By Jessica Boehm | Arizona Republic
Two Republicans are looking to unseat Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes this election cycle. The recorder’s office oversees voter registration and early voting and maintains the recorded documents for the county.
Fontes, who assumed office after a fumbled presidential preference election in 2016 by the former county recorder pledged to simplify the voting process and eradicate long wait times.
He has mostly accomplished that, though during the first major election he oversaw in August 2018, voter check-in equipment was not properly installed at 62 polling places, leaving voters unable to secure ballots in the morning hours.
The incident caused the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to take over some oversight of the elections process.