Maricopa County supervisors, recorder urged to settle election dispute

A Maricopa County judge is pushing Recorder Justin Heap and the Board of Supervisors to resolve their dispute over election duties before early voting begins for the July 21 primary elections. Judge Scott Blaney acknowledged the urgency, noting time is running out for a negotiated settlement, while also considering fines of up to $100,000 per day for civil contempt if the board fails to comply with his April 16 ruling granting Heap control over the voter database. Heap’s lawsuit succeeded in securing access to the database and additional IT workers for his office, but the board remains resistant. Blaney scheduled hearings for June 26 and June 30 to address requests from Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, to limit Heap’s attorney’s legal work, and from Heap to impose fines. The judge urged both sides to continue discussions, calling for a resolution outside court despite past failures. Heap’s attorney, James Rogers, accused the board of grandstanding during public meetings, where Heap was reportedly called a liar by members including Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko. Rogers proposed mediation led by Cleta Mitchell, a D.C.-based lawyer linked to election denialism and allied with former President Donald Trump, but the board’s attorney, Kory Langhofer, rejected her due to perceived bias. The dispute also involves a March incident where a Heap staffer removed a pre-tabulation scanner from county election offices during Tempe’s jurisdictional elections, violating protocols. The scanner was returned within 50 minutes, but the board replaced it at an unspecified cost, and a Pinal County special prosecutor is now investigating. Langhofer denied the board sought a criminal probe, while Rogers framed the conflict as part of a broader pattern of obstruction. With the Arizona Court of Appeals expected to rule on the board’s appeal soon, legal pressure is mounting. Blaney’s calls for dialogue have fallen on deaf ears, leaving the county’s election preparations in limbo as the July 21 deadline nears. The standoff highlights deep divisions over election integrity and administrative control in Maricopa County.