Republican Cochise County Superintendent Pleads Guilty

Peggy Judd, the Republican Superintendent of Cochise County, entered a guilty plea on Monday morning. She was charged with a misdemeanor for failing to fulfill her duties as an elected officer.

Last November, Judd, alongside fellow Republican supervisor Tom Crosby, faced charges stemming from allegations of felony conspiracy to interfere with the electoral process. These issues arose after a delay in certifying the 2022 general election results.

Notably, both Judd and Crosby refrained from voting to certify the election results, making Cochise County the only one to miss the county deadline. Reports suggest that the delay was linked to concerns surrounding the vote counting machine’s accuracy, even though the Arizona Secretary of State’s Director of Election Services assured the board that the machine had been certified.

Following these events, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs initiated a lawsuit against the supervisors for their failure to act, compelling Judd to participate in the voting. Crosby did not attend an emergency meeting on December 1, 2022. As a result, Judd, along with Democratic Supervisor Anne English, voted in favor of the election results, stating that she did not regret her previous actions.

“I’m a corporate rule, but there was a law before me that spoke to me,” Judd mentioned during the emergency meeting. “I am not ashamed of what I did, and today I feel I have to comply with the court’s decision… I must adhere to what the judges have determined today.”

In her plea deal, Judd acknowledged that she “willfully” neglected her duty to certify the election.

“I voted to delay the canvas during a meeting of the public Cochise County Board of Supervisors,” the agreement stated. “I was aware that if other supervisors sided with me, the canvas would be delayed.”

Judd is set to face 90 days of unsupervised probation and pay a $500 fine.

“Attempts to obstruct elections in Arizona will not be tolerated. My office is committed to pursuing justice and holding accountable those who compromise the electoral process,” commented Attorney General Chris Mays in a press release. “The judicial decisions made today should remind everyone that we will uphold the rule of law and utilize all available measures to preserve the integrity of Arizona’s elections.”

The AZPM News team reached out to the Attorney General’s Office regarding a potential plea deal for Crosby but received no comment. Judd declined to respond to requests for comment. Although she is not seeking reelection, Crosby intends to run for another term this fall.