Democrat Kris Mayes, candidate Arizona Attorney General, speaks with the media after a televised debate against Republican Abraham Hamadeh, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
There was no evidence that any ballots or votes were tampered with or changed in Cochise County, nor in the rest of the state.
A Republican county supervisor in Cochise County pleaded guilty on Oct. 21 after she tried to delay certification of the 2022 midterm elections.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Peggy Judd entered into a plea agreement with the state and pleaded guilty to refusing to perform the duty of an election officer, a misdemeanor.
Judd will be sentenced to unsupervised probation for 90 days and pay a fine of $500. She’ll be able to stay on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors because she avoided felony charges.
The 2022 election was rife with election misinformation. Arizona Republicans, including gubernatorial election loser Kari Lake, pushed or shared a variety of conspiracy theories with the goal of misleading voters, instilling a lack of confidence in the election, and ultimately seating Republicans who hadn’t earned the office.
RELATED: Arizona Republicans are pushing conspiracy theories about the 2022 election—here’s what actually happened
Last year, Judd was charged by a state grand jury alongside fellow Cochise County supervisor Tom Crosby. Both were involved in attempting to delay the certification of election results, as Republican politicians and influencers pushed unsubstantiated claims of fraud.
There was no evidence that any ballots or votes were tampered with or changed in Cochise County, nor in the rest of the state.
Cochise County was eventually ordered to certify the election by court order.
The 2022 election wasn’t Judd’s first time flirting with election denialism. She attended the “Stop the Steal” rally near the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to reporting from The Arizona Republic.
“Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated. My office will continue to pursue justice and ensure that anyone who undermines our electoral system is held accountable,” Mayes said in a press release.
“Today’s plea agreement and sentencing should serve as a strong reminder that I will not hesitate to use every tool available to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of Arizona’s elections,” she said.
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