Maricopa County Election Control Dispute Heads to Mediation
In a significant development in the ongoing power struggle over election oversight in Maricopa County, a judge has mandated mediation between the county’s recorder and the Board of Supervisors. This decision comes after lengthy courtroom battles regarding the division of election duties.
The friction between Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap and the Board of Supervisors has been a point of contention for over a year. The issue escalated to the Maricopa County Superior Court when Heap accused the board of unlawfully limiting his authority.
Judge Scott Blaney previously ruled in favor of Heap, determining that the supervisors improperly withheld IT resources from the recorder’s office. Despite this, the ruling did not eliminate the underlying conflict, with both parties accusing each other of negotiating in bad faith.
In his efforts to untangle the complex election laws of Arizona, Judge Blaney has continually urged both parties to resolve their differences outside the courtroom. “As I stressed before, please keep talking to each other,” Blaney implored. “I know it’d be a miracle if this thing resolved outside of court, but you know miracles are still possible.”
Both sides have now agreed to mediation, with Judge Blaney directing them to meet with Maricopa County Judge Christopher Coury on June 22. This meeting is notably scheduled just ahead of the mailing of early ballots for Arizona’s primary election.
During the proceedings, Heap’s attorney, James Rogers, proposed that Cleta Mitchell, a conservative lawyer linked to former President Donald Trump, serve as the mediator. However, this suggestion was met with opposition from the board’s attorney, who described Mitchell as “overtly biased.”
The outcome of this mediation could have significant implications for the administration of upcoming elections in Maricopa County, underscoring the importance of the issues at stake.
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