A big midterms year in Arizona kicks off with the state’s largest county embroiled in election drama

Arizona's Maricopa County, the state's most populous, faces election uncertainty as Republican Justin Heap, an election skeptic, gains more authority over election operations following a court ruling. Heap's controversial actions, including a signature-checking system and use of a federal database to identify noncitizens, have sparked legal disputes and criticism from officials, raising concerns about the integrity of the 2026 midterms in a key political battleground.