Arizona County Election Official Announces Resignation Amidst Controversy
In a surprising turn of events, an election official from Cochise County, Arizona, has announced his resignation amidst ongoing electoral controversies. David Stevens, the county recorder, has decided to vacate his position by the end of February, a decision disclosed shortly after he commenced his third term.
The announcement came via a statement from the county, which confirmed Stevens’ resignation through a submitted letter. However, the statement did not provide any insight into the reasons behind his decision. The Associated Press attempted to contact Stevens for further clarification, but he was unavailable for comment. The news was initially reported by the Sierra Vista Herald, where Stevens cited health and family priorities as the primary factors for his retirement.
Stevens, a Republican with a history of service in the Arizona House, secured his third term as county recorder in the November elections, comfortably defeating his Democratic opponent. He officially assumed office on January 7th.
Recently, Cochise County has been a hub of controversy, particularly surrounding election procedures influenced by conspiracy theories associated with former President Donald Trump. In the November 2022 election, Stevens, alongside Republican County Supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, was ready to implement hand counting of ballots—a move halted by judicial intervention.
Crosby and Judd’s refusal to certify the county’s election results, based on alleged irregularities in Maricopa County that they believed affected Democratic victories statewide, led to legal repercussions. A judge eventually mandated the certification of the election results.
The Democratic Attorney General, Kris Mayes, took legal action against Crosby and Judd for their role in delaying the certification of the 2022 midterm election results in the county. In October, Judd accepted a misdemeanor charge related to her duties as an election officer, resulting in a probation sentence. Crosby, maintaining his innocence, is set to face trial later this month. Other officials were not implicated in the charges.
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