Official from Arizona admitted guilt for postponing certification of 2022 elections.
With just over two weeks until the November 5 nationwide election, the admission of guilt by Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd served as a potential warning to other Arizona county officials who might be pressured once more by election skeptics to postpone the validation of results.
As Thomas Volgy, a former Tucson, Arizona, mayor and professor at the University of Arizona, who specializes in democratic procedures, put it, "Judd's formal admission of guilt signifies a significant advancement in safeguarding election integrity in Arizona. It should serve as a powerful wake-up call to county-elected officials that they cannot manipulate Arizonans' voting intentions for temporary partisan benefits."
Peter Bondi, managing director of the nonprofit organization Informing Democracy, commented in a statement that Judd's admission of guilt "serves as a clear reminder that the duty to certify is not optional, and should deter every election official from attempting to undermine the voters' will."
"This is a triumph for democracy, the rule of law, and most importantly for every voter who casts a ballot this year," Bondi said.
Avoiding a potential felony charge, Judd entered her plea under an agreement reached in Maricopa County Superior Court, where the criminal case was filed. According to a spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Judd will be subject to unsupervised probation for no fewer than 90 days and will be required to pay a maximum fine of $500.
"We don't have much to say beyond the fact that she is overjoyed to put this behind her," Judd's lawyer Kurt Altman stated.
Judd and fellow Republican Cochise County Supervisor Tom Crosby were charged with felony offenses last year for colluding and interfering with an election officer as they delayed the verification process. The third member of the board, Democrat Ann Crosby, had voted to validate the election. Ultimately, the Cochise County results were certified beyond the deadline following a judge's order for Judd and Crosby to carry out their legal responsibilities.
"Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated," Mayes declared in a statement after the plea was entered. "My office will continue to pursue justice and ensure that anyone who undermines our electoral system is held accountable."
"Today's plea agreement and sentencing should serve as a powerful reminder that I will not hesitate to use every available means to uphold the rule of law and shield the integrity of Arizona's elections," she added.
Judd and Crosby had pushed to conduct a manual count of all the county's ballots amid widespread conspiracy theories regarding the vote's integrity and chaotic public hearings that stretched on for hours. They also questioned the accuracy of vote tabulation machines. Democrats won the governorship and attorney general positions in November 2022, with Republicans losing those races.
Crosby is still scheduled to stand trial on the charge in January and is running for re-election in November. When asked by email on Monday, Crosby appeared to be unaware of Judd's plea but did not respond to a request for comment.
Arizona once held a strong Republican allegiance, but in recent years, Democrats have gained more influence, particularly in urban areas like Phoenix, which has grown rapidly due to an influx of people moving in from other states in search of growing job opportunities.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
The admission of guilt by Judd in manipulating election procedures highlights the importance of adhering to election rules, serving as a cautionary tale for other officials involved in politics.
The controversy surrounding Judd and Crosby's attempts to disrupt the election validation process underscores the need for strict adherence to election laws and regulations in political spheres.
