A high-profile election official in Arizona who faced criticism over his handling of both the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms will not be seeking reelection.
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates, 51, announced his decision in a lengthy statement on June 1, citing his plans to “pursue other interests and opportunities.”
“For over thirteen years, it has been my honor to serve my home state of Arizona on the Phoenix City Council and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. As this chapter comes to an end, I rest well knowing that I led with integrity, compassion, and dignity,” the Republican wrote.
Gates said he will serve out the remainder of his term.
“As this chapter comes to an end, I rest well knowing that I left with integrity, compassion, and dignity. Regardless of personal partisan preferences or external pressure, I remained focused on making our region the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Gates continued in his statement.
“At Maricopa County, I kept government lean, taxes low, supported our most vulnerable residents, and told the truth about our elections in the face of false information. My will to fight for the truth remains unhindered, and I look forward to Maricopa County running the 2024 election.”
The District 3 Republican served on the Phoenix City Council from June 2009 through May 2016 before being elected to the County Board of Supervisors in 2016. He was reelected to another four-year term on the Board of Supervisors in 2020.
In his statement, Gates said he is looking forward to his “next chapter.”
Gates’ announcement comes shortly after he told The Washington Post that he had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to alleged harassment and threats he and his colleagues received following the 2020 presidential election, and 2022 general elections as well as throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Election Integrity Concerns
At one point, he and his family were forced to flee their home briefly due to concerns for their safety, he claimed.
Some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, as well as voters, had raised concerns over possible fraud and misconduct during the 2020 election that ultimately saw President Joe Biden declared the winner.
Voters across the county, which includes Phoenix and about 60 percent of Arizona’s population, also reported widespread printer problems during the 2022 midterm elections that meant they were unable to get their ballots processed.
Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and other Republicans have also claimed that voters reported multiple issues they faced when casting their ballots on Election Day and that those issues effectively disenfranchised Arizonans.
Responding to Gates’s announcement on Thursday, Lake’s campaign posted: “Mr. Gate’s malicious incompetence has been an albatross on Maricopa County. He has done irreparable damage to election Integrity and the people of Arizona. We encourage Mr. Gates to never involve himself in representative politics again. He has forfeited that right.”
In his interview with The Washington Post, Gates credited therapy for helping him manage his PTSD.
“This has been a family journey,” he told the publication. “We’re all working through this together. But we had to understand that we couldn’t do this on our own. We had to reach out for help.”
In his statement on Thursday, Gates did not specifically reference the alleged harassment or attacks on him but thanked his employees for their professionalism and resilience “in the face of unprecedented pressure.”
“Your integrity, work ethic, and passion for public service made it easy to represent and defend your work to the entire world,” he wrote.
From The Epoch Times