2023 ANNUAL REPORT 2023 THIRD QUARTER REPORT January 1, 2023 December 31, 2023 July 1 - September 30, 2023 Table of Contents Recording Services Department ....................................................................................................... 3 About the Department .................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Recording Services Department Highlights .......................................................................................................................... 4 Maricopa Title Alert ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Voter Registration Department ........................................................................................................ 6 About the Department .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Voter Registration Department Highlights ........................................................................................................................... 7 Early Voting ..................................................................................................................................... 8 About the Department .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Early Voting Department Highlights........................................................................................................................................ 9 Information Technology (IT) Department ...................................................................................... 11 About the Department ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) ............................................................................................................................... 11 Information Technology (IT) Department Highlights .................................................................................................... 12 External Affairs Department........................................................................................................... 16 About the Department ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 Communications and Constituent Services Team ...................................................................................................... 16 External Affairs Department Highlights ............................................................................................................................... 17 Constituent Correspondence.............................................................................................................................................. 17 Public Records Requests ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 Deputy Registrar Program ................................................................................................................................................... 18 Legislative Affairs .......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Contact Us / Helpful References ..................................................................................................... 21 Appendix A – Recording Services Statistics ....................................................................................A1 Appendix B – Voter Registration Statistics ..................................................................................... B1 Appendix C – Constituent Correspondence Statistics ..................................................................... C1 2 Recording Services Department About the Department Since 1871, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office has been responsible for recording and maintaining public records for Maricopa County. Historically, the majority of recorded documents have been real estate-related – documents such as deeds, liens, and plat maps. Customers can record documents digitally through an online account, by mail, in person at our downtown Phoenix location, and at our soon-to-launch customer kiosks at five locations throughout the county! Between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, the Office recorded 662,638 documents – a 28.07% decrease from the 921,241 documents recorded in 2022. 1 Of those documents, 90% were recorded digitally, which represents a 0.68% decline from last year. For more recording statistics, see Appendix A. 1 Statistics do not include same-day voided documents, de minimis of the total recorded documents 3 Recording Services Department Highlights from 2023 Maricopa Title Alert Maricopa Title Alert (MTA) launched on June 1, 2023. It is a free service that allows users to receive alerts any time a document is recorded in Maricopa County with the user’s identified personal or business names. This allows users to take a proactive step against title fraud and the recordation of unlawful documents. 