Jen Fifield

To give more context: San Tan Valley has about 100,000 residents now. That's about as many as Boulder, Colorado, and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

One of the fastest-growing communities in the U.S. might become a town today.

San Tan Valley residents (see SE corner of map, in relation to Phoenix) are voting today on whether to incorporate.

.@adrianfontes.bsky.social told me that he isn't conceding to the GOP argument that he HAS TO give 30-day comment period, but he heard the public wanted it.

AZ GOP Chair Gina Swoboda said it's unfortunate AZ residents must go to court "to have Secretary Fontes comply with the law."

Arizona secretary of state heeds court rulings with revised election manual Adrian Fontes deleted language on voter intimidation and a threat to exclude results from counties that missed their certification deadline.

NEW: Arizona’s secretary of state changes rules for elections in response to Republican challenges, on key issues such as voter intimidation and what to do if a county doesn't certify results. www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

I’ll be on 3TV Politics Unplugged 5:30 pm Sunday trying to fit six months of Maricopa County election drama into six minutes. Thanks for having me on @morganloew.bsky.social

Maricopa County supervisor takes aim at recorder over text messages Steve Gallardo says Justin Heap made false claims about him in privately lobbying supervisors for more election authority, and calls for a corruption investigation.

Supervisor Steve Gallardo says Recorder Heap made false claims about him in text messages lobbying for more election authority, and is calling on the AG to investigate. www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

JUST IN: Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo calls for public corruption investigation into Recorder Justin Heap, after we published the recorder's texts this morning. Link 🔗 to full story in thread.

NEW: After we published a story this morning with Recorder Justin Heap's texts as he lobbied supervisors for control over elections, Supervisor Steve Gallardo calls for public corruption investigation. www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

BACKGROUND:

In this story: The full extent of Recorder Heap’s private comms about the elections agreement is unknown. He has so far not provided his texts, despite repeated requests from a lawyer representing Votebeat.

Two supervisors provided their texts with him on their personal phones

How Maricopa County recorder privately lobbied supervisors for election authority Text messages show how Justin Heap sought to forge an alliance before talks broke down. “I really thought you guys would come through for me,” he wrote to a Republican supervisor.

Exclusive: Text messages show how Maricopa County recorder pressured supervisors for control of elections www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

Tucson, if you got an incorrect ballot in the mail for the city council election, there's a # to call at the bottom.

Recorder's Office and city tell me they will be putting out another news release today with more info, and I've asked lots of ?s, waiting on answers... more TK

Convicted criminals make up less than half of ICE arrests under Trump • Stateline Despite Trump administration rhetoric accusing Democrats of protecting violent criminals and drug-dealing immigrants, the administration’s arrests have been catching a smaller share of criminals overa...

Convicted criminals make up less than half of ICE arrests under Trump, via @timhenderson.bsky.social stateline.org/2025/07/24/f...

Votebeat Get the latest news on election administration and voting access in Arizona, plus more essential local voting news to keep you up to speed on what matters.

Will Maricopa County be forced to give out a database that show the votes cast in an election, ballot by ballot? A judge just ruled on it... and the answer is in my newsletter coming out later today. Please subscribe (it's free): www.votebeat.org/arizona/subs...

Amazon Web Services is company behind Tucson’s Project Blue, according to 2023 county memo - AZ Luminaria Amazon Web Services is revealed to be the company behind the Project Blue data center proposed for Tucson.

"Proponents have cited new jobs and an economic boost as support for the project. Local critics have warned that the project would be a drain on Tucson’s water, energy and environment." azluminaria.org/2025/07/21/a...

The cyberattack occurred two days after the June 21 U.S. bombing of Iran.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had issued a warning the day after the airstrikes that cyberattacks by “pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely."

Hackers who breached Arizona election website aimed at other targets, too Two days after U.S. airstrikes on Iran, hackers swapped out photos on the election results site with images of Ayatollah Khomeini. Officials cite the “sophistication and persistence of the attacks.”

NEW: Hackers who breached Arizona election website aimed at other agencies, too.

The top cybersecurity official for the state's Department of Homeland Security tells me he believes Iran was likely involved, given the image uploaded, methods & persistence
www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

A hacker gained access to the Arizona Secretary of State’s candidate portal and changed all candidate photos on the election results pages from 2016 to 2024 to this photo of an Iranian Ayatollah, according to the office. Full story in quoted tweet.

What would it take for more Michigan voters to access a ballot in Arabic? Translating election materials is complex and costly for municipalities. More statewide coordination could help where federal law doesn’t.

ICYMI, from Michigan: Many voters could benefit from a ballot in Arabic, but the law isn’t on their side, via @hayleyharding.bsky.social . Story: www.votebeat.org/michigan/202...

The jury trial is set to begin Nov. 17, and is scheduled for four days. He has told me he acted in self defense, in prior interviews.

Navajo County election official indicted in 2024 road rage incident Recorder Timothy Jordan told Votebeat that he acted in self defense. A felony conviction would bar him from the county job.

The Navajo County recorder (runs early voting/voter registration), rejected a plea deal for guilty pleas on 2 counts, one misdemeanor & one that could be misdemeanor or felony, and he would have to stay away from the site (his kid's school). Background: www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

Just in, Arizona: This morning, Navajo County Recorder Timothy Jordan rejected a plea deal for his alleged road rage incident, and he will now go to jury trial where, if convicted, he faces a maximum of 6 years in jail.

Update: The hacker changed the candidates' headshots to an image of an Iranian Ayatollah, leader of Iran, with Persian words that were favorable to Iran.

The hacker replaced all of the 2024 general election candidate photos on the election results page with this image.

The Arizona Department of Homeland Security was alerted, and the investigation of whether private candidate information was accessed continues.

Hacker breaks into Arizona election website, changes candidate photos The candidate portal is separate from the state’s voter registration and petition signature gathering systems. No voter data was accessed, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s Office said.

FULL STORY: Hacker changed candidate photos on Arizona election results website www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

New: A hacker gained access to the web portal Arizona candidates use to upload info about themselves and changed candidate headshots that were live on the election results website, three weeks before the special congressional primary election, @votebeat.org has learned. Story in 🧵

To vote in AZ, these expats must have a parent registered to vote in AZ. It’s most commonly kids of military parents who live overseas their whole life. But the question you raise is the one raised in the lawsuit as well.

The RNC told me for this story that lawsuits are part of a larger strategy leading up to the midterms, focused on election integrity and clean voter rolls. The AZ lawsuit claims allowing these citizens to vote violates AZ's constitution, and gives Democrats an unfair advantage.

Ahead of the midterms, the Republican Party is targeting the voting rights of US citizens who have never lived in the country. Who are these voters, and where might these challenges go? FULL STORY: www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025...

Adelita Grijalva wins Democratic primary in special election for southern Arizona US House seat Voters in southern Arizona have nominated Democrat Adelita Grijalva to advance to a special general election to replace the late U.S. Rep.

Adelita Grijalva wins the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in Arizona's 7th Congressional District special primary election to succeed her father, the late U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva. She will face Daniel Butierez, who has won the Republican nomination.

30 minutes