State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita argues her bill encourages good government.
By Rebekah L. Sanders | The Republic
Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, the first Democrat elected to the office in at least 50 years, could be stripped of his ability to run county elections as a result of legislation touted by a Republican lawmaker.
State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita argues her bill encourages good government. Fontes blasts it as “political sour grapes.” Despite the maneuvering, other county officials say a major shakeup of election operations appears unlikely.
The crux of the debate is the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors decision in 1955 to delegate election duties to the Recorder’s Office, the same way two other Arizona counties — Coconino and Navajo — do. The board renewed that agreement four times.