2 As of December 31, 2023, over 52,000 users had subscribed to the service. Sign up is easy. It takes only two minutes, and it is available in both English and Spanish. To sign up, individuals can go to – TitleAlert.Maricopa.gov. Indexing Documents In addition to entering documents into the public record, the Recorder’s Office indexes documents by name and document type so they are searchable on the Recorder’s Office website. There are currently over 52 million searchable documents dating back to 1871. The Office indexes 3,000 documents a day on average, with an approximately 72-hour turnaround time from recording the document to it being searchable by name on our website. The Recording Services Department is currently working on re-indexing over 4 million documents. As part of the re-indexing process, the department is addressing 27,000 images that were missing from previously recorded documents. Currently, 4,000 of those images have been scanned. Conferences and Speaking Events Throughout 2023, several staff members from the Recording Services department participated in and attended thirteen interviews, speaking engagements, and conferences. One of the conferences was the 2023 Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) Annual Conference in August 2023, where Leslie Hoffman and other members of the Recorder's Office presented. They discussed the measures implemented by the office to prevent and address cases of title fraud, such as the Maricopa Title Alert. Here are a few of the other events they attended: • American Land Title Association | April 2023 • AZ Association of Paralegals | April 2023 • Arizona Escrow Association | May 2023 • Phoenix Real Estate Title Co. Marketing Group August 2023 • International Association of Financial Crimes Investigation Conference | October 2023 • Kentucky County Clerks Association | December 2023 2 If you believe that fraud has been committed, please report your findings to the Attorney General and your local law enforcement agencies. You can make a report to the Arizona Attorney General at the link below. https://www.AZAG.gov/Contact-Us 4 Recording Education and Uniformed Practices Committee In 2023, Leslie Hoffman, the Director of Recording Services, announced the establishment of a cross-county committee. The primary purpose of this committee is to discuss and document the best practices for recording documents across different counties in Arizona. The committee's objective is to refine and establish guidelines for the systematic recording of documents to ensure accuracy, consistency, and accessibility. This collaborative initiative is designed to enhance the overall experience of recording customers. Lobby Remodel In 2023, to better serve customers, our front lobby underwent a transformative remodel to enhance customer service. The redesign focused on optimizing space utilization, integrating modern technology, and enhancing security measures. More specifically, the remodeling project included the installation of new microphones and workstations for employees, resulting in increased efficiency. The result is a refreshed, vibrant, and accessible workspace that reflects our Office’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Old Front Lobby New Front Lobby 2024 Goals The Recording Services team is gearing up for a dynamic 2024, focused on key objectives. We're looking to implement text messaging for MTA, targeting a minimum of one million in our RDNT project, and launching a new website to enhance efficiency. Moreover, we plan to introduce Recording Kiosks across the county to offer even more options for residents to record public documents. 5 Voter Registration Department About the Department The Maricopa County Recorder's Office is responsible for voter registration and maintenance of the county's voter rolls. Maricopa County has approximately 2.4 million active registered voters. This year-round work includes modifications to existing records, cancelations, corrections, and processing of new voter registration applications. The Voter Registration Department has been experiencing sustained, elevated demand due to population growth and new developments in Maricopa County. The office processed and added 125,991 new voters in 2023 into the voter database. Voters regularly update or change their voter registration records, such as party affiliation, addresses, and Active Early Voting List (AEVL) status. Between January 1 and December 31, we received 200,087 requests for updates related to names, addresses, or party affiliations. The Voter Registration Department performs regular and continual maintenance to ensure the voter rolls remain in compliance and up-to-date. As a result of the ongoing list maintenance and in accordance with A.R.S § 16-165, 59,796 individuals were either removed or placed in inactive status from the voter rolls during 2023. The department utilizes reports from various sources, including the Secretary of State’s Office, the Arizona Department of Health and Vital Statistics, the Arizona/Federal courts, USPS National Change of Address, and the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). You can find more information about how our office can and cannot conduct voter list maintenance here. See Voter Registration totals updated in real-time on our website. 