Maricopa County GOP feud escalates over elections
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Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors continue to fight over election duties. Photo: Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images
Maricopa County's Republican elections officials' very public and mutual animosity threatens to further diminish trust in its voting systems months ahead of the midterms.
Why it matters: The escalating feud between the Board of Supervisors — controlled by Republicans who have defended the county's elections — and the MAGA-aligned county recorder has reinvigorated unsubstantiated election fraud claims dating back to 2020.
State of play: Recorder Justin Heap was compelled to testify before the board on Wednesday to respond to claims of "voter disenfranchisement" his staff made in court last month as part of a 2025 lawsuit Heap brought against the supervisors, alleging they're withholding staff and equipment he needs to do his job.
The latest: Heap said Wednesday his staff meant to convey that the board's decision not to fund a ballot-sorting machine his office requested last year could lead to voter disenfranchisement because their current system is time-intensive, making it hard to process all ballots by the state's deadline.
- He said he does not believe that any voters are being disenfranchised now or have been since he took office in January 2025.
The intrigue: Several supervisors noted their frustration with Heap's lack of voluntary cooperation with the board's requests for information and his staff's brazen use of the term "voter disenfranchisement."
- Heap, in turn, accused the board of "administrative interference" for requiring him to produce a report for them in one week during an election year.
Catch up quick: The underlying tension between county officials stems from the board's 2024 decision to claw back election responsibilities previously overseen by the recorder's office.
- Arizona law places most election administration duties under the county board's purview, but historically, the board allocated many of its election responsibilities to the recorder's office.
- The board began taking back those duties in 2019, following a mishap that led to many polling places opening late in the 2018 primary election.
- After Heap won the Republican primary in 2024, the board voted to move early ballot processing and some IT functions to its scope. Heap is in court now, attempting to force the board to restore many of those duties to his office.
Threat level: The primary election is five months away, and the nation's second-largest voting jurisdiction has yet to solidify which elected officials will oversee what election duties.
What's next: Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said the board is trying to settle the legal dispute outside of court.
- Attorney Kory Langhofer, who represents the board, said negotiations have been ongoing since at least April of last year, and the county judge assigned to the case has repeatedly asked the board and recorder to determine an election administration plan outside of court.
What we're watching: Supervisor Mark Stewart, who has been mostly supportive of Heap's position in the lawsuit, asked for and has been assigned a separate attorney to represent his interests in the lawsuit.