By Matthew Holloway |
During a special meeting on January 6th, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors were sworn into office, and the new Chairman of the Board, Thomas Galvin, was voted into office unanimously by his peers. According to a press release, the newly elected Chairman Galvin addressed the Board and the county, proposing several new initiatives to “bring increased prosperity and security,” to Maricopa County.
Galvin told the meeting, “We aim to be a board of action, and I aim to deliver a consequential chairmanship that will achieve substantial results.”
Galvin, who represents District 2, acknowledged the historic note of his election as Maricopa County’s first Latino Chairman three years after becoming the first Latino Republican elected to the Board.
During his remarks, Galvin set out his priorities for the Board as being: Safety, the Jail Excise Tax, the Melendres Consent Decree impacting the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Economic Development, Housing, Transportation, Water, Elections, and County Staffing.
One standout moment occurred when Galvin stressed his desire to bring back the NHL to the valley following the departure of the Coyotes from Glendale.
“I’ve been talking to Bettman,” he told reporters, referring to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Regarding elections, Galvin broke with many Republicans critical of Arizona’s process stating, “For anyone still going on about widespread fraud or stolen elections, stop it. To continue to do so is destructive and irresponsible.”
He added, “But what I do appreciate are the people who want to make a good system better. Supervisors Lesko, Brophy McGee, and Stewart each have told me they would like to see Maricopa County examine ways it can improve its elections procedures and provide even more transparency to voters. I agree with them!”
Galvin followed with a brief rundown of reforms:
“My ‘95:1 plan’ would ensure 95% of all votes are tabulated by the end of election night. People want election results faster, and when misinformation has more time to fester, it breeds mistrust in our system.
Our state’s inadequate election laws place the burdens on counties and when voters get frustrated by the process, some denounce our election workers and volunteers who are blameless here. I don’t want our election staff to endure that kind of abuse ever again. They work too hard to have to deal with that nonsense.
Here’s how the legislature and the governor can support our election workers and serve voters in a better fashion:
• First, establish a cutoff date for early ballot drop offs
• Second, use government buildings to host polling sites
• Third, eliminate emergency voting for the Saturday and Monday before election day and allow everyone to utilize in-person voting on those days.
Expanding onsite tabulation on Saturday and Monday before election day solves two challenges regarding access to voting and the speed of results.”
In addition to Galvin’s election as Chairman, three new members of the Board were sworn in with Republican Supervisors Mark Stewart (District 1), Kate Brophy McGee (District 3), and former Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (District 4) joining the five-member body. Supervisor Brophy McGee was appointed to serve as Vice Chair.
“This is a place where I believe I can make a difference on kitchen table, quality of life issues like cost of living, jobs, and public safety,” Brophy McGee said. “I know there are good people and programs already in place at Maricopa County, but there’s so much work to be done to get drugs like fentanyl off our streets, address the homelessness and affordable housing crisis plaguing our county, and ensure our region grows in a smart way. I can’t wait to get started.”
Lesko told the gathered meeting, “Thank you to the great people of the West Valley for your continued support! I’m excited to represent you as your Maricopa County Supervisor. I promise to work hard for you, just as I have done as your U.S. Congresswoman and Arizona State Legislator. My priorities include public safety, election integrity and ensuring your taxpayer dollars are used wisely.”
Stewart similarly noted, “I will collaborate with the community and staff to ensure our county government is transparent and delivers consistent, high-quality services at a fair cost. Working together we can build a thriving environment where families and businesses succeed, and government serves as a reliable partner in our shared future.”
Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
