Heap Apologizes for Voter Notice Error as BOS Plays Politics

A voter notification error from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office triggered confusion for over 83,000 residents last month, but it was the Board of Supervisors’ handling of the situation that may have done the most damage to public trust, say political insiders.

Recorder Justin Heap acknowledged that a vendor, and subsequently a staff member in his office, had mistakenly approved a proof that led to tens of thousands of voters receiving letters falsely stating that they would be marked inactive if they didn’t respond within 90 days. But as Heap worked to correct the error and issue new letters, the Board of Supervisors (BOS) opted to escalate the situation, publicly blasting the Recorder, issuing a media advisory, and forwarding constituent complaints to the press before Heap’s office had completed its internal investigation.

Critics argue that the Board’s reaction was more about scoring political points in an already strained relationship than about protecting voters.

According to Heap’s office, the problem began when a third-party mail vendor mixed up voter correspondence related to documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) requirements stemming from the 2023 MVD glitch. The letter sent to 83,000 voters incorrectly stated that they would be made inactive—language intended for a separate notice.

While Heap initially placed blame squarely on the vendor, he later issued a public apology, accepting responsibility for his office’s part in approving the incorrect version:

“While this was ultimately a mistake on the part of the third-party vendor, I take responsibility for the breakdown in communication that led to the error,” Heap wrote. “Let me be extremely clear—no voter records were affected due to this error.”

Corrected letters were mailed at no additional cost to taxpayers, and Heap reset the 90-day compliance period to begin on the date of the corrected mailings.

Rather than quietly coordinating with the Recorder’s Office to clarify the issue, the Board of Supervisors opted to release a statement of its own, warning the public that the Recorder had triggered a wave of “panic” and phone calls.

“Panicked constituents are contacting my office because Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap erroneously sent them a letter saying they were going to be reclassified to an inactive voter,” wrote Supervisor Debbie Lesko.

However, internal emails reveal that the Board’s communications team was aware that Heap’s office had already begun correcting the mistake, raising questions about why the BOS issued an alarmist press release rather than supporting a calm, fact-based correction.

“The constituents told my office they called the phone number listed on the Recorder’s letter and were put on hold for 30 minutes or more…” the Board’s alert read, further stoking fears.

Several observers now argue that the Board’s response may have done more harm than good, fueling confusion, amplifying mistrust, and politicizing what was already a high-stakes administrative error.

Supervisor Thomas Galvin, Chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, arguably made the situation worse with a barrage of posts, texts, and emails that fanned public panic rather than calming it. Instead of coordinating a joint correction with the Recorder’s Office, Galvin took to X with multiple inflammatory posts, accusing Justin Heap of “hiding under a desk,” “passing the buck,” and “packing it in for the weekend.” He claimed Heap had “no banner” and “no updated info” for the 83,000 confused voters, while mocking the timing of the Recorder’s Friday evening press release.

Justin, you owe an apology to my District 2 constituents especially those who contacted my office after not hearing back from you. Don’t pass the buck, take responsibility & not hide under a desk all week until Friday at 8pm. Focus on your job instead of frivolous lawsuits. https://t.co/X6gP2gd90F

— Thomas Galvin: Chairman, Maricopa County BOS (@ThomasGalvin) June 28, 2025

The BOS also sent mass text alerts and emails to constituents, highlighting the error without providing them with real resolution steps, which amplified confusion and further undermined confidence in the county’s election system. Critics say the Chair’s approach leaned more toward public shaming than public service.

Several state lawmakers privately expressed concern that the BOS used the error to score political points against Heap, a Republican whose office is constitutionally independent but who has found himself at odds with the Supervisors and is currently suing them to restore power to his office.

The corrected letters have been sent, no voter registrations were altered, and Heap has pledged tighter internal controls moving forward.

As of yesterday, the BOS is still sending out mass text messages to Arizona residents, this time from Supervisor Kate Brophy McGee. Supervisor Lesko sent out a similar mass text message blast that you can read here.

This episode leaves constituents and pundits wondering if the Recorder and BOS ever get on the same page. If not, it appears that voters will remain in the middle of a power struggle that shows no signs of cooling.