Stevens Put In Cochise County’s Contract To “Test Anti-Counterfeit Features On Ballots” Appeared To Be Tailored Specifically For One Texas-Based Company Authentix, That Could Cost Up To $1 Million In State Money. “Stevens is just now putting the contract with Authentix, along with a contract with election vendor ProVoteSolutions, up for supervisors’ approval, even though the initial deadline for the state grant was in May. The Arizona Department of Administration extended that deadline to September 30 in a letter sent to the county on Thursday. [...] As an Arizona county prepares to spend up to $1 million in state money to test anti-counterfeit features on ballots, it appears the project was tailored for one company in particular that has pushed the idea with the help of political allies in the state for more than two years. The idea of adding unique features such as watermarks to ballots is gaining steam as a way to both protect against fraudulent ballots and improve voter confidence.” [Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]
Authentix Was Connected To Former Rep. Mark Finchem Through One Of Its Founders Who Was “A Team Member Of Finchem’s Idaho-Based Energy Nonprofit”—Finchem Claimed He Was Only Connected To Authentix Through “‘Somebody Who Knew Somebody.’” “Still, the firm joined forces with former state Rep. Mark Finchem in 2021, who lost his 2022 bid for secretary of state, to convince state lawmakers across the U.S. to make their products mandatory in ballots. [...] Finchem has acknowledged a connection to Authentix but revealed few details, telling the Washington Post in 2022 just that he was connected to the company through “somebody who knew somebody.” The connection appears more direct than that. Votebeat found that one of Authentix’s founders, Olaf Halvorssen, was listed in 2021 as a team member of Finchem’s Idaho-based energy nonprofit, Clean Power Technologies, according to the nonprofit’s now-defunct website.” [Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]
Cochise County’s $1 Million Pilot For Ballot Security Features Drew Suspicion For Going To Authentix, “A Politically Connected Firm” Tied To Mark Finchem. “Secure ballots or boondoggle? Arizona county tailors project to politically connected firm [...] Cochise County is set to launch a $1 million pilot to test secure features on ballots and hire a firm that has pushed the idea with former state Rep. Mark Finchem” [Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]
Alex Gulotta, Arizona Director Of Voter Advocacy Group All Voting Is Local: The Anti-Counterfeit Features Are “Solving A Problem That Does Not Exist.” “As an Arizona county prepares to spend up to $1 million in state money to test anti-counterfeit features on ballots, it appears the project was tailored for one company in particular that has pushed the idea with the help of political allies in the state for more than two years. [...] Alex Gulotta, Arizona director of voter advocacy group All Voting is Local, called the venture a ‘boondoggle.’ ‘It’s designed specifically to benefit this particular company, and it’s solving a problem that does not exist,’ Gulotta said. While Arizona’s failed GOP candidates and leaders have claimed thousands of fake ballots were inserted into Arizona’s 2020 and 2022 elections, courts have found no evidence of any.” [Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]
Stevens Was Set To Oversee The Project And “Was The Only County Recorder In The State To Apply For The State Money, Even Though All Counties Were Eligible.” “Finchem’s close friend, Cochise County Recorder David Stevens, will be overseeing the project. He’s helped Finchem promote the idea from the start, by offering a county ballot for use in demonstrations and attending meetings. Stevens, who also didn’t respond to requests for comment, was the only recorder in the state to apply for the state money, even though all counties were eligible.”[Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]
The State Grant Was Written To Only Allow County Recorders To Apply, Although “In Arizona Elections Directors Typically Order And Design Ballots.” “That may be because the grant was written in a way that allowed only county recorders, not elections directors, to apply, even though in Arizona elections directors typically order and design ballots.” [Arizona Mirror, 8/7/23]