There is no exact moment when Leslie Hoffman decided to quit her job as an election administrator in Arizona.

But for the past two years, she’s had to contemplate a new reality in her job as the county recorder in Yavapai County, north of Phoenix. She received threatening phone calls and hateful messages of her online. She had to read countless intriguing emails about election security. She has been teased at public meetings.

This month, Republican Hoffman announced her resignation from the job she loved and was first elected over a decade ago. I wanted to retire while helping out. She must become an educator, she explained.

But lies about the 2020 presidential election continue to be debunked as former President Donald Trump continues to share conspiracy theories about his defeat to President Joe Biden. Trump showed he’s planning He will run for president again in 2024.

The effects of lies about America’s safest elections are still shaping up across the country, but include threats of harassment and violence against the female-led workforce. A survey of election officials conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice In a survey earlier this year, 30% of survey respondents said they knew one or more election workers who had quit their jobs due at least in part to fears for their safety, increased intimidation and intimidation. was shown. Twenty percent said they plan to resign before the 2024 elections.

Hoffman’s resignation, which came just weeks before Arizona’s August 2 primary, is not unusual. County election officials quit their jobs earlier this month. Election officials announced his retirement weeks earlier.

Hoffman, whose last day of work is Friday, has another job lined up, but she declined to elaborate. She spoke to her 19th about her job and her reasons for staying at her desk until the last hour of her final day.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Barbara Rodriguez: You’ve been doing this job for over ten years. When did the threats and harassment start?

Leslie Hoffman: Right after the 2020 general election. It was late November, early December. I got a call one night from two friends of his who are active on Facebook (I’m not). They wanted to make sure I was protected and offered to spend the night with me because of what was happening on Facebook. A lot was said about me, but they were so mean to me that they were very concerned for my safety. The next day, I told the Chief of Staff about it. The sheriff has been patrolling my house ever since.

Since then I have received letters, emails and phone calls with some very nasty comments. It’s like, “We’re watching you. Better watch your back. We’ve got you now. You need to get a lawyer. It’s so corrupt, which is very sad considering this is a very Republican county.

You cannot be weak when you are in this business. You are very tough and need to speak up. But there comes a time when you feel that what you are saying is useless. Character assassination sucks if it’s attacked personally. Many of our members there have lost their humanity and civility.

About two years have passed since the 2020 general election. What happened to your reality after that?

The reality is that many people do not want to know the truth. They’ve been emailing, attending public meetings, and heckling from audiences for almost two years. So it was almost two years of accumulation that led to the decision. And in the meantime, most recently, I was offered a very good job without being asked. i love my job i love my job However, when I received a tremendous offer, I took it as a sign.

There has never been a moment since 2020 when it felt like it started, but we have seen it gain momentum. It seems that more and more people are joining the conversation about the election because it’s okay to rant. And it goes on and on — I don’t think it’s going to get better anytime soon.

You pointed out that the county overwhelmingly voted for Trump. How did that affect the types of threats and harassment you experienced?

I ask them the same: why? What was wrong with their eyes? Because I am a model county of the state since before my time. We have always had great elections. We have always been at the forefront of new and better policies and procedures and have been pioneers. And what do they not like? And when I was able to ask that question, the answer was, “Well, I know it’s happening in other counties and other states, so it must be happening here.” , there is no basis for it.

Have you ever had to pay special attention to your work?

Our sheriff goes all out when I go to talk. So I like to go where he talks. When I go to organizational meetings, I usually ask him to sit near him or one of our constables. I’m more vigilant…I know I limit a lot of social events because I feel safer at home.

Could something or someone – policy makers, the general public – have alleviated the stress you’re going through? Any lessons you’d like to share?

People need to speak up and support those who are doing good work.Otherwise you’ll only hear small voices [minority], but they are very picky. We had those people come to the board and protest the equipment and programs. They have come to protest, but no one wants to speak in support. After that, you will receive an email saying, “Well, I saw that. I’m sorry.” we don’t feel that way. So what I want to say to people is that it’s okay to speak up and speak out about what’s right. We must retain the historical knowledge we have in this industry. it is all over the country. It’s not just me. I have friends all over the country who feel the same way.

If you hear anything, speak up in public. Please come to the meeting once in a while. Put the article on paper. Examine people running for public office to make sure they aren’t perpetuating bad behavior or losing confidence. We need someone in the office to work with counties, cities and towns. Some states are top-down. we are bottom up. That is why we conduct elections from the county level. So support your cities and towns and the people you elect to those offices. And make sure they have some experience and are more common sense people.

Primary elections are approaching in state counties. what happens next?

There’s a well-oiled machine here, and I don’t believe my leaving will change that at all. we have great people As we always do, they work almost around the clock. It’s what you do before the election. And so far everything is going well. He doesn’t start working for a month or two before the election. We’ve been working on it for a year before him, we’ve got the practices in place, all the policies in place, the vendors in place, and the protection of everything.

How do you feel now as you prepare to finish this job?

so sad. i love my job After 10 and a half years, I become very close with the staff. So it makes me sad. And disillusioned with many of us and what they do. Because they don’t support the people doing the work. And if we don’t support the good people who are running elections, we can’t make them feel safer, more confident, or change how they feel about elections. We are the only ones working in the trenches.

I asked one of the organizers of a group. There is no discretion in our work. We obey the law and do what citizens ask of us within the limits of the law. And he said, “Because you’re an easy mark.”

The final day is Friday. what are you doing now

i’m in the office I’m still working and doing what I can. I was just working on some dropbox procedures right now, working until 5 on the 22nd.