Instead of cooperating, Chairman Thomas Galvin illegally blocked staff, resources, and budget from the Recorder's Office, slowing down election integrity. This isn't political; it's about vote integrity, citizenship voting rights, and the people having access to their government!
Chairman Galvin is:
❌ Refusing to give Recorder Heap his entire budget
❌ Refusing to give Heap back his staff
❌ Refusing to give Heap back his IT Department and servers
❌ Refused to give Heap access to key County buildings where the Recorder’s staff works
❌ Delayed approving Heap’s Deputy Recorder pick
❌ Threatening to arrest citizens at public meetings for criticizing his decisions
❌ Preventing disabled citizens from participating in public comment
❌ Trying to turn the Recorder duties over to bad actors who keep our elections chaotic and skirt the law
It's a never-ending election integrity fairy tale nightmare! When do the citizens of Maricopa County get our happily ever after with free, fair, and transparent elections?
An election is coming up in May, and without Recorder Heap having access to his staff, budget, and resources, it's unlikely the election departments will be prepared to have a smooth election.
The people are tired of chaotic elections, so the Recorder was elected to have full access and ownership to his staff, resources, and budget so that he could do his job and secure his portion of the election administration!
Contact Info for Chairman Thomas Galvin: 602-506-7431; district2@maricopa.gov
Chairman Galvin Refuses to Meet with Recorder Heap
UPDATE: Chairman Thomas Galvin did meet with Recorder Heap on March 4, 2025. Nothing consequential came from the meeting.
Did Chairman Galvin Lie about Meetings on the SSA with the Recorder & His Staff?
We are pending the release of a public records request to confirm these meetings that Galvin claims occurred.
Legal History and Precedent
A hostile County Board Chairman holding resources from a County elected office isn't new. It's a tactic used before, and courts have always shut it down.
When Yavapai County Board of Supervisors pulled similar stunts in removing essential personnel from County Assessors Office, the Arizona Attorney General published a summary that the BOS "exceeded it's authority." See https://www.azag.gov/opinions/i15-013-r15-017
Additionally, the AG Opinion goes to reference Romley v. Daughton, 225 Ariz. 521 (App. 2010):
"Consistent with that premise, the Arizona Court of Appeals has recognized under analogous circumstances the inherent limitations on a county board of supervisors’ authority."
It's not as if the Board Chairman isn't aware that the courts have always ruled against such hostile BOS tactics. So why Chairman Galvin wasting the time of the Board and delaying the Recorder from being able to fulfill his duties of securing our elections?
Buckle up. The budget doesn't get approved until June. So we have several more months of ridiculous stunts ahead if you don't make your voice heard NOW!
As Election Responsibilties Shifted to the Board of Supervisors, Election Administration Suffered
The best division of election responsibilities is a truly bifurcated system of checks and balances, similar to how the Arizona Statute assigns the duties. The chart below shows how the statutes divide election responsibilities versus how Maricopa County has consolidated power and resources, stripping key duties from the elected Recorder's Office.
In the chart below, the torch logo = the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. The orange cactus logo with the middle finger = Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
3/12/25 UPDATE: A Temporary Agreement for the May Election Doesn't Solve the Problems
AZCentral reports a temporary agreement is now in place for the May election, but it doesn't solve the problems which have created chaos in previous elections.
"I think we can get through the May elections, but November will be a higher intensity election with far more ballots being sent out," said Sam Stone, chief of staff at the Recorder's Office. "And then, clearly, we need to have an agreement in place before the 2026 cycle begins."
3/10/25 UPDATE: Previous Shared Services Agreement Canceled by Recorder Heap
Washington Post reports that on January 27th, 2025 Recorder Heap sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors canceling the Shared Services Agreement which took away his staff, budget and resources to fulfill the voter mandate to secure his portion of the elections.
