Mojave County election officials formally resigned earlier this month, further accelerating the outflow of Arizona election officials and raising concerns about preparations for next year’s presidential election.
In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, 17 county officials who have overseen the election so far have left their jobs in Arizona.
Three of Arizona’s 15 counties have critical vacancies, with both Pinal and La Paz counties needing new election commissioners, and Mojave County needing to replace Christy Blair, the Records Commissioner. Become.
Blair called his resignation “disappointing” when he addressed the county board of supervisors in northwest Arizona on July 3. But she added that she would be given time to search for an experienced replacement, although she expected it would be difficult given the current political climate as the 2024 elections approached.
“I think (the election) will be difficult and I apologize for putting you in this position,” Blair told the Mojave Daily News.
Blair cited health reasons as the reason for his decision to step down before his term expires in January 2025. She had previously stated that she would not seek re-election for the post she has held since 2017.
She did not respond to a request for comment from the Republic of Arizona on her decision.
Blair’s resignation comes a week after the abrupt resignation of Pinal County election officials, citing political pressure from regulators in growing central Arizona.
Pinal has become a hotbed of election-related turmoil, with four election workers leaving in the past 11 months, according to data tracked by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office. This includes the vacancies Geraldine Rolle created when she resigned as elections director with a bitter “thank you, no thank you” letter to the county superintendent.
Election staff turnover draws national attention
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes sees the resignation parade as the theme.
“I think the common thread is that some Americans have lost their politeness and are pointing unfounded concerns at them,” Fontes said of the departing election workers.
Positions such as county registrar and elections officer used to be sleepy, unobserved ministerial positions, he said. But things have changed with the intensification of politics, especially after Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
“The MAGA fascists turned it into a circus,” Fontes said.
Election proposal:Mojave County considers manual ballot counting for next election
Whether in Arizona or elsewhere, the sales have attracted national attention.
“I don’t want to learn how to run an election in an election year,” David Becker, founder and executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said during a recent visit to Phoenix.
Some of the job cuts were due to “great resignations” that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Becker, like Fontes, said many of them were due to harassment of election officials.
If election vacancies are filled with people learning on the job, voters are the losers in that situation, Fontes said.
He lamented that the legislature did not give him the money he had asked for to better train new county officials. However, he added that he also received some funding to take “gap closing” measures.
27 States Pass Laws to Protect Elections and Election Officials
Earlier this month, the nonprofit Protect Democracy, in collaboration with other election-focused nonprofits, released a report detailing the death of an election official He said lawmakers in various states were out of office “in large numbers” as they introduced bills that would make it more difficult to monitor elections.
The report also recognized the new world facing election officials and highlighted bipartisan efforts to protect election officials.
For example, at least 27 states have introduced bills to protect elections and election officials, including those requiring election officials to ask courts to keep public information private to thwart attempted leaks of personal information. It also includes a bill in Arizona that would allow it to seek
After the 2020 election, protesters turned up at the home of then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, and state governments were asked to provide her security details.
Mr. Fontes is using part of the money he received in this year’s budget to pay for security. He said he plans to petition the courts to protect his address for public records. He urged other election officials to do the same.
“We must make the most of the law to protect these people who are ministers of democracy. I will continue to speak the truth…” he said. These fascists must stop. ”
The law Senate Bill 1061, will come into force 90 days after Parliament closes its current session. That’s expected to happen later this month or early August.
It was sponsored by Republican Senator TJ Shape of Coolidge. The Senate passed it unanimously, while the 60-strong House of Representatives passed it with just three “no” votes.
Here’s where to contact reporters: maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com Or contact her at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl.
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