KINGMAN — With the 2024 primary still over a year away, hundreds of Mojave County Republicans attended the 79th Annual Republican Picnic to hear the candidates’ case.
Hosted by the Mojave County Republican Central Committee, the annual event was held in the Hualapai Mountains on Saturday and gave federal, state and local Republican candidates a head start in the election season. The event provides Republicans with an opportunity to meet candidates and discuss issues they want to address.
Candidates speaking at the picnic were Rep. Paul Gossar (R-Bullhead City), State Senate Candidate, Mojave County Commissioner Hildy Angius (R-Bullhead City).
Finance Minister Sue Ann Mello, who is running for reelection; Marianne Salem, who is running for District 4 County Superintendent; Lake Havasu City Council candidate David Diaz; and Mojave County Superintendent of Superintendent James Barber. Rep. John Gillette (Rep., 30th Precinct) and Rep. Leo Biacicucci (Rep., 30th Precinct) did not attend due to conflicting events.
As in previous years, there were speeches and conversations about election security and how the party envisions Arizona’s future elections. State Senator Sonny Borelli, running for District 3 on the Mojave County Board of Supervisors, encouraged attendees to back him and support his goal of having ballots counted by hand in Mojave County. Borrelli has previously contacted county oversight boards across Arizona to challenge the use of electronic voting machines as the primary means of counting votes in future elections.
“Elections are not for us elected officials, they are for you people,” Mr Borelli said.
He argues that electronic voting machines are exposed to cybersecurity risks. His bill to ban electronic voting machines in Arizona was vetoed earlier this year by Governor Katie Hobbs. The regulator will hear from the Mojave County Elections Office on Aug. 1 whether hand counting is possible in Mojave County.
“If we don’t control the elections, this county, this state, this country will disappear,” Borrelli said.
Borelli also used the picnic as an opportunity to encourage attendees to become election volunteers and help with counting hands if the supervisor chose to do so.
“Are you willing to volunteer to be a poll worker or voter, whatever you have to do for the election? Step up and count the ballots. He was greeted with cheers and applause.
Mark Finchem, an unsuccessful candidate for Arizona secretary of state and now a state senator candidate for the 1st District, said he moved from the 11th District to Prescott to run for Congress again. He said he wanted to deal with “phantom voters.”
“It’s the government and it’s a great state of Maricopa, which is why I’ve decided to move out of Maricopa County,” Finchem said.
He said Mojave County voters who aren’t in his district can also help by donating to the Election Integrity Institute, which needs to raise $500,000. The only information on the website is the “donate” button.
“Guys, we’re not going to wait until after the election, we’re going to clean the voter rolls before the election,” Finchem said.
Other candidates also said they want to work on cleaning up voter rolls, addressing the county’s budget deficit, and helping small businesses in Mojave County and throughout the city.
BOS District 4 candidate Logan Marsh said he wanted to “cut the fat” in the county government and avoid tax increases as a way to address the expected $18.5 million county deficit next fiscal year. He also wants to encourage small business growth and comply with regulations.
“We need to be financially conservative and focus on addressing the deficit in Mojave County,” Marsh said. “I want to promote tax cuts and relax regulations on small businesses.”
