An elected supervisor in Arizona’s Maricopa County said Thursday that he would not seek reelection amid ongoing scrutiny of the county’s handling of its elections under his tenure.
“Regardless of personal partisan preferences or external pressure, I remained focused on making our region the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Supervisor Bill Gates said.
The board of supervisors, which is responsible for handling the county’s elections, came under intense scrutiny following the 2022 gubernatorial election, during which the county faced machine malfunctions that Republican candidate Kari Lake alleged disenfranchised her supporters and swung the election in favor of her opponent.
Lake pointed to Gates and County Recorder Stephen Richer in calls to recall the members of the board earlier this year.