(The Center Square) – Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd pleaded guilty to election interference when canvassing the 2022 midterm elections. Following the midterm election, Judd proposed that the canvassing of the elections be delayed, which was done following an affirmative vote from one supervisor – Tom Crosby.
“On or between October 11, 2022, and December 1, 2022, I, Peggy Suzanne Judd, a public officer upon whom a duty was imposed by Title 16 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, did knowingly refuse to perform that duty in the manner prescribed by law,” reads the plea agreement. “As a Cochise County Supervisor, the duty imposed on me was pursuant to ARS to ‘meet and canvass the election’ not later than November 28, 2022. I voted to delay the canvass during a public Cochise County Board of Supervisors meeting. I knew that the canvass would be delayed if one other supervisor voted with me.”
This charge is a class 3 misdemeanor and Judd will have to serve unsupervised probation for no less than 90 days and will pay a $500 fine. Without the plea deal, Judd would have been charged with multiple felonies.
According to the Arizona Revised Statutes, counties must certify election results in a “timely manner,” which Cochise County did not adhere to due to the vote to delay. Judd and Crosby said that they wanted to delay the canvassing of election results to hear concerns about the proper certification of voting machines. The supervisors were promptly sued after their decision to delay the canvassing and met to canvass the election results under a court order, only a few days before the statewide canvass.
At this time, Crosby has not entered into a plea deal and is running for reelection to the Cochise County Board of Supervisors. Judd will not be running for re-election.
This almost two-year long litigation has been the center of national attention while some voters and elected officials debate the security of the U.S. elections following former President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede following the certification of the 2020 election results.
“Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement on Monday. “My office will continue to pursue justice and ensure that anyone who undermines our electoral system is held accountable. 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.”
