Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is rejecting claims that Maricopa County election workers could face felony charges for collecting ballots from drop boxes approved by the county Board of Supervisors.
The dispute began earlier this week when the board voted to approve 12 ballot drop box locations ahead of the July 2026 primary election. Ten of the sites are located inside city government buildings, while two additional drop boxes are monitored by cameras at election offices in downtown Phoenix and Mesa.
The decision prompted a legal warning from Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, whose attorney argued that Arizona law gives the recorder sole authority to establish ballot drop boxes. The letter further claimed county employees collecting ballots from locations not authorized by the recorder could potentially violate the state’s ballot harvesting law.
Mayes responded Thursday with a sharply worded letter dismissing the legal argument and defending the county’s longstanding election procedures.
The attorney general argued that the board’s actions were consistent with established practice and rejected the idea that ballot drop boxes should legally be considered early voting locations.
In her response, Mayes warned against introducing legal uncertainty as election preparations ramp up for next year’s primary, saying threats of criminal prosecution could undermine confidence in the election process.
The disagreement also drew criticism from Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Debbie Lesko, who described the felony warning issued by Heap’s attorney as “outrageous” during an appearance on KTAR News.
Lesko said efforts to resolve disagreements with Heap’s office have repeatedly stalled, despite prior discussions between county election officials and the recorder’s staff regarding election procedures for 2026.
The latest conflict marks another chapter in the ongoing power struggle between Heap and the Board of Supervisors over control of election operations in Maricopa County.
Arizona’s 2026 primary election is scheduled for July 21.
