Recorder Dana Lewis
Sasha Hupka
Arizona Republic
Pinal County supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to task Recorder Dana Lewis with overseeing their embattled Elections Department.
The decision comes about a week after former Elections Director Geraldine Roll resigned with a scathing email to County Manager Leo Lew, citing a toxic work environment.
She quit after less than a year in the position, and her email accused Lew of failing to protect her from attacks by county officials. She also expressed concern that county supervisors are attempting to politicize the Elections Department.
At Wednesday’s meeting, instead of putting the Elections Department under the county recorder, the supervisors had the option of voting to take more direct control over the department by moving it immediately under the board. Previously, the electionsdirector position reported to Lew, who serves at the pleasure of the board and essentially acts as the county’s chief executive officer. Chairman Jeff Serdy said he preferred putting the department under Lewis because she holds an elected position, making elections “accountable to the citizens.”
Pinal County encountered a number of election mishaps during last year’s election, including a 500-vote undercount discovered during a recount of two statewide races with tight margins. The undercount didn’t change the results of the races but added fuel to election integrity conspiracies and heightened concerns around election administration in the county.
