PHOENIX — In a three-page letter to the Maricopa County Supervisors and Recorder, two members of the AZ House Committee on municipal oversight in elections are asking for more information on the June theft of a key fob allegedly by a temporary elections worker.
The letter, penned on June 26 by Chairwoman Jacqueline Parker and Vice-Chair Alexander Kolodin, says they want "all records and documents regarding the applications and hiring process of workers, contractors, and temporary workers, the referring organization if applicable, the political affiliation, and the background process conducted on each applicant."
This inquiry comes after Walter Ringfield Jr., 27, stands accused of walking away with a key fob tied to a tabulation machine inside the Maricopa County Elections Center in June.
Before that, he's accused of stealing nearly $10,000 worth of jewelry from the Phoenix Art Museum on May 20, and taking various coins and other desk accessories from an Arizona Senate staffer mere days before the key fob theft.
“Why did he do that? It just raises a lot of questions. What we want is for the process to be secure, so that the focus in elections can be on policy and not process," Rep. Kolodin, a Republican, said.
In addition to learning more about Ringfield Jr, the letter outlined a desire to learn more about election security safeguards.
“We've asked Maricopa County to produce for the legislature information on historical access patterns, information on their security protocols and procedures so that we can examine them to make sure that everything is up to snuff in time for the 2024 general," Rep. Kolodin said.
Shortly after Ringfield's arrest last month, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates said Ringfield Jr. did pass a background check, despite having a prior theft conviction in Arizona. It's a case where he was sentenced to a felony diversion program.
“We do a criminal background check and when we did that criminal background check, we did not find this. He was on diversion and that is something again, it’s a case-by-case basis," Gates said.
According to court records, Ringfield Jr. told the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office he took the key fob because he wanted to "clean up," in hopes of gaining permanent employment as an elections worker. However, Kolodin isn't buying that.
“We have no idea who this guy is. That's the problem, and we need more information, because it's obviously a serious concern, no matter why he did what he did. But without knowing his motivations, there's an even greater cloud of doubt," Rep. Kolodin said.
Whether Ringfield Jr's actions were politically motivated remains to be seen. This new official investigation from the state capitol may yield answers, and they are answers the Maricopa County Sheriff claims they are also seeking.
“We’re going to leave no stone unturned. We are going to make sure we do evaluate all the evidence out there and ensure that we follow up on anything that may be directing us somewhere else to other actors that may be involved in this," Sheriff Russ Skinner said.
12News reached out to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and County Recorder for comment on this letter. A spokesperson for the Supervisors declined to comment due to the 4th of July holiday. We are still awaiting word from the Recorder's Office.
If they refuse to hand over the requested records, Rep. Kolodin says they may use subpoena powers to force their disclosure.
Decision 2024
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