Pinal County removes elections director David Frisk following latest primary gaffe

PHOENIX — Pinal County announced Thursday that David Frisk is no longer its elections director, with the removal coming two days after some voters dealt with ballot shortages at various polling locations during the primary.

Frisk will be replaced by Virginia Ross, who resigned from her role as county recorder to take on the position.

“Pinal County can announce that David Frisk is no longer in the position of elections director and is no longer employed by Pinal County,” the county said in a statement.

Frisk, who served five months on the job, was replaced after multiple primary election gaffes and subsequent calls from Republican leadership in the state and nationally for his resignation.

Kent Volkmer, Pinal County attorney, said Wednesday during a press conference that about 2.5% of ballots were impacted and blamed it on human error.

Volkmer said some people left voting sites Tuesday that didn’t have ballots and didn’t come back.

“We screwed up,” Volkmer said. “This is nothing sinister. This is just simply a mistake.”

In June, officials had to scramble after tens of thousands of voters were sent incorrect early mail ballots.

About 46,000 ballots mailed to voters in Casa Grande, Eloy, Maricopa, Mammoth and Superior, plus the Pinal County portions of Apache Junction and Queen Creek were missing municipal contests.

The county also blamed that mistake on human error.

Pinal County will hold a special board meeting Friday at 11:15 a.m. to appoint a new recorder, who will serve through the end of 2024.

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