6 Voter Registration Department Highlights from 2023 New Voter Registration System During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Voter Registration Department oversaw the preliminary implementation of a new and improved voter registration system, Elections and Recorder Operations (ERO). This new dashboard will improve the efficiency and speed with which our office can process all things related to voter registration. This new system represents one of the ways in which our office is preparing for the 2024 elections. In addition to the new system, all Voter Registration Department staff received their Certified Election Officer certification offered by the Arizona Secretary of State. Conferences, Speaking Events, and Organizations The Voter Registration Department has been actively participating in key initiatives. Janine Petty, who is the Director of Voter Registration, secured the role of Chair of the Executive Board for the Elections Assistance Commission Standards Board. This role helps to showcase the department's commitment and dedication to improvement and highlights Maricopa County as a gold standard in voter registration practices and procedures. Voter registration staff also attended the International Association of Government Officials conference, where they shared their expertise on voter registration practices in Maricopa County. 2024 Goals In the coming year, the Voter Registration Department is focused on achieving several key objectives. Our primary goal is continually enhancing and refining the new voter registration system, ERO, to ensure its optimal functionality. Additionally, we are committed to successfully executing the various elections, including the Presidential Preference Election, Primary Election, and General Election, focusing on efficiently processing candidate, initiative, and referendum petitions. We also plan to introduce a new National Change of Address (NCOA) program for electronic return delivery. Finally, we want to continue our steadfast dedication to maintaining accurate and up-to-date voter rolls. For more voter registration statistics, see Appendix B. 7 Early Voting About the Department In accordance with Arizona state law, the administration of elections within Maricopa County is divided between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Maricopa County Recorder. Maricopa County has been adhering to this statutory framework since 2019. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing Election Day operations and vote tabulation, while the Recorder is tasked with managing voter registration and early voting, including mail-in voting. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Recorder's Office work in concert to administer jurisdictional elections within the county, such as city and town races, city bond measures, and school district override measures, as well as the once-every-four-years Presidential Preference Elections, and the biannual August Primary Election and the November General Election. 8 Early Voting Department Highlights from 2023 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) for the 2023 Elections During 2023, January 1 – December 31, the UOCAVA team mailed ballots to 3,502 registered UOCAVA voters across three different jurisdictional elections. Approximately 1.9 million ballots were mailed out for the election, of which 3,310 were UOCAVA early ballots. In addition, the UOCAVA team made significant improvements to the Military and Overseas Voters Portal. Here are some of the improvements they made: • More information about upcoming elections • Added information on returning, uploading, and tracking UOCAVA ballot status. • Added a feedback survey, so they can continue to enhance the election process for Uniformed and Overseas voters. A Year of Progress and Innovation in Early Voting The Early Voting department has successfully executed strategic initiatives to fortify processes and enhance organizational cohesion. A comprehensive department-wide SWOT analysis provided valuable insights into our current standing, guiding our efforts toward targeted improvements. Our commitment to continuous improvement is evident in establishing an Early Voting library, housing a diverse collection of business and leadership books. This initiative has fostered a fresh perspective among team members and laid the foundation for a mindset shift from reactive responses to proactive planning. The proactive review and enhancement of training materials have yielded positive outcomes, with a correlation between robust training content, work performance, and the satisfaction of returning temporary staff. Noteworthy achievements include successfully implementing a threeday teaching curriculum for the Curing and Signature Verification team during the November Election, resulting in increased confidence and a positive work experience. We have introduced the "Early Voting Employee Coaching Session" form to strengthen internal processes. This tool empowers supervisors with a structured process for documenting coaching interactions, furthering our commitment to employee development. Creating a team logo and motto, "Early Voting Strong," has fostered a sense of unity and esprit-de-corps, enhancing departmental cohesion. Innovative frameworks, such as the "Zero Hour" team charter, have been established to facilitate efficient communication during fast-paced situations, ensuring a seamless workflow. Additionally, a Curing script has been implemented for voter communication, and a dedicated web page for Early Ballot Signature Curing has been launched, reinforcing our commitment to resource accessibility. 