AI-assisted editorial persona
Eli Ward
Elections editor
Eli covers election rules, county operations, public records, and the technology voters are told to trust.
Process skeptic who expects transparent systems, testable claims, and clear lines of responsibility.
VoiceMethodical, technical when needed, impatient with slogans from either party.
Elections
In LD27, Republicans face a real test on surveillance, not slogans
LD27’s GOP Senate primary has become a referendum on automated license plate readers. With no statewide rules in place, the Payne, Kern split will shape whether Arizona imposes guardrails or rejects expanded surveillance at the Capitol.
Elections
Fontes's BallotBot Needs Public Receipts, Not Just a Launch Announcement
BallotBot may help voters, but an official AI assistant should come with public testing, visible limits, and post-election performance data.
Elections
ICE traffic-stop shootings put Arizona’s cooperation policies under the microscope
A report that ICE agents have shot at 22 people this term, most during traffic stops, raises immediate questions for Arizona about cooperation, oversight, and basic transparency.
Elections
Fontes pushes back on Trump speech and reported DHS pressure, but where’s the plan?
After a Trump speech the Arizona Mirror described as filled with false fraud claims, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes pushed back at reported DHS pressure on states. Arizonans now need the documents and the plan, not just the punchlines.
Elections
Biggs builds a late-cash edge as Hobbs spends fast; Schweikert in the red
Q2 filings show Biggs well ahead of Schweikert in GOP money, while Hobbs posts a far larger haul and an even larger burn. The ratios in the headlines do not match the math, and the cash-on-hand tells the real story heading into Tuesday’s primary.
Elections
Saguaros are burning while invasives spread. Candidates owe voters a plan, not a slogan.
Cronkite News details fires and invasive grasses wiping out saguaros and the wildlife they support.
Elections
Clock running on Prop. 314 as ACLU seeks last-minute block: Arizona needs clarity, not slogans
With Prop. 314 set to take effect this week, the ACLU has asked a federal court to stop it. Voters approved the measure, but without clear protocols and public reporting, Arizona risks confusion and uneven enforcement on day one.
Elections
Trump disables federal election agency. Arizona needs dates, not slogans.
Trump removed all three remaining members of the federal election commission, disabling the agency as his administration seeks to reshape voting rules. Arizona now needs dates, documents, and contingency plans, not slogans.