A 'dire' situation: Report finds Arizona hit hard by turnover of election officials

Arizona has been hit hardest among Western states by election official turnover since 2020, according to a new report from Issue One.

About 98% of Arizona voters will see their elections run by someone new next year, the research shows. Twelve of the state's 15 counties have seen at least one of its chief election officials — its county recorder or elections director — change since 2020, according to Issue One.

Issue One is a nonpartisan reform group that aims to bolster election operations, increase government transparency and strengthen governmental ethics and accountability.

Of Arizona's six most populous counties, four — Pima, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma — have welcomed both a new recorder and a new elections director.

The exodus of Arizona election officials isn't new news. A wave of election staffers across the state called it quits in response to harassment over the results of the 2020 presidential election — especially in heavily Republican counties where Donald Trump won the popular vote, like Yuma and Yavapai counties.

But the situation is becoming increasingly "dire," said Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who is also part of an Issue One campaign to win federal funding for locally-administered elections and increase trust in the electoral system.

"How many canaries need to die in this coal mine before people start paying attention to the fact that the election denialism is destroying our democracy?" Fontes wondered. "It's these MAGA fascists who continue on with the lies that are driving good people away from the jobs that we need them to do."

The stark numbers of the report lay bare that Arizona counties need help, Fontes said. And some other elected officials aren't stepping up with needed aid, according to Fontes, who has said since the state budget was approved in May that lawmakers are underfunding his office and, in doing so, risking democracy.

"If our country falls to authoritarianism or we have an election that we can't administer, there is no second chance," he said. "There is no make-up."

Preparing for 2024

Fontes and his staff are now working to train new officials ahead of the 2024 election.

Some Arizona counties currently have top election positions vacant. Fontes said he and other election officials across the state are using their professional and personal networks to try to get those spots filled.

Finding qualified candidates could be a difficult task. County election officials must know the ins and outs of complex procedures, technical equipment and Arizona's election laws. Pinal County, for instance, is seeking an elections director after a messy midterm cycle. But Recorder Dana Lewis hasn't yet found someone to hire for it.

With few qualified applicants and several positions open, Arizona counties are also sometimes competing against each other for talent. Bob Bartelsmeyer, for example, started the year as La Paz County's elections director. In April, Cochise County officials hired him to run their elections. Weeks ago, he submitted his resignation and announced he would return to his previous job.

Election preparedness isn't just about top election officials. Many people are needed to make a county's elections run smoothly. An investigation by The Arizona Republic before last year's midterms found that election staffing varies widely across Arizona's 15 counties.

Greenlee County, the state's least populous, had 10 people working in its Elections Department and Recorder's Office — about one permanent staff member to every 463 registered voters. Meanwhile, Pima County had 23 staffers serving 626,000 voters, a ratio of one to roughly 27,000.

As Fontes looks toward the 2024 election cycle, he sees potential pitfalls, but also, he's a self-described "optimist."

"I still am confident that come hell or high water, we are going to figure out how to put on a good election in November," Fontes said. "But that's a hell of an exercise in faith that I've just described."

Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip to share on elections or voting? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Report finds Arizona hit hard by departures of election officials