June 08, 2026

Recorder Seeks Emergency Court Intervention After Board Targets Election Workers with Criminal Investigations

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap has filed an emergency motion with the Superior Court after armed sheriff’s deputies appeared at the homes of multiple Recorder’s Office employees and informed them that they were under criminal investigation.

The investigation began after Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell’s Office acted on allegations made by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Elections Department concerning election equipment currently at issue in the ongoing litigation between the Recorder and the Board.

The alleged offense is simple: Recorder’s Office employees are being accused of wrongdoing for attempting to use equipment that was purchased entirely with Recorder’s Office funds and is owned exclusively by the Recorder’s Office.

County records show the equipment was acquired using Recorder-controlled Early Voting funds and was never transferred to the Elections Department. Even more concerning, the equipment is among the election systems, resources, and operational assets that the Court has already determined were unlawfully taken from the Recorder’s Office and ordered returned.

The Board is attempting to criminalize the lawful actions of election workers carrying out their duties with equipment owned by the Recorder’s Office.

This latest investigation is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of attacks by the Board directed at Recorder’s Office personnel throughout the last eighteen months.

“This is not the first time the Board has made reckless and false accusations against employees of the Recorder’s Office,” Heap said. “Over the past year, multiple members of my senior staff have been forced to obtain outside legal counsel to defend themselves against baseless allegations and personal attacks. Members of this office have been threatened, doxed, and falsely accused in repeated attempts to intimidate them for simply doing their jobs.”

Heap also noted the irony of the Board’s recent public claims regarding poll workers.

“For weeks, the Board has attempted to convince the public that I somehow intend to seek criminal penalties against election workers for performing their duties,” Heap said. “That claim is a lie, and they know it. Yet, while making those false accusations, the Board was quietly pursuing criminal investigations and penalties against election workers employed by the Recorder’s Office.”

The Recorder noted the stark contrast between the Board’s public statements and its private conduct.

“The voters of Maricopa County need to understand what is actually happening here,” Heap said. “This is not a routine disagreement between two well-meaning county offices trying to work through a policy dispute. My office recognizes that the Recorder’s Office and the Board’s staff must work together to successfully administer elections. We have consistently sought that cooperation.”

“Unfortunately, this latest assault on my staff perfectly illustrates why meaningful cooperation has been impossible. While the Board publicly talks about collaboration, claims it wants to work together, and falsely accuses others of creating conflict, behind the scenes it bullies employees, interferes with the Recorder’s operations, and now seeks to subject election workers to criminal investigations for attempting to lawfully do their job using equipment purchased and owned by the Recorder’s Office.”

In response, the Recorder has filed an emergency motion asking the Court to intervene immediately, order the return of the disputed equipment, halt further retaliatory actions against Recorder personnel, and ensure compliance with the Court’s prior orders before the 2026 Primary Election.

“The targeting of my staff is completely unacceptable,” Heap said. “No public employee should fear being threatened with criminal investigation for attempting to carry out a court-ordered responsibility. If this is how the Board treats career professionals behind closed doors, it explains exactly why meaningful cooperation has been impossible. The voters of Maricopa County deserve election administration governed by law, not intimidation.”

Emergency Motion Here
Deputy Recorder Jeff Mason Declaration

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Media Contact:
Judy Keane
[email protected]