9 Our dedication to data-driven decision-making is reflected in the heightened focus on metrics tracking by election, complemented by implementing an internal "Elections Dashboard" providing real-time data insights by division. Strengthening Compliance and Expanding Capacity in Early Voting The Early Voting department expanded its operations in 2023 by establishing a Compliance & Quality Control Officer position, ensuring adherence to statutory election procedures and internal policies. Infrastructure enhancements at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC), such as increasing the capacity of Ballot Processing Boards from 50 to 75, represent a significant 50% capacity boost. Furthermore, the impressive off-site appointments and registrations by the Special Election Board (SEB) team during the November 2023 Election highlight continuous internal process improvements. 2024 Goals The upcoming initiatives for the Early Voting department in 2024 include significant advancements in our operational processes. We are on the verge of launching electronic Delivery Receipts from Runbeck, enhancing our reconciliation efforts. A comprehensive overhaul of the antiquated internal-facing side of the UOCAVA portal is underway to ensure a more streamlined and efficient system. In response to increased curing demand, we plan to create and fill a Curing Technician and Signature Verification Technical position early in 2024. We are acquiring additional scales to improve overall throughput to enhance our operational capabilities. Looking beyond infrastructure improvements, we aim to bring in guest speakers to address leadership and continuous improvement topics. Furthermore, in early 2024, we are actively working towards gaining access to LinkedIn Learning, a valuable resource to support our team members' personal and professional growth. 10 Information Technology (IT) Department About the Department The Information Technology (IT) Department provides technology solutions for both the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office and Elections. It is responsible for updating and managing the website for both the Recorder’s Office and Elections. The department also handles informational and cyber security for all departmental functions, including election tabulation, voter registration, and recorded document databases. One component of that is the Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a collection of spatial information that maps people, places, and things. The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office and Elections use GIS for voter registration and election planning. When a voter registers or changes their registration, the Office searches the voter’s address within the department’s spatial address database. Once the address is found, the Office uses spatial intersection functions to find a voter’s district. This image is an example of these district layers. While the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) is responsible for redrawing Congressional and Legislative district lines, Maricopa County is responsible for updating voting precincts, justice court precincts, and the Board of Supervisor district boundaries. During the third quarter, the Geographic Information System (GIS) team successfully accomplished the mapping of the new district boundaries approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for over 260,000 residents. 11 Information Technology (IT) Department Highlights from 2023 Projects and Initiatives The IT Department has been actively engaged in various projects and initiatives throughout the third quarter. Alongside maintaining existing infrastructure, they’ve made significant progress on multiple fronts. These include: • • • • • • • • Successful testing of a Recorder Kiosk project in our Mesa office. Deployment of enhanced automation software in the Voter Registration system and Recordation systems. Stress testing and cyber security audits in preparation for the upcoming 2024 election cycle. Test and approval of the next generation of Lexmark Ballot on Demand (BOD) printers. Rolling out of Elections Reporting System (ERS), which will be implemented on schedule for the 2023 November Jurisdictional Election. Signing of a new Microsoft Enterprise Licensing Agreement, which allows the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office to save over $200,000 annually. Upgrading the surveillance system servers in MCTEC. Submission of Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation for using Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI / ML) for future projects. This is an inter-departmental collaboration between the Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office and the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office. ERO Voter Registration System Production Release In December 2023, the Maricopa County Voter Registration system underwent a successful multi-year modernization, culminating in its production release. This updated system employs contemporary application development and advanced infrastructure to streamline the internal voter registration process. As we approach the 2024 Election Cycle, the Recorder’s Office voter registration system is geared to handle substantial volumes, including tens of thousands of voter registrations, petition filings, and signatures, all while ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. ERO, an intranet application accessible only within the secure County network, prioritizes data security. The software development adheres to industry best practices, incorporating continuous security enhancements aligned with NIST and OWASP standards. Rigorous reviews, including Static and Dynamic code analysis, proactively address issues related to application code structures and development. This robust security framework ensures the reliability and integrity of the ERO Voter Registration System, contributing to a secure electoral infrastructure for Maricopa County. 