Petition circulator accused of submitting fake signatures for Arizona abortion measure

PHOENIX — A man who circulated petitions for the Arizona abortion rights measure last year has been accused of submitting fake signatures, authorities announced Tuesday.

A Maricopa County grand jury indicted 53-year-old Anthony Harris on 13 counts, including two felonies, on April 16.

Harris registered as a petition circulator a year ago despite being ineligible to do so because of past convictions, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Investigators determined that dozens of signatures were forged on petitions submitted by Harris for Proposition 139, aka the Arizona Abortion Access Act.

What does indictment in fake signatures case say?

The indictment says Harris intentionally collected multiple petitions that included the names of people he knew did not sign them in April 2024.

He now faces the following charges:

• One count of aggravated taking identity of another, a class 3 felony.
• One count of fraudulent schemes and practices – willful concealment, a class 5 felony.
• One count of circulator registration violation, a class 1 misdemeanor.
• 10 counts of petition false signature, a class 1 misdemeanor.

Prop 139, which voters approved in November, easily would have qualified for the ballot if the fake signatures were not counted, prosecutors said.

Organizers submitted over 800,000 signatures in July 2024, more than twice the required amount.

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