¶ Cochise County Recorder David Stevens Has Spread Election Lies And Pushed Unreliable, Potentially Illegal Hand-Counts
SUMMARY: Cochise County Recorder David Stevens has worked to spread doubts about election integrity in his official and unofficial capacities.
Until recently, Stevens was also a director of the Mark Finchem-run Election Fairness Institute. Finchem was a “prolific proponent of the lie” that Trump lost in 2020. Stevens was the only recorder in the state to apply for Arizona's ballot anti-counterfeit grant, which was unusually written to only allow county recorders to apply, despite ballots typically falling under the purview of election directors. Stevens then drew suspicion in 2023 after Cochise County’s contract to “test anti-counterfeit features on ballots,” appeared to be tailored specifically for a Texas-based company connected to Finchem.
After Arizona GOP leaders spent two years promoting unfounded claims about compromised vote-counting machines, David Stevens took on their efforts to push for and execute hand-counted ballots, working with the Cochise County Board of Supervisors to push the hand count a month before the 2022 general elections. In early 2023, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued Cochise County for giving Stevens “nearly all authority over county election operations.” The suit stated Stevens “has unlawfully aggrandized his power, and the board has unlawfully and almost completely offloaded its statutory duties over elections.”
David Stevens has spent his time in Cochise County undermining election integrity and pushing faulty fixes for electoral issues that don’t exist.
¶ Learn More about David Stevens
- Biography
- Stevens Joins GOP Leaders in Push for Hand Count of Ballots Amid Unfounded Claims on Vote-Counting Machines
- June 2022: Arizona Lawmakers Approve Budget for 'Smart' Ballot Box Pilot in Three Counties, Including Stevens' Cochise County
- Under Scrutiny for Contracting ‘Politically Connected’ Firm for Ballot Security, Linked to Ally Mark Finchem
- As Cochise County Recorder, Stevens Worked With The County Board of Supervisors To Run Elections And Support A Push For A Hand Count Of Election Results, Leading To Expenses From Lawsuits Relating To Election Integrity
- AG Kris Mayes Sues Cochise County for Illegally Empowering Recorder David Stevens in Election Operations
- Court Involvements in Election Integrity, Conservative Interests, and Misuse of Resources Case
- Sparse Social Media Activity with Occasional Posts and Far-Right Group Likes on Facebook
- Stevens' Business Disclosures in Arizona House: Cochise Computer Services, 1000 Cowns, and Insider View Radio Show
- 2012: David Stevens Listed in Warranty Deed for Foreclosed Property, Shifts to Rental in Sierra Vista
- 2009 Interview: David Stevens Admits to 'Almost No Priorities' Upon Entering Arizona House
- Final Year in Arizona House: Focused on State Tech Updates Despite Limited Bill History
- Final Term: Sponsoring HB 2017 for Emergency Polling Places in Presidential Elections
- Advocating Charges for Public Records and Stricter Ballot Petition Rules in Arizona House
- Stevens got $157K in donations during his time in the Arizona State House