¶ During His Time As Cochise County Recorder, David 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, Complaints of A Hostile Work Environment, And The Hiring Of Election Denier Bob Bartelsmeyer.
¶ David Stevens Worked With the Cochise County Board of Supervisors To Run Elections And Support A Push For A Hand-Count Of Election Results.
On January 23, 2018, David Stevens Said “All Mail Elections Were Not Supported By The Majority Of Legislators” In A Meeting Of The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors. “Mr. Stevens said that all mail elections were not supported by the majority of legislators.” [Cochise County, accessed 8/22/23]
On April 29, 2019, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Discussed The County Budget For Fiscal Year 2019-2020, Specifically For The Recorder's Office, With David Stevens In Attendance. [Cochise County, accessed 8/22/23]
On January 28, 2020, David Stevens Encouraged Mail-In Ballots In A Meeting Of The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors. “Ms. Marra and Mr. Stevens encouraged mail ballots. [Cochise County, accessed 8/22/23]
On September 17, 2021, David Stevens Discussed Reviewing Precincts And Changing Up Districts In The Instance That Towns And City Lines Need To Be Withdrawn To Comply With The Arizona Statutory Requirement Of Each District Having No More Than A 10% Difference In Population. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On April 28, 2022, David Stevens Brought Up Finding Another Vendor To Assist With Voter Registration Status Updates, Recording Documents, And The Digitization Of Voting Records. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On October 11, 2022, David Stevens Presented To The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors A Method By Which A Hand-Count Vote Could Take Place. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On October 24, 2022, Before The 2022 General Election, David Stevens Supported An Order For A Hand Count Of All Ballots Cast In The 2022 General Election By The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors.[Cochise County, accessed 8/23/23]
On October 25, 2022, Before The 2022 General Election, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Approved $1 Million From The Arizona Department Of Administration To Be Used To Develop Ballot Paper With Ballot Fraud Countermeasures, Which Was Requested By Stevens. [Cochise County, accessed 8/23/23]
On November 2, 2022, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Approved Of Obtaining Outside Legal Representation For A Lawsuit From The Arizona Alliance Of Retired Americans & Stephani Stephenson Where They And Stevens Were Named As Defendants.[Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On November 15, 2022, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Approved A $10,000 Payment To The Valley Law Group To Pay For Their And David Stevens’ Legal Representation Against The Arizona Alliance Of Retired Americans.
On February 14, 2023, A Discussion Was Had About Potentially Transferring Election Functions And Duties To The County Recorder. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On April 20, 2023, David Stevens Reported That The Estimated Cost Of Ballots Were An Estimated $120,000. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On April 25, 2023, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Accepted And Approved The Appointment Of Bob Bartelsmeyer As Election Director For Cochise County. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
- September 2023: Bob Bartelsmeyer Resigned As Cochise County Elections Director After Just Five Months Amid Controversy Over His False Claims Of Voter Fraud In The 2020 Election And Public Concern Over His Appointment. “The Cochise County elections director who pushed false claims that voter fraud was behind President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss is resigning five months after being hired. Bob Bartelsmeyer submitted his resignation last week to return to his previous job as elections director in La Paz County. [...] Bartelsmeyer’s appointment was approved despite public concern about his qualifications and social media posts about the 2020 election in which he supported Trump's allegations of fraud and promoted the lie that Dominion voting machines manipulated the outcome.” [KNAU, 09/20/23]
On May 9, 2023, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Approved The Transfer Of $40,000 From The General Fund Contingency To The Elections Department Personnel Budget, For Personnel Costs For The Remainder Of The Fiscal Year. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On June 6, 2023, It Was Brought Up In A Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Meeting That The Actions Of Vice Chairman Crosby, Chairman Judd, And County Recorder David Stevens Cost Taxpayers For “Lawsuits The Hiring Of Bob Bartelsmeyer As Elections Director, And Former Elections Director Lisa Marra Being Awarded $130,000 Due To Her Claim Of A Toxic Workplace.” “Jeff Sturges discussed his concerns about the actions of Vice-Chairman Crosby, Chairman Judd, and County Recorder David Stevens, including costs to taxpayers via lawsuits, the hiring of Bob Bartelsmeyer as Elections Director, and former Elections Director Lisa Marra being awarded $130,000 due to her claim of a toxic workplace.” [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On July 11, 2023, David Stevens Reported That Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Previously Approved Payment To A Elections Vendor Called Runbeck Election Services For $182,000. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On August 8, 2023, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Official Approved Contracts, Presented By David Stevens, With Authentix, LLC And Pro Vote Solutions For Ballot Fraud Countermeasures That Costs Went Into Effect On July 11, 2023. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
On August 22, 2023, The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors Discussed The Resignation Of David Stevens As The Interim Elections Director And To Whom The Responsibility Of Operations And Administration Of Elections And Special Districts Would Be Delegated. [Cochise County, accessed 8/24/23]
- On June 16, 2023, David Stevens Notified The Cochise County Board Of Supervisors That He Would Resign As Interim Elections Director Due To “Two Main Priorities,” The Jail District Election And The Hiring Of An Elections Director, Being Completed. “With the two main priorities completed, the May 16th Jail district Election and hiring an Elections Director. My services as interim Elections Director are no longer needed, and I am resigning the position effective today, June 9th, 2023.” [Cochise County, 06/16/23]