The plea on a misdemeanor charge will mean Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd avoids felony charges and retains her role.
An Arizona county official has accepted a plea deal after being charged with delaying certification of the 2022 midterm election in Cochise County, in which she cited concerns over election integrity.
Cochise County Supervisor Peggy Judd entered into the agreement on Oct. 21, pleading guilty to a class 3 misdemeanor of refusing to perform the duty of an election officer, allowing her to avoid a felony that she and another supervisor were charged with last year over their decision to delay certifying the vote in the Nov. 8, 2022, general election past the statutory deadline.
Under the plea deal, Judd will be sentenced to unsupervised probation for 90 days and must pay a $500 fine, according to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
“Any attempt to interfere with elections in Arizona will not be tolerated,” Mayes said in a statement. “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.”
Judd and fellow Cochise County Supervisor Tom Crosby, both Republicans, voted