Republicans Turn on Each Other in Arizona
Source: Newsweek
Published Jun 15, 2025 at 7:38 AM EDT
Republican officials in control of Arizona's electoral systems have taken a disagreement over how elections should be managed to the courts. Maricopa County recorder Justin Heap sued his fellow Republicans on the county's board of supervisors on Friday, after a monthslong battle over which powers his position holds. Newsweek has contacted Heap and the board of supervisors for comment on the situation via email.
The Context
Heap, a former Republican state representative, was elected to the recorder position in 2024, and has consistently clashed with the Republican-controlled Maricopa County board of supervisors since. He says that the board has taken control of his position's election duties, a charge that the board has dismissed as "irresponsible and juvenile."
What To Know
The dispute evolved into a legal matter on Thursday after Heap announced he was suing the board. In the filing for the lawsuit, which was brought to the county's superior court, Heap said that the board was "engaged in an unlawful attempt to seize near-total control over the administration of elections."
Traditionally, the management of elections is split between the board and the recorder, with a "shared services agreement" (SSA) allocating the different duties, such as handling voter registration, counting ballots, managing early balloting and running mail balloting. In response to the lawsuit, Maricopa County board chairman Thomas Galvin and vice chairwoman Kate Brophy McGee said in a statement: "From day one, recorder Heap has been making promises that the law doesn't allow him to keep.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-arizona-maricopa-county-election-court-2085669
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