Arizona official who delayed 2022 election certification pleads guilty

One of two rural Arizona county supervisors who faced criminal charges for refusing to canvass the 2022 midterm results pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor count of failing to perform her duty as an election officer.

One of two rural Arizona county supervisors who faced criminal charges for refusing to canvass the 2022 midterm results pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor count of failing to perform her duty as an election officer. Coming two weeks before the November 5 general election, the acknowledgment of guilt by Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd was seen by some as a warning to other Arizona county officials who might once again be pressured by election conspiracists not to certify the results. “Judd’s official guilty plea represents an important development in securing election integrity in Arizona,” said Thomas Volgy, a former Tucson, Arizona, mayor and professor at the University of Arizona, where he specializes in democratic processes. “It should be a loud wake-up call to county elected officials that they cannot fiddle with the vote intentions of Arizonans for cheap partisan gain.” Peter Bondi, managing director of the nonprofit group Informing Democracy, said in a statement that Judd’s plea “is a clear reminder that the duty to certify is not optional, and should deter every election official from attempting to subvert the will of voters.” “This is a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and most importantly for every voter who casts a ballot this year,” Bondi said. Judd avoided a possible felony charge by entering the plea under an agreement reached in Maricopa County Superior Court, where the criminal case was filed. Judd will be sentenced to unsupervised probation for not less than 90 days and she will pay a maximum $500 fine, said a spokesperson for Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.