All counties, especially counties that cover rural areas, need guidance, training, and resources to conduct the safe, secure, and accurate elections Arizonans deserve. Last month, Secretary Fontes traveled to Holbrook, Navajo County, to assure election officials that his office was supported.
phoenix – On the 100th day after taking the oath of office, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced a multifaceted outreach effort to all 15 Arizona counties. That means he has only 10 months left before the first ballots are sent to voters for the 2024 presidential election.
“From day one, we have been focused on giving every county what it takes to conduct the safe, secure, and accurate elections that every Arizona voter deserves,” said Secretary Fontes. As a former Registrar of Record, I know the amount of planning, training, and resources it takes to run a successful election, and as Secretary of State, I am committed to doing everything in my power to give every county the tools to do it. must be realized.”
To understand the unique needs of every community, Secretary Fontes embarked on a tour of all 15 Arizona counties. So far he has visited Cochise, Santa Cruz, Pinal, Apache, Navajo, Yavapai, Graham and Greenlee counties, and in April and in May he visited Gila, Coconino, Pima, Mojave, La Paz and Yuma. We plan to travel to each county. Secretary Fontes visited the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center (MCTEC) earlier this month.
During her visit to the county, Secretary Fontes spent a lot of time listening to county registrars, election commissioners and other staff about their needs for the 2024 election. Pictured is Secretary Fontes with Yavapai County officials in Prescott last month.
During many of these county visits, Secretary Fontes met with recorders, board of elections, members of the oversight board, and members of the I met with other local elected officials.
To better support the county, Secretary Fontes has given the Legislature the nomination of six full-time secretary of state positions to work with the county registrar and elections office, which has seen unprecedented turnover. requesting funds. In this year and a half, 10 of his 15 Arizona counties have lost their top elected officials. The main cause is intimidation and intimidation related to baseless allegations of election fraud.
The Secretariat is asking the state legislature to allocate $3 million to the existing Federally Assisted American Vote Act (HAVA) fund. The money will be added to grants our office is pursuing to support relief efforts in this county.
Key to Secretary Fontes’ efforts to help the county is his continued effort to revise and refocus election procedures manuals.
Shortly after taking office, the Fontes administration began work on the 2023 Manual and met with election administrators, including county registrars and election commissions, to provide valuable insights and feedback.
The goal of the revised EPM is to give election officials clear direction by including only provisions supported by state law, federal law, or existing policy. According to state law, EPM requires the Director to send a draft of the manual to the Governor and Attorney General for review by October 1.
In April, Secretary Fontes met with Graham County elections officials and members of the Oversight Board to discuss preparations for the 2024 election, less than a year later.
Fontes said: We are proud to work with county election officials, stakeholders and lawmakers to provide the best possible manual. “
Other integral parts of Secretary Fontes’ election preparation plan include the position of chief information security officer to provide the county with the technical assistance and training it needs to address physical and cybersecurity threats. and electoral certification training held at several locations throughout the county. summer and autumn conditions.
The Fontes administration began on January 2, 2023, when the Secretary took office. April 12, 2023 marks his 100th day in power today.
