Voters say their signatures were faked on candidate’s petitions
By Dustin Gardiner and Alison Steinbach | The Republic
Mark Syms, an independent candidate for the Arizona Senate, appears to have submitted dozens — potentially hundreds — of forged signatures on his nominating petitions for the ballot.
The Arizona Republic has confirmed with more than 20 voters listed as signatories on Syms’ nomination petitions that they did not, in fact, sign the forms. Many said they have never heard of Mark Syms, that they do not sign political petitions, or that they were out of the state on the date the signatures were collected.
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Syms is running for Senate in Legislative District 28, a swing district that encompasses parts of north-central Phoenix, Arcadia, Biltmore and Paradise Valley. Candidates in Arizona must collect signatures from voters to appear on the ballot.
The race could alter the balance of power in the Arizona Legislature, flipping it to Democratic control, and is one of the most competitive in the state this year. District 28 has become embroiled in an intra-party civil war between Syms and his wife, Republican state Rep. Maria Syms, and other GOP candidates.
