to openly question the election's legitimacy." This ongoing questioning signifies a departure from past electoral norms and creates an unprecedented environment for officials tasked with overseeing fair and transparent elections, further exacerbating political tensions.
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