Votebeat Taps Andy Gaona to Share Insight on Cochise County Election Dispute Settlement

Partner Andy Gaona offered his legal perspective in a recent Votebeat article examining a controversial settlement that raises important questions for elections statewide. The case centers around a 2023 Cochise County all-mail election for a proposed tax to fund a new jail — now invalidated after a legal challenge revealed the county failed to send ballots to more than 11,000 inactive voters. The settlement at issue halts the tax’s collection until a new election can be held in November and awards $130,000 in attorneys’ fees to the plaintiff. Andy noted the settlement is troubling, not just because of the payout to the plaintiff, but also because the judge refused to allow Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to challenge it and the parties’ agreement to invalidate the results...

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KJZZ Turns to Andy Gaona for Insight on Chandler Mayoral Eligibility Dispute

A complaint filed recently in Maricopa County Superior Court has sparked questions about whether Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke was ever eligible to run for that office, citing language in the city’s charter that arguably could have prevented him from being elected. KJZZ Phoenix interviewed election law expert and Partner Andy Gaona to break down the legal complexities of the situation while detailing what this could mean for the City of Chandler. Andy explained that under Chandler’s charter, anyone who has served two consecutive terms — regardless of whether on the City Council or as Mayor — is ineligible to hold office again until a four-year break has passed. Despite this rule, Hartke ran for Mayor in 2018 after serving two terms on the Council. He went...

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Andy Gaona Provides Election Law Insight to Local Government Attorneys at National Conference

At the International Municipal Lawyers Association’s (IMLA) annual conference in Orlando, Andy Gaona recently contributed his election law expertise as part of a panel titled “Election Law in the Era of Hyperpartisanship.” Andy joined three other election law experts from around the nation to discuss the evolving legal landscape as the country gears up for the 2024 election. Drawing from firsthand experience representing the Arizona Secretary of State during both the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, Andy shared important lessons learned from those fiercely contested (and fiercely litigated) elections. He provided attendees with valuable insight into what he’s seen before, and what he expects for what lies ahead with another presidential election on the horizon. An experienced political, election, and constitutional law attorney, Andy has played a...

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Rachel Maddow Invites Roopali Desai to Share Insight on Arizona’s Ballot Audit

Rachel Maddow Invites Roopali Desai to Share Insight on Arizona’s Ballot Audit

Representing Arizona Democrats in a lawsuit to stop a ballot audit, Roopali Desai appeared on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show to discuss the Republican-majority state senate’s effort to recount Maricopa County’s 2.1 million ballots from the 2020 presidential election. Roopali expressed concern about the audit’s lack of transparency and long-term impacts on the public’s trust in democratic processes. Questions swirl around the recount, but answers are hard to find. As Roopali explains, it’s unclear what Cyber Ninjas, the Florida-based private contractor conducting the audit, wants to uncover or their procedures. Despite a judge’s orders to disclose procedures proving compliance with state law, Cyber Ninjas filed a motion saying this would create security issues or reveal trade secrets. Moreover, Roopali contends because the operation is partially tax-dollar-funded, taxpayers...

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Roopali Desai Included in Business Insider’s List of AZ Cannabis Industry Power Players

Roopali Desai Included in Business Insider’s List of AZ Cannabis Industry Power Players

After Arizona voters passed Proposition 207 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, Business Insider highlighted 11 power players who are shaping the new, potentially multi-million-dollar market. As the attorney responsible for drafting the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, Roopali Desai was featured. The Campaign, which was supported by the Arizona Dispensaries Association (ADA), contracted Roopali to craft the initiative’s language. She and law partner, Andy Gaona, continually revised the language after meeting with stakeholders, including company executives, criminal justice advocates, first responders, and others. Moving forward, Roopali and the firm will continue to work with ADA as well as the Arizona Department of Health Services to implement the new legislation. A leading election lawyer in Arizona, Roopali is known for her experience representing initiative, referendum, and...

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Roopali represents four initiative campaigns who filed a Petition for Special Action with the Arizona Supreme Court to seek an order permitting them to use the E-Qual system to obtain online signatures

Arizona Capitol Times Gets Roopali Desai’s Take on Legislative Proposals

When covering three legislative proposals (HCR2032, HCR2046 and SCR1020) that could scale back Arizona voters’ lawmaking powers and upend Arizona’s ballot initiative and referral system, Arizona Capitol Times turned to Coppersmith Brockelman’s Roopali Desai for expert commentary. A highly regarded election and political lawyer, Roopali highlighted how the proposed laws are an attempt to undermine voters’ constitutional rights to legislate co-equally with the legislative branch. Moreover, she says, these changes could result in lengthy ballots and costly elections, ultimately leading to voter disengagement.  Roopali, who is a partner in the firm’s litigation group, advises clients on all aspects of election law, including campaign finance compliance, disclosure and reporting requirements, and bringing and defending election challenges. She is especially known for her experience representing initiative, referendum, and recall campaigns, and...

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