Agreement Between Heap, Maricopa BOS Ignites Feud

The Shared Services Agreement (SSA) between Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the Board of Supervisors has ignited a public feud, spilling onto social media in a flurry of posts from Supervisors Tom Galvin and Debbie Lesko. In an exclusive, Chief of Staff Sam Stone told the Arizona Globe – Heap is deliberately ensuring the SSA “closely abides by statutory law” and strengthens voter integrity, especially in light of the Board’s heated reaction.

Three days ago, Supervisor Thomas Galvin, parroting the far-left Phoenix New Times, stated, “Four months into Heap’s tenure, he’s caused a widening rift with a host of fellow Republicans in the Valley… Now, even the chair of the Arizona Republican Party is on Heap’s ass and threatening to sue him.” He concluded with a snarky, “Way to go, Justin.”

The Republican chair of the BOS reposted AZ Central, which wrote: “Recorder takes heat as county attorney calls plan to mail unsolicited ballots ‘unlawful’.

Galvin seems to count the days Heap has spent mulling over the SSA.

Update: 27 days since Maricopa BOS sent a draft to Justin Heap after both sides had an agreement in principle. The Board, along w Rachel Mitchell & AZGOP, are united & committed to election integrity. See below for letter from County Attorney re: Heap’s risky plan on ballots https://t.co/ztAqhoC8iX pic.twitter.com/0UFd6tJYPZ

— Thomas Galvin: Chairman, Maricopa County BOS (@ThomasGalvin) May 9, 2025

Supervisor Heap’s office has largely kept its head down and out of the public spotlight. Five days ago, Heap released a statement criticizing the Board of Supervisors for assigning polling places in a way that leaves 34 rural voters without reasonable access, some as far as two hours away. Heap proposed a one-time absentee ballot solution, citing decades of precedent, but says the Board is now politicizing it to create confusion. He reaffirmed his commitment to election integrity and legal compliance, stating his office will notify affected voters and will not fix the Board’s mistakes. Heap emphasized that he answers to voters, not the Board, and pledged complete transparency.

Supervisor Heap’s office has largely kept its head down and out of the public spotlight. Five days ago, Heap released a statement criticizing the Board of Supervisors for assigning polling places in a way that leaves 34 rural voters without reasonable access, some as far as two hours away. Heap proposed a one-time absentee ballot solution, citing decades of precedent, but says the Board is now politicizing it to create confusion. He reaffirmed his commitment to election integrity and legal compliance, stating his office will notify affected voters and will not fix the Board’s mistakes. Heap emphasized that he answers to voters, not the Board, and pledged complete transparency.

🗳️ STATEMENT: Election Integrity Is Top Priority in New Maricopa County Recorder’s Office

Earlier this week, I presented a plan for the upcoming CD7 Special Election that was based on decades of accepted Maricopa County elections practices dating back to Helen Purcell and… pic.twitter.com/GqdECcef8q

— Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap (@azjustinheap) May 8, 2025

The Globe asked Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda to respond to comments attributed to her in the Phoenix New Times, specifically whether it made a difference that the proposed mailing of ballots involved only about 34 voters who live approximately 45 miles from the nearest polling location. We also acknowledged that this is a narrow proposal, and whether that made a difference. And is there precedent for it?

Swoboda responded in parts:

Does the number of voters or their locations matter? “No, it does not. It is a class 5 felony to mail a ballot to someone not on the mail ballot list, with extremely narrow exceptions. Distance from a polling place is not one of them. Many voters on the Apache reservation are much farther than 35 minutes from a polling place. We do not mail them all ballots without their request—nor should we.”

Is there a precedent? “The precedent to which they refer is in a statute that only applies to the Presidential Preference Election, which this is not. And the Legislature closed that down after [Adrian] Fontes attempted to mail all Democrats a mail ballot in the 2020 PPE.”

She then reiterated her earlier position, stating, “I continue to be shocked that the Maricopa County Recorder continues to insist this act would be advisable, much less lawful. It is neither, and the Republican Party of Arizona will litigate the matter if it becomes necessary to do so.”