On August 6, 2025, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes directed counties to stop using the state-managed Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballot processing system. Instead, counties are now required to use a third-party platform overseen by the Secretary’s office. This move removes direct county oversight and alters established chain-of-custody procedures for absentee ballots.
Representative John Gillette, who chairs the House Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections, criticized the directive. “UOCAVA exists to ensure that our deployed service members, their families, and Arizona residents living overseas can securely exercise their right to vote,” said Representative Gillette. “It does not give voting rights to foreign nationals, illegal immigrants, or U.S. citizens with no prior Arizona residency. This directive is a reckless expansion of voting access beyond what the law allows.”
Gillette stated that this change bypasses federal law requirements and circumvents the Arizona Election Procedures Manual. He argued that removing county control could weaken safeguards against fraud by limiting ballot verification and tracking.
According to Gillette, this directive follows previous efforts by Democrats in Arizona to alter voter eligibility checks and centralize election authority within the Secretary of State’s office. Earlier legislative attempts were blocked by Republicans in the Legislature.
“This is exactly the kind of partisan maneuver we fought to stop in the Legislature,” Chairman Gillette said. “The Secretary of State is attempting to change election law without the consent of the people’s representatives, and in the process, he’s jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.”
Gillette announced plans to request investigations from federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding potential violations related to UOCAVA and federal voting laws. He also urged Congress and federal commissions to withhold funding until compliance is restored.
“Our elections must protect lawful voters—especially our men and women serving overseas,” Chairman Gillette said. “They deserve a voting system that is secure, transparent, and faithful to the law, not one manipulated for partisan gain.”
Carbone was elected as a Republican representative for Arizona’s 25th House District in 2023 after replacing Michelle Udall; more information about his background can be found at https://ballotpedia.org/Michael_Carbone.
