An Arizona appeals court has temporarily blocked changes to election administration in Maricopa County, preserving current procedures as the county prepares for the start of early voting in next month’s primary election.
The decision comes just days before ballots are scheduled to be mailed to voters and represents the latest development in an ongoing legal dispute between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap.
In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel granted the county board’s request to pause a lower court order that would have shifted several election-related responsibilities back to the Recorder’s Office. The stay will remain in effect while the appeal is considered.
The conflict centers on how election duties are divided between the Recorder’s Office and the Board of Supervisors. Earlier this year, a Superior Court judge ruled that certain responsibilities should be returned to the recorder, reversing portions of an administrative arrangement established under Heap’s predecessor.
County officials argued that implementing significant operational changes so close to an election could create confusion and disrupt established procedures. The appeals court agreed that altering election administration on the eve of voting posed potential risks and cited longstanding legal principles discouraging major election changes immediately before ballots are cast.
As a result of the ruling, Maricopa County will continue conducting the upcoming election under its current framework while the legal challenge proceeds.
The case has drawn significant attention because early voting for the July primary is scheduled to begin June 24. Election officials have emphasized that voters should not experience any immediate changes to voting procedures as a result of the court’s decision.
Recorder Heap indicated that the legal battle is far from over and plans to seek review by the Arizona Supreme Court. His office maintains that state law assigns key election functions to the county recorder and argues that the lower court correctly interpreted those responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Board of Supervisors contends that maintaining existing procedures is necessary to ensure a smooth and orderly election process while the courts resolve the dispute.
The appeal is expected to continue in the coming months, but for now, Maricopa County’s election operations will remain unchanged as voting begins for the upcoming primary.
