Secretary of State Adrian Fontes maintains that election skeptics and scrutinizers are undermining a healthy election system, and that he has been one of the best elections chiefs in state history.
Fontes specifically targeted the opponent to his incumbency, Republican lawmaker Alex Kolodin (LD03), calling him a “radical election denier” for raising concerns about Arizona’s elections system.
“You got a guy here who wants to kill ballot by mail,” said Fontes. “This is not someone who you want running elections.”
Fontes also recently claimed that the state’s voter rolls were more accurate and secure under his administration than any other.
“[N]o one has done more to keep Arizona’s voter rolls accurate and secure than Secretary Adrian Fontes,” stated the office.
The choice is simple: protect your vote or lose it. My opponent is a radical election denier who wants to end vote by mail. Not on my watch. pic.twitter.com/8oNIxawjHB
— Adrian Fontes (@Adrian_Fontes) July 23, 2026
And yet, Arizona elections continue to be plagued by a faulty statewide voter registration system, the Arizona Voter Information Database (AVID).
Fontes and Gov. Katie Hobbs, who launched the system while secretary of state, have allegedly been hiding “known problems” with AVID from lawmakers, county officials, and the press since 2019.
Republican State Rep. John Gillette (LD30) responded to Fontes with a reminder of ongoing problems within Arizona’s voter system.
Gillette also claimed that media outlets have generally shown disinterest in his findings of issues within the system: voter roll numbers, whistleblower statements, and legal conflicts. Gillette called the media “straight propagandist for the left,” and a far cry from their original mission as a check on the government.
“The fake news media again allowed Fontes to ‘set a false narrative,’” said Gillette. “No curiosity from the media to tell the truth. Many voters simply don’t have the time to read the law and do the work… they end up believing in the institution of failed media.”
Gillette pointed out how Maricopa and Pima counties have been operating separate voter registration systems despite state law requiring one statewide system, as well as system defects with the sharing and exchange of voters’ Arizona Motor Vehicles and address data, and the system’s continued auditing weaknesses.
According to Gillette, these alleged issues cause duplication or conflicts within voter records, erroneous ballot printing, retention of nonqualified or misqualified voter registrations, and lowered voter confidence.
As a consequence of these purportedly unresolved issues, Gillette said that the voter rolls contain ineligible voters.
“Illegals, non-citizens, unqualified, and the dead are on the rolls, Fontes knows it, Hobbs knows it and Mayes won’t do anything about it,” said Gillette.
Fontes deems people myself included as "election deniers" because we dont agree that registration and voting system functions correctly.
What do you call it when Fontes the accuser knew the problems existed before the so called deniers.
I sponsored physical presence and… https://t.co/rdsnKI4qND pic.twitter.com/E2U9liHmlL
— Rep. John Gillette AZ House LD30 (@AzRepGillette) July 25, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning issued to election administrators in Arizona and the other 49 states earlier this month that they could face criminal charges should they intentionally or unintentionally allow noncitizens to vote.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent the advisory; for advising on strict oversight regarding citizenship, Mullin was subjected to Fontes’ wrath.
“Mullin can go suck on a salt lick,” said Fontes in a statement to the Arizona Mirror.
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice subpoenaed the state’s voter rolls as part of a criminal investigation. That investigation remains active.
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