ARIZONA NEWS

Here’s who is running for secretary of state in Arizona in 2022

Jul 6, 2021, 9:09 AM | Updated: Jul 9, 2021, 1:55 pm

(Michelle Ugenti-Rita Campaign photo, left, KTAR photo of Adrian Fontes, middle, Reginald Bolding p...

(Michelle Ugenti-Rita Campaign photo, left, KTAR photo of Adrian Fontes, middle, Reginald Bolding photo, right)

(Michelle Ugenti-Rita Campaign photo, left, KTAR photo of Adrian Fontes, middle, Reginald Bolding photo, right)

PHOENIX — Arizona will have a new top elections official following the 2022 election.

Katie Hobbs, the current secretary of state, is running for governor. She was elected in 2018.

Hobbs was Arizona’s first Democrat to hold the position since 1995, breaking a streak of five consecutive Republicans.

Here’s the list of high-profile candidates to become Arizona’s 21st secretary of state, which will be updated as necessary:

Reginald Bolding, Democrat — Bolding entered the race June 14. The 35-year-old House minority leader has been a vocal opponent of recent changes to Arizona voter laws, including SB 1485, which will remove inactive voters from the list of voters who automatically receive early ballots in the mail.

Shawnna Bolick, Republican —  Bolick announced her candidacy Jun 21. She said she was running “to make the office work for all Arizonans again” and secure elections. Bolick, whose legislative district covers parts of Phoenix and Peoria, has been in office since 2019 and has been a vocal proponent for restoring election integrity.

Mark Finchem, Republican — Rep. Finchem filed his statement of interest March 29. The House member has pushed election fraud and is a loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump.

Adrian Fontes, Democrat — The former Maricopa County recorder announced June 11 he would be joining the race and made it official on July 6. Fontes led the 2020 Maricopa County general election that is at the center of the polarizing audit authorized by state Senate Republicans.

Beau Lane, Republican — Advertising executive Lane announced his run June 29. Lane, executive chairman of LaneTerralever, said he was running to restore faith in Arizona’s elections, which he said was a victim of “an erosion of trust.”

Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Republican — Sen. Ugenti-Rita announced her candidacy May 27. The conservative Scottsdale lawmaker has a history of supporting election security policies that opponents say unnecessarily restrict access to voting. Most recently, Ugenti-Rita sponsored the bill to remove voters from the Permanent Early Voting List if they don’t vote early in consecutive election cycles. The legislation, which was signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this month, changed the name of the popular option to the Active Early Voting List.

Other individuals who have filed a statement of interest with the Secretary of State’s Office:

Remo Paul (R)

Wade Wilson (R)

Dennis Florian (D)

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Peoria Police department...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Peoria police search for vandals who caused $30-40K worth of park damage

The Peoria Police Department is asking the public for help in finding the suspect responsible for vandalizing and causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage to a local park.

7 hours ago

Phoenix-Pittsburgh nonstop flight offered through Allegiant...

Serena O'Sullivan

Fly high: Phoenix travelers getting new nonstop flight option for Pittsburgh through Allegiant

Planning a business trip? You can now book a Phoenix-Pittsburgh nonstop flight through Allegiant at Sky Harbor International Airport.

8 hours ago

fentanyl pills, fentanyl bust Phoenix...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Phoenix man charged after police seized 100,000 fentanyl pills

A man in Phoenix was pulled over by police during a routine traffic stop, which led to the seizure of about 100,000 blue fentanyl pills.

9 hours ago

Thomas Galvin AZ Political Podcast...

Jim Sharpe

AZ Political Podcast: Thomas Galvin on public funding for sports teams, speed of election results

On this week's edition of AZ Political Podcast, Thomas Galvin discusses public funding for sports teams and how election results can be sped up.

10 hours ago

US 60 between Superior and Miami will be closed until Friday due to blasting work that was performe...

David Veenstra

US 60 between Superior, Miami reopens following blasting

US 60 between Superior and Miami has reopened following blasting work that was performed in the area.

11 hours ago

Maricopa County 1 of 4 pharmacists sentenced for fraud...

Serena O'Sullivan

Maricopa County pharmacist among 4 sentenced in fraud conspiracy

A Maricopa County pharmacist named Raef Hamaed was one of four pharmacists sentenced for their roles in a $13 million conspiracy, officials said.

12 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Here’s who is running for secretary of state in Arizona in 2022