In a turn of events, Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd admitted guilt in an election interference charge, being sentenced to 90 days' probation and a $500 fine, as reported by AZPM News. Charged with not performing her election officer duties, a misdemeanor, Judd was initially facing more serious felony charges. These stemmed from actions taken last November, together with the fellow Republican supervisor Tom Crosby, which delayed the canvassing of the 2022 general election results.
According to details from the indictment, Crosby and Judd's decision to not vote on the election results caused Cochise County to miss Arizona's deadline for canvassing—a solitary outlier in a symphony of counties that hit the note on time. Busy with concerns over the vote tabulation machines' accuracy, Judd ignored the reassurance from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Election Services Director that the machines were indeed certified for accuracy. It was not until Katie Hobbs, then-Secretary of State and now Arizona's governor, intervened with a lawsuit that Judd was compelled to act. "I am a rule of law person but I had statutes in front of me that said something to me," Judd confessed at the December 1, 2022 emergency meeting, AZPM News learned. "And I am not ashamed of anything I did. And today, I feel I must because of a court ruling …I feel like I must follow what the judge did today."
In a plea agreement, Judd admitted to knowing that her vote to delay would, in fact, delay the canvass, if one other supervisor voted with her. Attorney General Kris Mayes commented on the gravity of the situation, affirming the state's intolerance for electoral interference. "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."
Entering the mix, reports are swirling around concerning whether Crosby, who is seeking re-election this fall, will face similar consequences. The details of any possible plea remain shrouded in silence; the attorney general’s office declined to comment in response to AZPM News inquiries. As for Judd, who has made no comments and is not running for re-election, her public-facing saga seems to be winding down with this concluded chapter of legal proceedings.
