Arizona Republican lawmakers call for investigation into county registrar's handling of 2024 elections

Arizona Republican lawmakers are calling for Pima County Clerk Gabriella Cazares-Kelly to be investigated for her handling of the 2024 general election, accusing her of shutting down a ballot request portal early before the legal deadline for early voting requests, among two other potential allegations. misconduct.

Arizona state Reps. Teresa Martinez and Rachel Jones wrote a letter to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes last week requesting an investigation following reports of “significant and very of concern” involving Cazares-Kelly’s actions before and during the election, the lawmakers said in a statement. joint statement on Monday. Cazares-Kelly, a progressive Democrat, has been in power since 2021.

Martinez and Jones say the Pima County Registrar's Office disabled its online ballot request system six days before the legal deadline, affecting nearly 4,000 voters. They say the decision raised concerns about compliance with Arizona's election laws and potential voter disenfranchisement in the county, located in southern Arizona. The county has a population of just over 1 million, according to the 2020 census, making it the second most populous county in Arizona, behind Maricopa County.

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Arizona Republican lawmakers are calling for Pima County Clerk Gabriella Cazares-Kelly, pictured, to be investigated for her handling of the 2024 general election, accusing her of shutting down a early voting request portal before the legal deadline for early voting requests, among others. allegations of misconduct. (REUTERS/Rebecca Noble, left, and Nick Oza-USA TODAY NETWORK, right.)

Both men also raised concerns that the voter registration program's inadequate safeguards for inmates could have allowed ineligible people to vote. They say previous inquiries into the matter, including a letter sent by Jones and state Rep. Cory McGarr on June 5, have gone unanswered.

Third, Martinez and Rachel Jones say the method of processing, storing and tracking undeliverable ballots under Cazares-Kelly's leadership also came up.

A follow-up letter sent by Jones and McGarr on Oct. 24 to clarify compliance with Arizona law also received no response, according to the letter.

“Election integrity is the foundation of our democracy, and voters deserve to know that their elections are administered fairly, legally and transparently,” Martinez said in a statement. “The numerous irregularities and lack of accountability on the part of the Pima County Recorder’s Office demand a thorough investigation.”

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Arizona state Reps. Teresa Martinez and Rachel Jones wrote a letter last week to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, pictured, demanding an investigation following reports of “significant and very concerning issues” involving Cazares-Kelly's actions before and during the election. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Jones added that: “When nearly 4,000 voters face obstacles in requesting a ballot, and when questions about illegal voting and the processing of ballots are met with silence, it is clear that action Immediate action is necessary to restore public confidence. »

Fox News Digital reached out to Cazares-Kelly's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

A spokesperson for the Arizona Attorney General's office, Kris Mayes, said they received the letter but declined to comment further, telling Fox News Digital that the attorney general's office does not comment on potential investigations.

Cazares-Kelly is the first Native American woman elected to a seat in Pima County, according to her campaign website. She is chair of the Progressive Democrats of Southern Arizona and vice chair of the Native American Caucus of the Arizona Democratic Party.

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On the campaign trail, Trump called Cheney a war hawk and posited how she might feel being in a war zone with “nine barrels shooting at her.” (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson; Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

In Martinez and Jones' letter, the two men referenced Mayes' comments last month that his office was investigating whether President-elect Trump's remarks about former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney were considered a threat of death under Arizona law.

On the campaign trail, Trump called Cheney a war hawk and posited how she might feel being in a war zone with “nine barrels shooting at her.”

“Arizonians deserve free, fair and transparent elections,” the letter read. “In light of your recent decision to immediately investigate President-elect Donald Trump's speech (although you later determined that his remarks were protected by the First Amendment), we hope you will agree that the alarming conduct of Recorder Cazares-Kelly in the administration of the 2024 general elections warrants further investigation.”

READ THE LETTER BELOW. APPLICATION USERS CLICK HERE.