PHOENIX (AP) – Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates, who helped quell election misinformation and a hostile political climate in 2020 and 2022, announced Thursday that he will not be running for re-election.
In a statement, Gates said he would “pursue other interests and opportunities” but would complete the remainder of his term.
Gates, a Republican, has a wife and three daughters.
Uzbekistan is holding presidential elections following a constitutional referendum to extend the term of office for incumbents from five to seven years.
Days after a blaze that killed two New Jersey firefighters and injured five others, firefighters continue to fight a fire on a cargo ship docked at the East Coast’s largest port.
Hundreds of divers and snorkelers listened to an underwater concert calling for conservation of the reefs of the Florida Keys.
He said it has been an honor to serve on the Phoenix City Council and county board of oversight for 13 years.
“In the City of Phoenix, we have broken down the bureaucracy and helped shape a more efficient and responsive government run,” Gates said in a statement. “In Maricopa County, I kept government lean, taxes low, helped the most vulnerable residents, and told the truth about the election despite misinformation.”
In 2020, Maricopa County received national attention when it certified the results amid false claims that the election was stolen from then-President Donald Trump. The following year, it underwent an “audit” pushed by Republicans in the state Senate, ending with a report recognizing the victory of President Joe Biden.
Last November, Mr. Gates and other Maricopa County election officials vigorously refuted rumors, biased and false allegations as the ballot-counting process came under intense scrutiny in battleground states.
