On July 1, 2025, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office quietly released a statement announcing a malicious cyber intrusion targeting its Candidate Portal, which prompted a temporary shutdown of the system for security review. Although the SOS has since assured the public that the voter registration database was not compromised and that safeguards were being strengthened, mounting criticism from state officials and insiders now casts doubt on that narrative.

Senator Jake Hoffman dismissed the July 1st statement as a “MASSIVE cover-up,” alleging that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are now involved following a private briefing held today. During the briefing, legislators learned that a “foreign cyberattack” did indeed target Arizona’s election systems. Hoffman accused Secretary of State Adrian Fontes of withholding crucial facts and leaving voters and even candidates “totally in the dark.”

Tyler Bowyer, TPA Executive, echoed Hoffman’s sentiment, stating that “Fontes isn’t being forthright.” Bowyer noted that the initial release omitted vital details, including the involvement of federal agencies, and that the portal continues to suffer technical issues. Additionally, insiders are now referring to the incident as a full-scale “hack.” Bowyer challenged the lack of clarity regarding the potential that data had been accessed or stolen, arguing that “the general public and certainly candidates and parties deserve answers.”

Fontes responded briskly to Bowyer, “Your ‘inside source’ finally read the press release we issued on July 1? Breaking news indeed.”

Critics also suggest that the SOS’s statement raised more questions than it answered. With no public follow-up from the Secretary of State’s office, lingering uncertainty is fueling demands for greater transparency, specifically, which systems were impacted, whether any data was compromised, who responded, and details outlining the nature of the response.

Former FBI agent and 2024 CD1 congressional primary candidate Kim George (R) posted the following on X, “As I suspected! Last week we were advised to change our passwords. Now when you attempt to access the portal, it spins. As a Legislative candidate collecting electronic signatures, this is extremely concerning. Do constituents experience the same issues? We need @realAlexKolodin!”

Despite the allegations, the Secretary of State’s office has not revised its official account. It maintains there was no impact on voter records and asserts that protections remain “heightened.” Federal agencies involved, if confirmed, have not made public statements. As scrutiny builds, the public and lawmakers alike await clarity on the scale and severity of the attack—and whether Arizona’s election infrastructure is at greater risk than initially disclosed.