Alexander Kolodin has jumped out to a nearly 3-2 lead over Gina Swoboda in early returns in the Republican primary for secretary of state.
The two Republicans vying for the nomination for secretary of state both contend election procedures can be improved but differ in how radical those changes should be.
Kolodin, a state lawmaker noted for filing lawsuits, has been among the loudest of those who have questioned the accuracy of prior elections run while Democrats were secretaries of state. He even helped to file lawsuits alleging that elections were stolen.
Courts concluded, however, those actions were meritless and resulted in his being placed on probation for 18 months by the State Bar of Arizona. While he agreed to the sanction — he said to protect others at his law office — he said he was the victim of "political activists.''
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Kolodin also is the author of a ballot measure that would require proof of identification to vote, a provision foes say could eliminate early voting used by most Arizonans.
Swoboda, who has worked in the Secretary of State's Office under both Republicans and Democrats, says she seeks smaller changes to make the process more efficient, such as early deadlines to receive mail-in ballots.
She also has questions about the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act being pushed by President Donald Trump to require documentary proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. Swoboda said she fears the federal government would usurp the traditional authority of states to determine who is eligible to vote.
Swoboda has previously been chair of the Arizona Republican Party.
The survivor of the GOP primary takes on Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes in the November general election.
