Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is being accused of overstepping his authority by meddling in the process for handling ballots from military and overseas voters. Now, Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis is sounding the alarm over the changes made at the Secretary of State’s Office.
According to Lewis, these changes, designed to prevent new questions regarding the integrity of elections, are instead raising new ones, even as Arizona County Recorders and election officials continue working to restore public confidence in the election process.
Despite the fact that many County Recorders requested the move to be delayed, the Secretary of State’s Office has removed the Arizona Voter Information Database module from the process used to verify and receive Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballots—those cast by military, dependents, and overseas American voters.
Lewis says this decision forces counties to use a third-party platform that:
- Allowed a third-party vendor access to voter information data without review;
- Does not maintain an auditable connection between the ballot and the voter;
- Limits the ability of election officials to maintain the chain of custody between departments;
- Equipment that requires internet connectivity to function fully as intended;
- Is currently incompatible with the current policies, procedures, equipment and systems used by some counties; and
- Implementation was forced without a suitable testing environment.
“This change removes a layer of security and transparency that Arizona voters, especially those serving overseas, deserve,” said Lewis, an Air Force veteran. “Counties are being asked to hastily implement a system they are not equipped for, that operates outside the traditional chain of custody, and that introduces questions about traceability and oversight.”
“Once again, Secretary Fontes is creating chaos and confusion in the midst of an election,” said attorney Jen Wright, one of Arizona’s top election experts told the Arizona Daily Independent. “His antics are why voters have lost confidence in Arizona elections. Despite the legal mandate that county recorders process UOCAVA ballots, Fontes has usurped the counties’ statutory authority and has created new policies and procedures outside of the legislatively sanctioned EPM (Election Procedures Manual) process. Courts have issued an injunction against Fontes’ rogue actions while an election is underway in the past, they can do it again.”
In contrast to Fontes’ top-down decision, some counties, such as Pinal, have taken significant steps to increase transparency and rebuild voter trust through public tours, live-streamed video of processes from early ballot receipt through tabulation, and open-door policies for election observation.
“There’s no question that technology can improve elections,” said Recorder Lewis. “But implementation matters. We need tools and resources that enhance trust, not undermine it, within a logical timeline to ensure functionality and allow communication with our voters of the upcoming change mandated by the Arizona Secretary of State.”
Election officials across Arizona have urged the Secretary of State to delay this rollout and work collaboratively with counties to ensure that any new system protects both voter privacy and the integrity of the vote. However, as of 8:00 PM on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Secretary Fontes had forced their hand and removed the UOCAVA module from the Arizona Voter Information Database.
“We have worked very hard in Pinal County to earn and keep the trust of the voters,” concluded Lewis. “Every voter in Arizona needs and deserves to know what is happening to the electoral process.”
Because the UOCAVA process has been the source of considerable controversy and distrust in the nation’s elections, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) introduced legislation, the Proving Residency for Overseas Voter Eligibility (PROVE) Act last week.
Congressman Tim Burchett (TN-02) and Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-05) are original cosponsors of Hamadeh’s legislation.
The purpose of the PROVE Act is to amend the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to require non-military overseas citizens to prove their current residency in a state they in which they are attempting to vote.
If they are unable to prove a current resident status by either themselves, their spouse, parent, or legal guardian, U.S. citizens may still vote a federal ballot only in the District of Columbia.
Currently, under UOCAVA, states are forced to let U.S. citizens living overseas to vote in federal elections based on their last state residence. In many cases, those claiming resident status in a state have not been in that state, nor do they have any ties to it, undermining election integrity.
Even more shockingly, 39 states permit individuals who have never resided in the United States to cast ballots in our state elections. This policy applies in several crucial swing states who often decide presidential elections, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
“The loophole in UOCAVA allows citizens living overseas, with no current ties to a state, to arbitrarily choose where their vote counts. This threatens electoral integrity and is an affront to everyone who believes in fair and free elections,” stated Hamadeh. “The PROVE Act will close this loophole and go far to restore trust in our elections.”
“In Arizona, we have seen what the mismanagement of voter rolls, failed election infrastructure, and corrupt courts can do to destroy voter confidence and faith in our system overall. Since taking office, I have introduced legislation to address some of the most egregious practices and close the most glaring loopholes in our election system,” stated Hamadeh.
“I call on my colleagues to join me and support the PROVE Act so that we can rebuild citizens’ trust in our elections through comprehensive and meaningful election integrity legislation,” said Hamadeh.