One Arizona lawmaker is making a push for greater state sovereignty.
Last week, State Representative Lisa Fink, a Republican, wrote an op-ed, entitled, “Make Arizona Sovereign Again.” In this piece, the first-term legislator makes the case for three of her bills that “push back against federal overreach and empower our citizens to take back control of their lives by restoring transparency in our elections, unleashing economic prosperity with our natural resources, and safeguarding the health and safety of Arizonans, putting the people and economy of our state first.”
The first bill Fink highlights is HB 2059, which would “ensure Arizona and employees of its state agencies are no longer forced to uphold various federal regulations on critical natural resource industries, like mining, coal, oil, and gas, that violate the clear boundaries of the U.S. Constitution. Representative Fink states that Arizona “must have the freedom to prioritize its own economic prosperity and environmental stewardship without being bound by harmful federal mandates.”
The second bill the state lawmaker presents is HB 2060, which would “strictly adher[e] to established laws on voter registration, citizenship, residency, and proof of identification. Fink opined that “securing our polls, free from outside interference, is of the utmost importance to preserving trust in our processes.”
The final bill that Representative Fink addressed was HB 2056, which would “take a proactive stance against federal efforts to alter the environment, protecting our state’s autonomy.” The Republican legislator states that she introduced this legislation because of the “growing issue of environmental manipulation, specifically addressing concerns over weather modification techniques like geoengineering and solar radiation management perpetrated by the federal government and multinational organizations. Fink added that “Arizona’s environment and natural resources belong to the people of this state – not federal agencies and certainly not the global elite.”
As she ended her piece, Representative Fink wrote, “The message is clear: Arizona will not tolerate unconstitutional federal overreach. From energy independence and mineral dominance to election integrity to defending our environment, this series of bills reasserts Arizona’s Tenth Amendment rights over the federal government and puts Arizona first. This is about reclaiming the freedom that is rightfully ours.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona’s former secretary of state, state senator, and 2020 election auditor, Ken Bennett, will serve as chair of AUDIT USA.
AUDIT USA — Americans United for Democracy, Integrity, and Transparency in Elections — is a nonprofit dedicated to public oversight of elections that best deters election fraud. Bennett, a Republican, will lead AUDIT USA, though it maintains a bipartisan cohort and its co-founder is a self-described “progressive Democrat.”
AUDIT USA’s current efforts focus on establishing Auditable Ballot Examination (ABE), an audit system independent of the Election Management System enabling officials and voters to verify election outcomes through access to anonymized digital ballot images. ABE reportedly boasts the capability of sorting by race, precinct, overvotes, undervotes, and write-in candidates promptly.
AUDIT USA offers a version of ABE that operates as a beta to showcase its capabilities.
AUDIT USA worked on ABE-prompted bipartisan legislation in 2023 that gained the support of Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.
“In an era where democracy faces unprecedented challenges, every vote must be verifiable, and every citizen must have access to clear, trustworthy election data,” stated Bennett in a press release.
Fontes, in a statement, said he welcomed the proof of clean elections that the proposed audit system would afford.
“[This tool would] get rid of the election fraud nonsense,” said Fontes. “Get rid of the lies and the conspiracy theories once and for all.”
Other goals of AUDIT USA include email-enabled excel spreadsheets hyperlinked to securely stored, cloud-based ballot images; optimizing platforms to become more user friendly; and improving verification systems to increase the accuracy and speed of cross-check examinations of election results.
Bennett served as the Arizona Senate’s liaison during the audit of Maricopa County’s 2020 election results conducted by private data firm Cyber Ninjas. Around that stint in elections oversight, Bennett served in the State Senate from 1999 to 2007 and then 2023 to 2025.
Bennett capitalized on that latter return to the Arizona legislature to advocate for election integrity improvements. He was the lawmaker who led on the ABE-inspired legislation in 2023, and in 2024 he attempted to realize the proposal again through a $2 million designation from the budget to pay for the creation of the analytical tool.
In that 2023 proposal, SB1324, Bennett’s pitch to lawmakers cited the close loss endured by now-Congressman Abe Hamadeh in the attorney general’s race. Bennett argued that voters would have more confidence if they could see for themselves that the 280-vote lead by Mayes was truly owing to thousands of voters declining to vote in that race.
Governor Katie Hobbs ultimately vetoed the bill after it was substituted for HB2560 with its similar provisions. Hobbs claimed the bill would create problems with anonymity and both misinformation and disinformation.
AUDIT USA co-founder John Brakey served under Bennett as deputy liaison for the 2021 election audit. Brakey currently serves as the organization director. Other members: secretary and treasurer Arlene Leaf, and board members Bill Risner, Bennie Smith, Lynn Bernstein, and Susan Pynchon.
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A longtime west valley public servant is making good on a campaign promise in her new office.
Former U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko was sworn into the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for District 4 on Monday. In a post following the ceremony, Lesko said, “Honored to be sworn in today as your Maricopa County Supervisor. Thank you to the great people of the West Valley for your continued support! My priorities include public safety, election integrity and ensuring your taxpayer dollars are used wisely.”
Honored to be sworn in today as your Maricopa County Supervisor. Thank you to the great people of the West Valley for your continued support! My priorities include public safety, election integrity and ensuring your taxpayer dollars are used wisely. pic.twitter.com/sAjPt7LVxa
In her first address as a county supervisor, Lesko confirmed that she would be “pushing … for a comprehensive audit of the entire election system in Maricopa County” – as a part of her priority to safeguard election integrity in her jurisdiction, which she had promised voters on the campaign trail. Supervisor Lesko also clarified her strong desire that this audit would be undertaken by a “reputable firm.” She received applause from some members of the audience at the Board of Supervisors meeting – its first of the new year and term.