12 New Website Deployments in December The Elections.Maricopa.Gov website received significant enhancements from MCRO ITD. The Be Ballot Ready voter portal, accessible at BeBallotReady.Vote and TengaBoletaLista.Voto, now acts as a streamlined one-stop-shop for Maricopa County voters. It allows users to conveniently check their registration statuses, voting histories, and access various county and state services. The Campaign Finance and Elections Results page underwent modern overhauls, featuring updated interfaces for improved user experience. The Get Involved page serves as a volunteer hub and includes resources for programs like the Student Election Program, which focuses on student civic engagement. These upgrades collectively enhance the website's accessibility and functionality for Maricopa County voters. Vote Center Ticket System In collaboration with Maricopa County Elections, the Recorder’s Office IT Department successfully implemented a new system from a 3rd party vendor, GoDeskless. This innovative system is designed to monitor and manage service requests and tickets from technicians and Vote Center personnel throughout the Election Cycle. The system offers real-time tracking capabilities and ensures optimal positioning of technicians and resources, enhancing efficiency during crucial times. This marks the first implementation of such a system in the Arizona Election community, with the inaugural pilot during the November 2023 Jurisdictional Elections. Licensing and Cost Consolidation In a strategic move made a few years ago, MCRO ITD consciously opted for software and services that simplify licensing processes and cut costs. Recently, we concluded the migration of Microsoft Enterprise licensing into a single agreement (MSEA) shared with other County departments. Leveraging Grant Funding applications and services from AZ DoHS and Arizona State, MCRO ITD achieves substantial annual savings, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars solely in licensing costs. City of Phoenix Council Districts The conclusion of the post-2020 Census redistricting effort was marked by the finalization of the City of Phoenix Council Districts in November 2023. The process involved a thorough review by the GIS team, utilizing aerial photography as an underlay to ensure precision in boundary alignment without disrupting buildings or housing structures. Subsequently, the team integrated the new boundaries into the department's staging city and town boundary dataset, undergoing many checks for accuracy. 13 On December 27th, the updated boundaries were transitioned into production after seamless coordination with the Voter Registration and Database Department teams. Notably, this adjustment impacts 33,953 City of Phoenix voters, who will now receive new voter ID cards. Conferences and Speaking Events The IT Department actively participated in many local and international conferences, encompassing various topics ranging from election security to blockchain and AI technologies. The department's participation in these conferences signifies its commitment to staying current with the latest technological advancements and their applications. Below is a list of some of the conferences attended by our IT Department: MS-ISAC - Salt Lake City, UT o IT Department staff participated in the Elections Infrastructure (EI-ISAC) group that discusses Information Technology, Cyber Security, and election-related process evaluation. For more information, please visit here. DEFCON - Las Vegas, NV o Our IT team met with election officials, vendors, and cyber security professionals to discuss the future of election infrastructure and security. They also participated in the "Voting Village," which focused on election technology and innovation. For more information, please visit here. Property Recorders Industry Association (PRIA) - Omaha, NE o At this conference, IT staff discussed the use of blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI) specifically, related to document recordation and processing recorded documents. For more information, please visit here. Arizona Geographic Information Council (AGIC) - Prescott, AZ o Our team specializing in Geographic Information Systems attended the conference and demonstrated how businesses can utilize GIS. For more information, please visit here. Arizona Cyber Summit Phoenix, AZ o Hosted by the AZ Department of Homeland Security in December, the summit brought together state and local officials, including Director of CISA Jen Easterly and Interim Director of AZDOHS Susan Dzbanko, along with cybersecurity professionals. Attendees participated in sessions covering lessons from the past year, emerging cybersecurity technologies, and threats, specifically focusing on a session dedicated to elections and discussions on the upcoming 2024 election cycle. For more information about AZDOHS, please visit here. 14 2024 Goals In 2022, MCRO ITD successfully released an updated version of the Elections.Maricopa.Gov website. Now, the Recorder's website is set to undergo a transformative upgrade. The new website will utilize a user-friendly Content Management System (CMS) for efficient updates, content creation, and enhanced usability for both County personnel and end-users. In addition, IT is looking to strengthen critical infrastructure and prepare for the 2024 election. 