The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Recorder disagree on the feasibility of the supervisors’ proposed early voting site map.
This latest conflict between the board and recorder’s office developed earlier this week following the board’s decision to relinquish some authority it gained under its lame duck predecessors.
Last week, with just four months to go before early voting begins, the board voted to restore the recorder’s control over early voting. The problem is that the vote has virtually no action behind it, according to Recorder Justin Heap.
On Thursday, Heap accused the board of poorly planning early voting locations, claiming the centers were not convenient or accessible for many voters across the county. Heap also accused the board of failing to provide his office with staff, funding, equipment, or planning authority as required by state law.
Per Heap, the proposed sites were unevenly distributed, resulting in more sites for areas with lower populations and less sites for areas with higher populations.
“I remain willing to work in good faith. But cooperating does not mean rubber-stamping a plan my office had no role in building, and which fails to adequately protect the voters,” said Heap. “Especially a plan that keeps full operational control with the board while placing public accountability with the recorder.”
I have serious concerns that the proposed early voting plan [the Board] provided makes voting inconvenient and inaccessible for a large number of Maricopa County voters.
I cannot support a plan that does not provide all voters a reasonably equal opportunity to vote.
I remain… https://t.co/ywC5QTazWg pic.twitter.com/yhkNju1yoD
— Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap (@azjustinheap) February 27, 2026
That same day, Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko responded in a joint statement that Heap had failed to recognize the voting centers were not permanent but options drafted for him by the board — that he had the final say on which centers to use.
“His response to our letter was misleading and disappointing,” stated McGee and Lesko.
The referenced letter from McGee and Lesko, sent last Tuesday, warned that an incremental opening of polling places for early voting would ensure staff efficiency and cost-savings.
“The board of supervisors strongly supports maintaining a comprehensive early in-person program consistent with prior practices,” stated the letter.
NEW: Chair @katemcgeeaz and Vice Chair @debbielesko respond to Recorder re: in-person early voting. pic.twitter.com/eknAEGEPyS
— Maricopa County (@maricopacounty) February 27, 2026
Members of the board subsequently made social media posts claiming Heap had failed to review the entirety of the spreadsheet given to his office containing the vote sites. Several supervisors accused Heap of not reviewing additional tabs on the spreadsheet containing all early voting location options, totaling over 160 sites for use or modification.
1. Heap demands early in-person voting. 2. We give it to him. 3. We send Heap list of over 160 sites he can use or modify. 3. Heap apparently doesn't open all site spreadsheet tabs and rejects "our plan". 4. We didn't even send him a plan…just a list of voting sites. 5. 🥺 https://t.co/cl7E8tGM3F
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) February 27, 2026
Supervisor Thomas Galvin said Heap was exhibiting “bizarre behavior” and “mock[ing] the process” rather than engaging in negotiations with the board.
Bless his heart. He didn’t open all the tabs on the Excel spreadsheet. Swing and a miss, Justin. https://t.co/S9CruSFloX
— Thomas Galvin: Maricopa County Brd of Supervisors (@ThomasGalvin) February 27, 2026
On Saturday, Heap responded with an accusation that the board was “lying to voters yet again.” The recorder denied ever receiving such a spreadsheet from the board. Heap said what was given to his office was a “recycled masterlist” of all voting locations from 2024 early voting, emergency voting, and Election Day voting sites. Out of these 250 voting sites, Heap said only several dozen were early voting sites.
🚨 MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERVISORS’ FLAWED EARLY VOTING PLAN UPDATE
This week I shared my response to the Board’s demand that I approve their poorly designed, proposed early voting plan.
The cliff notes version?
The Board is lying to voters yet again.Here’s the full story. ⬇️
— Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap (@azjustinheap) February 28, 2026
Supervisors claim the recent change to the election day requires the recorder to reconfirm these contended vote sites. Earlier this month Governor Katie Hobbs signed legislation to move the primary election up from the beginning of August to the end of July to accommodate military and overseas voters. This change moved up the corresponding deadlines: voter registration ends June 22, early voting begins June 24, and the primary election day will occur July 21.
Friday was the deadline for the recorder to accept the board’s proposals for early voting sites.
The recorder and supervisors have been disputing the nature of the Shared Services Agreement since Heap took office last January.
Not all supervisors are happy with what other initiatives Heap has undertaken apart from the disputed responsibilities. Galvin remains critical of Heap’s signature verification process; he was the sole supervisor to oppose the recorder’s budget request on Wednesday for an expanded signature verification system. Galvin told KTAR on Thursday that he worried Heap’s system would disenfranchise “a lot of valid voters” in the upcoming primary and general elections.
Heap maintains the signature verification system does require a stricter review of voter signatures than what was implemented by his predecessors, but that his process does maintain the same opportunities for ballot curing.
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