Kolodin, Hoffman Call Out Polling Place Chaos

Election integrity in Tucson dominated the Tuesday, November 5, 2026, episode of The Afternoon Addiction with Garret Lewis. He addressed claims of limited transparency and confusion surrounding Republican poll watchers and election observers in Pima County.

Lewis opened the show by describing Pima County as “ground zero” for election integrity concerns, citing complaints that Republican observers were turned away from certain voting locations and ballot replacement centers on Election Day. Known for his sharp commentary on Southern Arizona politics, Lewis said the situation “raises serious questions about voter oversight and accountability.”

State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) echoed those concerns on X, writing:

“Getting reports that the Pima County Recorder — who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America — is failing hard today and allowing major voter disenfranchisement. Total chaos at some locations. Dry run for 2026?!”

🚨 ELECTION DAY ISSUES

I’m getting reports out of Pima County, Arizona that elections staff are turning away political party observers at polling places

Pima is running 8 vote centers for the 11/04/25 election

Observers help keep elections honest

What is Pima County hiding? pic.twitter.com/xrcvL2IP0B

— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) November 4, 2025

The post drew immediate attention from both sides of the aisle. The Arizona GOP’s official account, led by Chair Gina Swoboda — who has clashed publicly with Hoffman in recent months — issued a statement on social media that quickly ignited a firestorm online.

RE Pima County Observer reports on X:
FYI- These are ballot replacement centers only
Run by recorder
Therefore no observers.
Leg would need to change statutes to require observation during early voting. Pima has never allowed it.

— Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) November 4, 2025

Lewis quickly accused the AZGOP chair of defending the Pima County Recorder’s position: “Look at @AZGOP Chair @GinaSwoboda defending the @PimaRecorder for not allowing GOP observers on Election Day,” Lewis wrote. “Gina even said it’s ‘early voting.’ It’s ELECTION DAY! Not only is she failing to fight for fair elections — she just wrote something that could be used in court as evidence!”

During Lewis’s broadcast, Pima County GOP Chair Kathleen Winn shared firsthand accounts, claiming that observers were “confused, restricted, and in some cases outright dismissed” when attempting to monitor ballot handling on Election Day. She said the lack of clear access “creates unnecessary suspicion” and urged the Recorder’s Office to issue a “clear, written policy” before the 2026 elections.

Lewis pressed those concerns, noting that the rules outlining who qualifies as an observer — and where they may stand — remain unclear for both parties. He questioned why a county as large as Pima has not yet modernized its election infrastructure to safely accommodate observers, especially when smaller counties do.

Alex Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) joined the growing chorus, arguing Arizona’s election laws leave too many gaps. Kolodin said:

“Observation should be allowed whenever ballots are handled.”

He suggested that the term “ballot-replacement center” is just a semantic name rather than a meaningful distinction. “Let’s not get confused — this is a polling place,” he concluded.

Disturbing reports out of Pima Co. that poll observers are being turned away.

Arizonans have had ENOUGH of the radical left running our elections in secrecy!

— Rep. Alexander Kolodin (@realAlexKolodin) November 4, 2025