Suit Filed Over Election Control in Maricopa County
PHOENIX — Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap has filed a lawsuit against the Maricopa County governing board, alleging attempts to exert undue control over election administration. The lawsuit, backed by the conservative group America First Legal, claims that recent agreements would undermine Heap’s authority and resources necessary for managing elections. Heap, who took office in January, cancelled a previous deal that curtailed funding and IT support for his office and transferred authority over early ballot processing to the board, citing it as a concern for fairness.
In response, the board’s chair and vice chair described the lawsuit as frivolous, arguing that Heap is mismanaging taxpayer money and failing to comprehend his duties. They assert ongoing negotiations were progressing well until Heap presented a final offer with numerous changes that the board rejected.
Heap has raised issues regarding election security, particularly related to the handling of early ballots, although he stops short of claiming previous elections were stolen. His predecessor faced backlash for affirming the legitimacy of elections amid widespread conspiracy theories. The outcome of this lawsuit could significantly impact the administration of elections in one of the nation’s key swing counties.
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