A bitter power struggle over who controls elections in Arizona’s largest county has finally ended, with Republican officials striking a deal just days before voters head to the polls.
The agreement ends a months-long legal battle between Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the county’s Republican-led Board of Supervisors after Heap accused the board of unlawfully stripping his office of key election powers. The board dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous and accused Heap of wasting taxpayer money.
After mediation, both sides reached a settlement this week that board members approved Tuesday.
“This deal gets us out of the courtroom,” Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said. “I’m sick of drama. We are done with being on the front page going forward.”
Heap said the agreement restores responsibilities he believes belong to the recorder’s office under Arizona law.
“I am pleased we have reached an agreement that, when implemented, will restore those responsibilities and establish a clear framework for administering elections moving forward,” he said in a joint statement with the board.
The deal will govern the July 21 primary, where early voting is already underway.
Heap will oversee much of early voting, including ballot drop box locations and other election duties. The board will retain responsibility for Election Day operations, ballot counting and voting equipment. It also agreed to fund a new $15 million IT system and related staff for the recorder’s office.
Heap’s lawsuit was backed by America First Legal, the conservative group founded by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Heap argued the board improperly shifted funding, IT staff and key election responsibilities — including oversight of ballot drop boxes and early voting sites — from the recorder’s office under an agreement with his predecessor.
Heap defeated former Recorder Stephen Richer, a fellow Republican, in the 2024 GOP primary after the two repeatedly clashed over election administration.
While Heap has not echoed false claims that the 2020 and 2022 elections were stolen, he has said many voters have lost confidence in Arizona’s election system and believe it is poorly managed. Richer consistently defended the integrity of the state’s elections.
Not everyone welcomed the settlement.
Democratic Supervisor Steve Gallardo cast the lone vote against the deal, saying he had little confidence in Heap’s stewardship of future elections.
“Honestly, I don’t think he wants to have an election that is conducted transparent or even an election that’s not compromised,” Gallardo said. “Now, with this, he owns it.”
