Republican Maricopa County Supervisor and former Congresswoman Debbie Lesko is facing blistering criticism for her mischaracterization of a decision by the Board of Supervisors to order a review of the County’s elections.
In a post to X Lesko wrote, “I have pushed for an audit of our election procedures & processes since I was sworn into office. It is vital that voters in Maricopa Co have faith in our elections system. With this audit, we will find out what is being done right & what needs reform.”
The post sparked a swift reply from numerous election integrity advocates who accused Lesko of lying.
Election integrity activist Merissa Hamilton of Strong Communities Action replied to Lesko on X.com, “Every time you lie, you lose credibility!”
Hamilton elaborated, “1) You voted for a REVIEW, not an Audit 2) This is a failed company who botched up previous audits and their work was unusable by staff 3) The proposal by this company was riddled with errors and blatant incorrect information regarding Arizona’s laws and Maricopa County election procedures.”
.@DebbieLesko, everytime you lie, you lose credibility!
1) You voted for a REVIEW, not an Audit
2) This is a failed company who botched up previous audits and their work was unusable by staff
3) The proposal by this company was riddled with errors and blatant incorrect… pic.twitter.com/VPngFlUZhQ
— Merissa Hamilton 🗳 ⛽ 🗽🔥 (@merissahamilton) June 26, 2025
Hamilton shared a link to documentation of the June 6th Maricopa County Formal Meeting which included the item in question labeled as “RFP, ELECTIONS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW” and referred to a contract to “provide consulting services related to Maricopa County Elections processes, including Chain of Custody, Physical Security, Candidate Filing Compliance, Temporary Worker Hiring and Training, Ballot Drop Boxes, and Vote Center Selection and Setup.”
A press release from the Board of Supervisors likewise referred to process as a “review,” stating that “the review will include a thorough examination of the election process including chain of custody, physical security, candidate filing compliance, temporary worker hiring and training, Vote Center selection and setup, and the use of ballot drop boxes.”
In her full statement published by the Board Lesko said, “I have pushed for an audit of our election procedures and processes since I was sworn into office. I am very pleased that the Board of Supervisors voted to hire a nationally reputable audit firm to review the Maricopa County elections system. It is very important that voters in Maricopa County have faith in our elections system. With this audit we will find out what is being done right and what needs reform.”
Likewise, Vice Chair Kate Brophy McGee also referred to the review as an “audit,” stating, “Maricopa County elections have been under a bright, nationwide spotlight for five years, and we welcome this audit. I am confident we have solid systems and processes in place to serve Maricopa County voters. We welcome the opportunity to improve, and that’s what this comprehensive review is all about.”
Supervisor Steve Gallardo of District 5 noted that the review, “isn’t for the conspiracy theorists or the unhinged election deniers—we’re never going to reach them. This review is for people of good faith who have questions about how Maricopa County elections work, who want to have a good experience when they vote and know their ballot is being handled with care,” adding, “I know all of us on the Board are looking forward to finding out how we can serve voters even better.”