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Several voters claim that their signatures were forged on the paperwork that Michelle Martin, a Libertarian candidate running for Congress in Arizona, submitted to qualify for the ballot in this year’s elections. Martin’s campaign submitted about 1,200 signatures, more than the required 800, and four people listed on her petition have stated that they did not sign the document. The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office confirmed that two of the people who gathered the signatures were registered Democrats, while one was not affiliated with a party and the affiliations of other gatherers are still unconfirmed.
Allegations of Forged Signatures on Libertarian Candidate’s Ballot Paperwork in Arizona
Several voters claim that their signatures were forged on the ballot qualification paperwork filed by Michelle Martin, a Libertarian candidate running for Congress in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, and portions of north Phoenix. More on the district here.
Martin’s campaign reportedly submitted around 1,200 signatures, exceeding the required 800 or so. However, four people listed on Martin’s petition have denied signing such a document. They confirmed after inspecting the submitted signatures that they were not their own.
The individuals, residing in different parts of Martin’s district, had their signatures reportedly collected by three different individuals. “That’s very upsetting,” said Stephen Riordan, a Phoenix resident listed on Martin’s petition.
Shannon Speagle and two other district residents confirmed that the signatures next to their names were not theirs. Speagle reported she was “disappointed” and stated that it “completely delegitimizes this candidacy.”
The paperwork indicates that nine individuals gathered the signatures. Jeremy Garrett, a full-time staffer at the progressive group Our Voice Our Vote, was one of them, according to his LinkedIn. The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office confirmed that two of the signature-gatherers, including Garrett, were registered Democrats, while one was not affiliated with a party.
Martin did not respond to phone messages and emails about the alleged forgeries. Several of the signature gatherers also didn’t respond to requests for comment.
In Arizona, county election authorities only verify signatures on candidate petitions if they are challenged. The deadline to file a legal challenge is April 15. The race for this congressional seat is considered one of the most competitive House races nationwide, according to the political analysis firm Cook Political Report. More on the election here.
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