In a significant legal development, Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd has pleaded guilty to delaying the certification of the 2022 election, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Monday. Judd, a Republican, admitted to failing to canvass the election as required by law and accepted a plea deal, resulting in a Class 3 misdemeanor charge for “Failure or Refusal to Perform Duty by an Election Officer.”
Attorney General Mayes emphasized the importance of maintaining election integrity, stating, “Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated. This plea agreement serves as a strong reminder that we will use every tool available to uphold the rule of law.”
Judd’s guilty plea comes with unsupervised probation of no less than 90 days and a potential fine of up to $500. The case stems from Judd’s and fellow Republican Supervisor Tom Crosby’s initial refusal to certify the 2022 election results, despite a court order. Though Crosby remained defiant, Judd eventually voted to certify alongside a Democratic supervisor after legal intervention.
This case highlights the tension surrounding Arizona’s elections, as Mayes herself was elected in 2022 amid legal challenges from her GOP opponent, Abe Hamadeh, who unsuccessfully contested the results.