15 External Affairs Department About the Department Communications and Constituent Services Team The Communications and Constituent Services teams at the Recorder's Office work in close collaboration to provide accurate, relevant, and timely information to the public. They achieve this by producing quarterly and annual reports, assisting constituents on a daily basis, fulfilling public records requests, and managing the Deputy Registrar program. These teams ensure that constituents receive the highest level of service and support from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office. See the Publications page for the 2022 Annual Report. 16 External Affairs Department Highlights from 2023 Communications Outreach: • Interviews o In July, Recorder Richer joined the Arizona Prosecuting Attorney’s Advisory Council Across Arizona podcast to talk about Maricopa Title Alert and the steps our office is proactively taking to help protect the residents of Maricopa County. o In September, Recorder Richer spoke with Recorded Reading for the Blind to answer questions and educate voters about our office’s efforts to make voting accessible to all eligible voters. Some of these measures include large print and braille ballots, special election boards, accessible machines, and more. If you would like to know more or have questions about the steps we take to ensure voting accessibility, please email voterinfo@risc.maricopa.gov or watch this video created by Maricopa County Elections that sheds light on the topic. • Maricopa Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) Tours o Despite undergoing construction to prepare for the 2024 election cycle, the External Affairs Department hosted over thirty tour groups. Many of these tours offered constituents a glimpse at the remodel, which included expanding and remodeling rooms such as signature verification, ballot flagging, and the tabulation center, as well as adding additional secure ballot areas and cameras. If you're interested in participating in a tour, please email voterinfo@risc.maricopa.gov. • Conferences and Speaking Events o Throughout the various departments, the Recorder's Office participated in over twenty-five local and national conferences covering a diverse range of topics including, but not limited to, cyber security, document recording, and intergovernmental affairs. In addition, the Office participated in over sixty speaking events, educating groups on election administration and providing them with information about upcoming elections. Constituent Correspondence In addition to calls transferred to the team from the Maricopa County STAR Call Center, constituents contact the Office through multiple email inboxes and social media channels. The Recorder’s Office Constituent Services team handles these requests and escalates issues to the appropriate subject matter experts within the Recorder’s Office and Elections. Responding to hundreds of emails each week, the team addresses various concerns, including voter registration requests, inquiries related to upcoming elections, questions about recording documents, and concerns related to election administration. For more constituent correspondence statistics, see Appendix C. 17 Public Records Requests The Office continues to see a general increase, even in between general election cycle years, in the number of public records requests submitted. In 2023, we received 740 public records requests, representing an approximate 108.70% increase from 2021 and a 61.35% decrease from 2022. The Public Records team is currently working, in coordination with OpenAxes, on developing and implementing a new software system and database to improve the management and distribution of public records. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and convenience for Maricopa County residents by creating a self-service portal for certain public records. The project is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2024. A requestor can directly submit a non-commercial or commercial purpose public records request online through the Maricopa County Public Records Request Portal (search for Recorder By Department). 2023 Public Records Requests Received by Category Public Records Requests Yearly Comparison 2021-2023 Extensive Research 3 256 1500 Voter Information 209 1000 Voter Data / Cast Vote Record Recording Elections Services Miscellaneous Total: 104 131 30 10 740 1194 500 0 368 2021 2022 740 2023 Deputy Registrar Program The Recorder’s Office Deputy Registrar Program trains and certifies volunteers to provide voter registration and election information in their communities. In addition to the introductory training and certification class, the program expanded its curriculum in 2021 to offer continuing education courses to these volunteers and has seen growing interest in 2023. In partnership with Deputy Registrars, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office takes part in events across Maricopa County. Deputy Registrar Program 2023 Recap • In 2023, 121 new Deputy Registrars were certified. • As of December 31, 2023, there were 1034 Deputy Registrars. • In 2023, 11 Deputy Registrar Introduction Classes were conducted. • Throughout the year, 216 Certified Deputy Registrars attended 9 Continuing Education Classes. • Deputy Registrars supported 39 Voter Education and Registration Election Events, facilitating voter registration or updates. Typically a request that will exceed a 30-day time for production. It includes access and duplication involving multiple databases, communication requests (email, mail, text) from multiple parties and over a significant period, or archival documents. Many requests involve a combination of these factors. 