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However, the foundation of the case has been further weakened by an admission that Arizona’s voting system has failed to verify legal votes for the past 20 years. Kris Mayes and Governor Katie Hobbs acknowledged that nearly 100,000 voter registrations were validated without properly verifying citizenship, dating back to a critical failure in the Arizona Motor Vehicle Department’s system. This allowed individuals who obtained driver’s licenses before 1996 to vote without the necessary citizenship verification.
Upon learning of this issue, Mayes, Hobbs, and Fontes reportedly held a private call to figure out how to handle the revelation. Their solution was a so-called “friendly lawsuit,” where Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer would file a lawsuit requesting the courts downgrade the voters’ status to “federal-only,” stripping them of the ability to vote in state and local elections. This underhanded maneuver, designed to avoid political backlash, only adds to the growing list of questionable actions by Arizona officials.
In a leaked phone call, Mayes admitted, “the last two elections in Arizona are challengeable,” referring to the state’s failure to verify the citizenship of voters over two decades. Governor Hobbs further added fuel to the fire by saying this situation validates “theories about illegal voting in our elections.” These admissions severely damage their case against the 18 individuals being prosecuted for questioning the integrity of the 2020 election. The acknowledgment that the voting system itself is flawed undermines the legitimacy of any charges related to election fraud.
The timing of these revelations is particularly striking, as both Mayes and Hobbs were declared winners in the contentious 2022 election. That election was marred by widespread issues in Maricopa County, where 60% of voting machines failed on election day, leading to concerns about the legitimacy of the results. Additionally, allegations of illegal mail-in ballots cast further doubt on the fairness of the election.
Kris Mayes, who narrowly won her Attorney General race by a mere 280 votes, continues to face accusations that her victory was fraudulent. Abe Hamadeh, her Republican opponent, remains outspoken in his criticism of Mayes and her handling of election integrity issues. Hamadeh, now the GOP nominee for Congress in Arizona’s 8th District, responded to the leaked phone call by saying, “This explosive revelation underscores the undeniable truth: Arizona’s elections remain compromised, and our legal system has failed to deliver accountability.”
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Brad Miller, the attorney representing Kelli Ward and Michael Ward, echoed Hamadeh’s concerns. Miller criticized Mayes for prosecuting individuals for raising legitimate concerns about election integrity. He stated, “Kris Mayes is attempting to prosecute people for something that she knows was a legitimate election challenge.”
The scandal has raised questions about whether the leak to the Washington Post was an intentional effort to control the narrative and reassure the public that Arizona officials were taking steps to ensure election integrity. Regardless, the damage has already been done. As more details emerge, it becomes increasingly clear that the charges against these 18 defendants are politically motivated and built on a shaky foundation.
Arizona voters deserve transparency and accountability, and the recent revelations only serve to further erode trust in the state’s election system. With less than two months until the next election, the timing of this lawsuit and the secretive maneuvers by top officials cast doubt on the future of Arizona’s democracy.
