Statement on Cochise County Peggy Judd’s Guilty Plea For Delaying Certification

Today, following the Arizona Attorney General’s announcement that Cochise County supervisor Peggy Judd entered a guilty plea on a charge of failing to perform her duty as an election official and for her efforts to delay the county’s certification for the November 2022 general election, Informing Democracy Managing Director Peter Bondi issued the below statement:

“By successfully pursuing Peggy Judd’s guilty plea for breaking Arizona election law, Attorney General Kris Mayes has reaffirmed a core tenet of our democracy: politicians do not determine the outcome of elections, voters do. Judd’s admission of guilt is a clear reminder that the duty to certify is not optional, and should deter every election official from attempting to subvert the will of voters.

“This is a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and most importantly for every voter who casts a ballot this year. Arizonans should continue to feel confident that their votes will be counted accurately and that there are protections in place to hold rogue officials like Judd accountable if they break the law.”

Additional Background:

Earlier this year, Informing Democracy released a report providing a detailed look at the vote counting and certification processes in Arizona to identify potential vulnerabilities. The report identified several members of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors as exhibiting anti-democratic tendencies—including both Judd and Crosby.