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Last night’s vote reflects a simple reality: Maricopa County is still operating without a finalized election responsibilities Shared Services Agreement (SSA) between the Board of Supervisors and the Recorder. I have raised concerns about this for over a year, warning that prolonged uncertainty would ultimately lead to public frustration. Now is the time to finalize this agreement and put this negotiation to bed. Frankly, it is what the voters want and deserve.
Since January 2025, my position has been consistent: the most stable and legally sound path forward is to return to the previous SSA under the former Recorder as a baseline and negotiate improvements from there. This approach would have demonstrated good faith and begun discussion from a position of cooperation rather than conflict. Altering responsibilities directly following the election of Recorder Heap and his installation created avoidable conflict and uncertainty from the jump. For over a year now, I have yet to hear a satisfactory justification for making that decision in a lame duck session.
During yesterday’s special meeting, the Board adopted a policy that establishes initial operational guardrails before an SSA is signed by both parties to ensure elections continue without interruption. Continuity is essential. However, policy is not a substitute for a durable, mutually agreed-upon framework between independently elected offices.
I appreciate the opportunity to receive sworn reports, gain a deeper understanding of our accomplishments, and develop a clearer understanding of our challenges. It is powerful to shed sunlight on this outside of closed sessions. Our collective focus should shift away from escalation and towards resolution by working together as a team.
Maricopa County voters expect stability, transparency, and collaboration. With major elections approaching, we must swiftly finalize an agreement that clearly defines roles, aligns with Arizona law, and allows us to deliver best-in-class elections.
I remain in communication with the Recorder and committed to reaching a negotiated solution. The next step is for the Recorder to return a counterproposal so we can put this matter to bed.
I will continue to advocate for more transparency.
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Contact:
Kristy Dohnel
kristy.dohnel@maricopa.gov
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