Heap Wins Another Maricopa BOS Election Control Challenge

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors suffered another setback in its ongoing court fight with Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap after a Superior Court judge denied the board’s request to pause an April ruling that restored several election-related powers to the recorder’s office.

The latest order, issued May 13, rejected the board’s motion to stay the ruling while it prepares an appeal. The decision leaves in place Judge Scott Blaney’s earlier finding that the board unlawfully moved election technology staff, systems, and related resources away from the recorder’s office. Heap’s office characterized the ruling as another decisive loss for the supervisors.

The dispute centers on how Maricopa County divides election responsibilities between the elected recorder and the Board of Supervisors. Heap sued the board in 2025, arguing that supervisors had exceeded their authority by shifting control over early voting functions, IT personnel, and other election infrastructure. Blaney largely sided with Heap in April, writing that the board “acted unlawfully and exceeded its statutory authority” by seizing personnel, systems, and equipment from the recorder.

The board had argued that immediately implementing the order could create confusion ahead of upcoming local and primary elections. Its attorneys said separating election IT systems would be costly and disruptive. At the same time, county officials warned the ruling could complicate chain-of-custody procedures, early ballot handling, and coordination with cities and towns.

Heap’s side countered that intergovernmental agreements with local jurisdictions cannot override state law assigning certain election duties to the recorder. The recorder’s office has argued that the board is delaying compliance with a ruling that clarified the legal boundaries between the two offices.

The fight is likely to continue on appeal, but for now, the court’s latest order keeps pressure on the supervisors to return disputed election authority and resources to Heap’s office.