3 18 • • • Deputy Registrars registered 1,100 voters as part of voter education initiatives at local high schools. Deputy Registrars participated in 3 Voter Education & Registration Constituent Services Events, providing election work information and JR DR Program details and assisting in voter registration. In 2023, 2,377 new citizens were registered during Naturalization Ceremonies. Deputy Registrar Program – Looking forward to 2024 • 5 Continuing Education Classes are planned to be taught in the fourth quarter of 2023 o Presidential Preference Election Review Class o Primary Election Review Class o Proposition 200 Review Class o Deputy Registrar Intro Training for Native Health o Provisional Ballots o Secret Ballot Class • 8 Community Events have been scheduled for the fourth quarter. Junior Deputy Registrar Program The Constituent Services team is also working with the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) to develop a Junior Deputy Registrar Program (JDRP). The JDRP will allow interested student participants from high schools throughout Maricopa County to become Junior Deputy Registrars. The student participants must be 16 years old or older. The JDRP aims to empower high school students to participate in authorized and approved civic activities and work with first-time registrants and first-time voters within their schools. The Recorder’s Office provides training to foster active engagement in county government and encourage democratic participation. The Junior Deputy Registrar Program will begin its pilot year in 2024. Corporate Program The Constituent Services team has seen increased interest from corporations around topics of civic engagement, election laws, voter registration, and election administration. The Recorder’s Office is now partnering with corporations to provide voter registration and election information to the corporation’s employees. If you represent an interested company, please get in touch with us at voterinfo@risc.maricopa.gov. Legislative Affairs The 56th Arizona State Legislature The 56th Legislature’s first regular session, commonly known as the 2023 legislative year, concluded during the third quarter of the year on July 31. Most laws passed and signed during the legislative session take effect 90 days after the conclusion of the legislative session, which is October 30, 2023. Here are a few of the significant bills that affected the Office: 19 • • • • Senate Bill 1061: added a public official to the list of eligible persons who can petition the superior court to prohibit the general public from accessing their records Senate Bill 1110: requires counties to create an opt-in system for constituents to monitor recordings under a specific name, which will go into effect on January 1, 2025, to allow counties time to implement the system. Maricopa County began creating a monitoring system well before the legislation was proposed, and our office launched Maricopa Title Alert in June of this year. Senate Bill 1176: added a certified nursing assistant or a registered nurse (Health Professional) to the list of eligible persons who can petition the superior court to prohibit the general public from accessing their records. Senate Bill 1273: Requires the counties to include, in the official instructions for voters on election day and the printed instructions to early voters, a specified statement concerning the unlawful handling and return of ballots. NACo Annual Conference and Exposition In July, a representative of the Recorder’s Office attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference and Exposition. Participants from counties across the nation participated in the conference in Travis County, Texas to discuss local and national policy, share best practices, and build partnerships to better serve constituents and improve the efficiency of county government. This allowed our office to better understand current and potential policies in other jurisdictions, build partnerships nationwide, learn more about connecting with constituents, and more. 2024 Goals The Recorder's external affairs team is dedicated to strengthening MCRO's community partnerships in Maricopa County. Our efforts include launching an advertising campaign for ongoing voter list maintenance, regular meetings with community groups, conducting tours at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC), participating in informative media interviews, and enhancing the voter dashboard at BeBallotReady.Vote/TengaBoletaLista.Voto, and consistently issuing press releases and engaging on social media. We collaborate closely with the STAR Call Center to ensure accurate information for callers and strive for prompt responses to constituent emails. Building and maintaining these relationships allows us to provide valuable information and resources to the residents we serve in Maricopa County. 