Board of Supervisors Informal Meeting October 19, 2026

At the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ informal meeting on October 19, 2026, staff presented the equipment transition plan for the 2026 general election. Forty-six early-voting locations will transition to emergency voting on staggered dates, with the plan separating the Recorder’s Office and Elections Department equipment under their settlement agreement. Nontechnical site items will remain in place, while ballot-on-demand printers, check-in stations, cabling, and election-day tabulators will be moved or delivered. Staff said the separation supports chain-of-custody controls and the IT security principle of least privilege; the transition plan had been tested in a mock exercise. The discussion included staffing, bipartisan drivers and couriers, timing, and the public website for current voting locations and wait times.

Supervisors also asked about chain-of-custody procedures for ballot printer paper following a reported concern about access at an early-voting site. The presenter said it was his understanding that the Recorder’s Office planned to use locking printer compartments and daily count logs, but he could not confirm implementation because it was outside his jurisdiction. No contract awards, purchases, spending decisions, or procurement-related votes were identified. The board separately voted unanimously to enter executive session.