Maricopa County Board of Supervisor @DebbieLesko says she will be “pushing and have talked to people about it, for a compressive audit of the entire election system in Maricopa County…” @abc15pic.twitter.com/Hy8kpPKcLZ
The new chairman of the Board, Supervisor Thomas Galvin, announced that he and his colleagues would, in fact, spearhead a “comprehensive review” of Maricopa County’s elections this year to “ensure we are operating at optimum quality.”
BREAKING: Maricopa County supervisors will commission a "comprehensive audit" of the county's election system this year, new Chairman @ThomasGalvin announces.
Supervisor @DebbieLesko says she wants this done by a "reputable firm."
Supervisor Lesko also noted her call late last year with the Florida Secretary of State and Arizona Senate President, where the group discussed “the differences between the states’ election systems and…areas where we can improve.” Republicans on this board will be looking to the Governor and state legislature to enact changes in statute to improve speed and efficiency of election results across Arizona.
Lesko’s successor in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Abraham Hamadeh, noted the efforts from his predecessor on the election front, writing, “Congratulations to former Congresswoman and now Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko on her swearing-in! Supervisor Lesko is already hitting the ground running honoring her commitment to election integrity by proposing a full audit of our election system processes.”
Congratulations to former Congresswoman and now Maricopa County Supervisor @DebbieLesko on her swearing-in! Supervisor Lesko is already hitting the ground running honoring her commitment to election integrity by proposing a full audit of our election system process. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/BGySuIveZs
A southern Arizona elections official is facing a potential investigation over her jurisdiction’s execution of the recent November General Election.
On Monday, state Representatives Teresa Martinez and Rachel Jones sent a request to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, asking her office to conduct an investigation “into the Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly’s handling of the 2024 General Election.”
🚨State Representatives Teresa Martinez & Rachel Jones Request Attorney General Investigation Into Pima County Election Administration
“Election integrity is the foundation of our democracy, and voters deserve to know their elections are being administered fairly, lawfully, and… pic.twitter.com/BJFmLiloSK
The Republican lawmakers raised a number of issues stemming from the election in Pima County, including “shutting down of early ballot request portal, inmate voter registration program, [and] handling of undeliverable and returned ballots.”
“Election integrity is the foundation of our democracy, and voters deserve to know their elections are being administered fairly, lawfully, and transparently,” said Representative Martinez. “The numerous irregularities and lack of accountability from the Pima County Recorder’s Office demand a full investigation.”
“When nearly 4,000 voters face barriers to requesting a ballot, and when questions about unlawful voting and ballot processing are met with silence, it’s clear that immediate action is needed to restore public trust,” added Representative Jones.
In their letter to Mayes, the two legislators wrote, “Arizonans deserve free, fair, and transparent elections. In light of your recent decision to immediately investigate President-Elect Donald Trump over his speech (although you later determined his remarks were protected by the First Amendment), we hope you will agree that Recorder Cázares-Kelly’s alarming conduct administering the 2024 General Election warrants a thorough investigation.”
The Pima County Recorder appears to be a proud Democrat activist alongside her nonpartisan position as an election official. During this just-completed elections cycle, Cázares-Kelly posted a picture with Jane Fonda, and boasted about shaking former President Barack Obama’s hand at a political event.
Love this photo of me & goddess @Janefonda during her recent visit to Tucson w/ @janeclimatepac. She was making a joke out of the side of her mouth as I laughed in delight. She talked about her decades of enviro activism, even recalling getting arrested alongside @standwithraul! pic.twitter.com/MDWvOAplJC
Cázares-Kelly also shared a video of Mayes dancing at a political rally in October.
Lol. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes twirling away to @tigresdelnorte is exactly what I needed to see on my timeline as I inhaled my lunch finally.
National and local Republicans are pulling out all the stops to protect election integrity in the critical swing-state of Arizona for the upcoming November contest.
Last week, the Donald J. Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced the creation of a new Election Integrity team in Arizona. The team will be shepherded by Harmeet Dhillon. According to the press release issued by the coalition, the team “will stop Democrat interference and secure Arizona’s elections.”
“We are proud to announce President Trump’s appointment of Harmeet Dhillon as our new legal counsel in Arizona,” said Trump Campaign Managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump. “She will spearhead critical legal battles, stop the many attacks on the integrity of our elections, and lead our winning election integrity team to Protect the Vote. Election Integrity is the top priority for President Trump, his campaign, and the RNC, and with a fair and secure election Arizona will send President Trump back to the White House. Harmeet is an unmatched force for Election Integrity and will lead the fight, and win, to secure Arizona’s elections – for our country’s most important election.”
Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Gina Swoboda added, “Arizona is the battleground for this election, and Harmeet is ready to lead the fight. We are committed to an honest and secure election system, that counts every legal vote properly. Arizonans, and Americans, deserve nothing less, and we are full steam ahead in our unprecedented dedication to Election Integrity.”
After the revelation about her appointment, Dhillon said, “I’m happy to report that after meeting and speaking with state party and candidates and outside volunteer groups and Arizona lawyers, we are in better shape this cycle than ever before and on a strong legal and political footing for Republican victory in AZ.”
🥵 I’m happy to report that after meeting and speaking with state party and candidates and outside volunteer groups and Arizona lawyers, we are in better shape this cycle than ever before and on a strong legal and political footing for Republican victory in AZ! Have to stay cool! pic.twitter.com/netML2VHL4
Early voting in Arizona is now officially underway across the state with ballots hitting mailboxes and voters frequenting sites to cast their ballots ahead of the November 5 General Election. Besides the contest for President of the United States, Arizona features other pivotal races, including U.S. Senate, state legislature seats that could determine party control of either chamber, and constitutional amendments with key implications for the future of the state.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