20 Contact Us / Helpful References Email Us  For election-related inquiries - Voterinfo@risc.maricopa.gov  For recording-related inquiries - Recordinginfo@risc.maricopa.gov  For Recorder inquiries - Recorder@risc.maricopa.gov  For media inquiries - PIO@risc.maricopa.gov  For public records request inquiries - PRR@risc.maricopa.gov  For military and overseas voting (UOCAVA) inquiries - Milos@risc.maricopa.gov Call Us  STAR Call Center - (602) 506-3535  Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center - (602) 506-1511 Visit our Websites:  Recorder Website  Elections Website  Locations.Maricopa.Vote / Ubicaciones.Maricopa.Voto  BeBallotReady.Vote / TengaBoletaLista.Voto  GetInvolved.Maricopa.Vote  JustTheFacts.Vote  TitleAlert.Maricopa.gov  Newsletter Find Us:  Recorder’s Office Downtown Phoenix - 111 S. Third Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003  MCTEC - 510 S. Third Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Follow Us: X YouTube Facebook Instagram 21 Appendix A – Recording Services Statistics Appendix A – Recording Services Statistics – Infographic Figure A1 Daily Recording Averages, by Month 2018-2023 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 January February March April May June July August Septemb Novemb Decemb October er er er 2018 3,837 3,907 4,443 4,324 4,082 3,912 3,787 3,562 3,745 3,536 3,461 3,526 2019 3,393 3,705 3,900 4,023 4,298 4,563 3,990 4,370 4,723 4,424 4,881 4,587 2020 4,254 4,629 4,603 4,315 4,649 5,298 5,164 5,434 5,503 5,749 6,475 5,716 2021 5,733 6,063 6,033 5,761 5,557 5,507 5,171 5,267 5,429 5,163 4,732 5,423 2022 4,283 4,137 4,835 4,054 3,837 3,617 3,023 3,322 3,012 2,770 2,488 2,496 2023 2,364 2,282 2,931 2,503 2,825 2,827 2,423 2,756 2,389 2,452 2,206 2,160 Figure A1 graphs the average number of documents recorded daily by month and year from 2018 through 2023. A1 Appendix A – Recording Services Statistics – Infographic Figure A2 Revenue Generated for County General Fund by Recording Services 2003 - 2023 40,000,000.00 35,000,000.00 30,000,000.00 25,000,000.00 20,000,000.00 15,000,000.00 10,000,000.00 5,000,000.00 0.00 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 A2 Appendix B – Voter Registration Statistics Appendix B – Voter Registration Statistics – Infographic Figure B2 See Voter Registration totals updated in real-time on our website. Infographic B2 contains figures 4 on: • • • Totals of active registered voters by party in Maricopa County as of December 31, 2023 Total of newly registered voters by party in Maricopa County as of December 31, 2023 Political Party Voter Registration changes in Maricopa County for the 2023 calendar year 4 Voter registration figures may fluctuate in real-time due to ongoing voter list maintenance. B1 Voter Registration Statistics January 1 2023 - December 31 2023 Voter Registration Statistics 500,286 2,406,677 2,906,963 Total Active Voters as of 12/31/2023 Total Inactive Voters as of 12/31/2023 Total Registered Voters as of 12/31/2023 125,991 200,087 59,796 Updates to address, party, or name in 2023 New Voters Added in 2023 Voters removed from the rolls in 2023 Active Voter Registration Totals by Party as of 12/31/2023 825,145 697,057 Republican Democratic Green 19,865 16,519 1,523 Other 846,568 Libertarian No Labels 200,000 0 400,000 2023 Party to Party Changes From From Total +15,575 voters No Labels From Total Republican 649 257 Libertarian Democratic 377 Green 33 +2,057 voters 458 Democratic Libertarian Green 17 +10,456 voters Other 11,210 Other No Labels 96 From Total Republican 1,844 Democratic 2,436 +12,791 voters Libertarian 139 Green 13 Other 8,359 Total Republican 1,880 Democratic 3,794 Republican Libertarian 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 *Other includes Independents, No Party Preference, and other parties not recognized as official parties. Green +94 voters Green 5 8,205 Other 1,022 No Labels 81 No Labels 4 From Total From Total Republican 10 Democratic 39 Libertarian 3 Other 42 Republican 13,607 Other* +37,826 voters Democratic 15,864 Libertarian 1,016 Green 95 Other 6,637 No Labels 607 Appendix C – Constituent Correspondence Statistics Appendix C – Constituent Correspondence Statistics – Infographic Figure C1-C3 Infographic C2 contains figures on: • Constituent response statistics regarding voter registration and elections between January 1 – December 31, 2023 Infographic C3 contains figures on: • Constituent response statistics regarding document recordation between January 1 – December 31, 2023 C1 Constituent Response Statistics Recording Info January 1 - December 31, 2023 Recording Info This inbox is for emails regarding recording documents into the public record. Below is a graph showing the common email topics received by this email inbox for the year of 2023. Constituent Response Statistics Voter Info January 1 - December 31, 2023 Voter Info This inbox is for emails regarding voter registration and elections. Below is a graph showing the common email topics received by this email inbox for the year of 2023.