Hey, Arizona!

It’s been a busy few weeks for election news in our state. But one of the biggest stories came in the form of emails from Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The records, which you can see here, show that Heap directly corresponded with federal law enforcement officials last year about election records and litigation as those same federal officials sought to obtain our state’s voter roll and probe the county’s past elections.

The messages raise significant questions about his level of coordination with federal law enforcement officials. To fully understand why, you need to know what’s in them — and how some of the main characters in this story connect to other recent election-related happenings.

The emails show that Heap signaled support for the ongoing investigations into his own county’s elections. The documents also suggest that his office withheld records from Votebeat. And Heap appears to have met with ​​U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine, the top federal prosecutor in the state.

Does his name sound familiar to you? If so, it’s probably because he’s appeared as a key player in federal efforts to relitigate past elections in Arizona.

Last month, his office signed off on the federal grand jury subpoena that the FBI served to the Arizona Senate. Officials sought records related to that chamber’s controversial review of the 2020 election in Maricopa County.

After the subpoena dropped, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes sent a letter to counties urging them not to hand over full, unredacted voter files to the feds amid the probes. Separately, they also reached out to State Senate President Warren Petersen, asking him about the exact records obtained by the FBI.

Petersen wrote in a letter to Courchaine that he viewed that as an effort to obstruct the federal investigation. Earlier this week, Courchaine wrote back.

“My office is carefully reviewing the facts surrounding the letter that you received from the state, but in the meantime, I share your desire to work together across all levels of government to ensure fair and free elections,” Courchaine wrote to Petersen.

It’s not exactly clear what Heap discussed with Courchaine. The emails between the two mens’ assistants don’t list a meeting topic.

But one thing is clear. Soon after the meeting, the DOJ informed the county it was looking into its past elections. 

“It has come to our attention that the Maricopa Elections Department and Recorder intend to destroy election records from the 2020 and 2022 federal elections, including staff emails,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote to county leaders, adding that her office had “received complaints concerning errors and malfeasance in the conduct of the Maricopa County elections.”

That’s it for this week. If you liked today’s newsletter, tell a friend to sign up here so they don’t miss out.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a story coming soon on the nearly yearlong legal battle between top election officials in Maricopa County. A judge is set to rule on the case shortly, and I’ll have details on the broader dispute — and why it matters — that you won’t want to miss.

Until then, you can reach me anytime at [email protected]. Chat soon!

You're invited: How the 2000 election set the stage for 2026

The 2000 presidential election didn’t just decide a presidency — it reshaped the way America runs elections. Join us on April 23 for a virtual conversation with election law scholar Rick Hasen and long-time Florida election administrator Paul Lux. Together, they’ll explore how the crisis in Florida led to the creation of the Help America Vote Act, the modernization of voter rolls, the birth of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and a lasting debate over the federal government’s role in elections.

Looking for your next read? Check out these other great newsletters.