- Maricopa County officials reached a settlement this week to jointly oversee the vote, ending a yearlong legal battle between Recorder Justin Heap and the county board of supervisors.
- Republican Recorder Justin Heap filed the lawsuit in June 2025, alleging the board had illegally taken control of election administration responsibilities.
- The board, which called the lawsuit frivolous, approved the mediated agreement on Tuesday.
- Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said the deal gets the county “out of the courtroom” and added, “I’m sick of drama.”
- Heap said the agreement will restore his office’s statutory responsibilities and establish a clear framework for future elections.
Election officials in Arizona’s most populous county have resolved a protracted legal dispute over who controls the nuts and bolts of voting, agreeing on a framework for joint oversight that ends a lawsuit filed more than a year ago.
Republican Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap sued the county’s board of supervisors in June 2025, alleging it had illegally taken over certain election administration functions. The board, which is also majority Republican, dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous and accused Heap of wasting taxpayer money.
After mediated negotiations, the two sides reached a settlement this week, and the board approved it on Tuesday. Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee said the deal ends the conflict.
“This deal gets us out of the courtroom,” McGee said after the vote. “I’m sick of drama. We are done with being on the front page going forward.”
Heap said his goal was to ensure that his office’s statutory duties are carried out lawfully.
“I am pleased we have reached an agreement that, when implemented, will restore those responsibilities and establish a clear framework for administering elections moving forward,” Heap said in a statement released jointly with the board.