Hey, Arizona!

I’ve got a great newsletter for you today about how election officials are preparing for the midterms. But before we get into it, I want to share a little about how my reporting has created important impacts in our state.

I’ve long been working to track communications between local election officials and President Donald Trump’s administration. My stories have uncovered revelatory emails between the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office and the DOJ, repeated letters from Cochise County to top federal officials, and more. That’s prompted everyday Arizonans to show up to public comment and ask questions of their elected officials.

Donating to Votebeat truly helps my colleagues and me provide real information about how elections work. Become a member today. Every dollar really does help.

Now, onto the main event!

You’ve probably played Battleship before. But have you ever played Ballotship?

I recently joined a group of local officials — ranging from election leaders, PR professionals, and IT directors to emergency management staffers, county lawyers, and law enforcement officers — to experience an altered version of the classic board game, focused on election preparedness rather than naval combat.

Our crowd split into two teams, huddled in separate conference rooms at Pinal County’s election headquarters. From there, we devised chaotic election scenarios for the opposing team and attempted to solve the unfortunate predicaments they sent our way.

The scenarios ranged from ordinary and fairly likely to serious and outlandish. In one, a propane truck crashed into a power station in San Tan Valley, creating a citywide blackout that took down traffic lights and polling sites at about 8 a.m. on Election Day. In response, participants devised a plan to instruct voters to shelter in place while bringing in hazmat crews to address the propane and other materials on site. They said they’d also ask sheriff’s deputies to direct traffic and coordinate between city and county officials, the local electric utility, and a nearby hospital.

In another, less likely scenario, a staffer took Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis hostage at the election center and locked the building’s security officer in the bathroom, prompting concerned voters to begin making social media posts tagged “#PRAY4DANA.” After much laughter, officials agreed that they’d attempt to free the security officer, call in backup law enforcement, and touch base with the county’s human resources department.

Other scenarios touched on inclement weather, cyber attacks, physical threats, and potential federal interference. Regardless of the simulated problem, the goal was the same — force officials to make connections across teams and agencies, build up their confidence, and get ready for any mayhem that could come their way this fall.

By the way, it’s not just election officials preparing for the upcoming midterms. On Oct. 6, I’ll be moderating a panel with the Society for Professional Journalists’ Valley of the Sun Chapter to help journalists gain skills to cover state and local races. Attendees will hear from experienced reporters, pioneering newsroom leaders, and former election officials. Best of all, it’s free. So, if you’re a reporter or editor, you should sign up. I’d love to see you there!

That’s it for this week — but I’ll be back in your inbox soon. In the meantime, share this newsletter with a friend and let me know what I should look into next. You can reach me anytime at [email protected].

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On the Lighter Side

Did you know that Arizona is home to about 35,000 elk?

Out-of-state readers may be surprised to learn the northern parts of our state are overrun with the animals — and apparently, one of them likes to hang out just north of Witch Well, as one Apache County staffer discovered on election night in 2024.

The county, located in the northeast corner of the state, had a disastrous Election Day that year (more to come on that soon). As a result, some polls on the Navajo Nation were kept open late, leaving techs and election staffers to travel home in the dark.

Records show that one employee warned another that a bull — a male elk, which average 700 to 800 pounds — liked to hang out near Witch Wells. The employee said he’d previously had “several close calls” in the area with wildlife.

Just 27 minutes later, the traveling staffer responded: "Well I'll be damned if that bull wasn't exactly where you said.” He added he was so astonished that he’d “pulled over to write this.”

Drive safe up there, folks. 🦌