Kevin Cavanaugh Was A Member Of The Pinal County Board Of Supervisors In 2024. [Pinal County, Board of Supervisors, accessed 1/23/24]

Kevin Cavanaugh Was Elected To The Pinal County Board Of Supervisors District 1 As A Republican In 2020. [Pinal County, 2020 Election Results, 11/12/20]

CAVANAUGH PUSHED FOR ELECTION MANUAL TO BE MADE PUBLIC DESPITE SECURITY RISK

Kevin Cavanaugh Pushed For The County’s Election Manual, Which Contained Sensitive Information, Be Given To The Board Of Supervisors And Thus Become Public. “Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, R-Coolidge, asked about the status of the director's position and expressed surprise that the board couldn't see the county's elections manual for security reasons. [...] Cavanaugh also asked if the recorder's 236-page internal elections procedures manual is ready for the board to review. Lewis said the manual contains proprietary information, and making it available to the board without redacting this information ‘would create a giant gap in security protocols.’ Cavanaugh persisted, ‘What are you afraid of that would be disclosed to us that the public couldn't see?’ Lewis replied there's no fear, but the manual contains ‘the keys to the kingdom’ with the county's vendors helping to secure elections. ‘But ma'am, we're the Board of Supervisors,’ Cavanaugh continued, ‘so if we want to see the elections procedures manual in executive session, you're telling us you're not going to give it to us?’ ‘Once I give it to the board it becomes public record and can go out to the masses, and that is the concern,’ Lewis said.” [Casa Grande Dispatch, 1/18/24]

• Despite Being Told That Its Release Would “Create A Giant Gap In Security Protocols,” Kevin Cavanaugh Continued To Insist It Be Provided To The Board. “Lewis said the manual contains proprietary information, and making it available to the board without redacting this information ‘would create a giant gap in security protocols.’ Cavanaugh persisted, ‘What are you afraid of that would be disclosed to us that the public couldn't see?’ Lewis replied there's no fear, but the manual contains ‘the keys to the kingdom’ with the county's vendors helping to secure elections. ‘But ma'am, we're the Board of Supervisors,’ Cavanaugh continued, ‘so if we want to see the elections procedures manual in executive session, you're telling us you're not going to give it to us?’ ‘Once I give it to the board it becomes public record and can go out to the masses, and that is the concern,’ Lewis said. Cavanaugh said following Pinal's primary election fiasco of 2022, County Attorney Kent Volkmer and an elections specialist the county hired noted shortcomings, including the lack of a checklist. ‘These five people run the county,’ Cavanaugh said, referring to the board. ‘We'd like to make sure that what's in the procedures manual, that one person doesn't bypass procedures and screw up an election again. That's my concern.’” [Casa Grande Dispatch, 1/18/24]

CAVANAUGH SPREAD DISTRUST IN VOTING MACHINES AND SUPPORTED HAND COUNTS

Kevin Cavanaugh Asked About The Possibility Of Expanding Hand Counts In A Future Election For “A More Statistically Valid Measure Of The Machine.” “Election staff will work through the week and also on Veterans Day Friday. Drawings for the hand-count audit were scheduled to occur Wednesday afternoon, followed by the hand count on Thursday afternoon, Lew said. Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, R-Coolidge, asked if there's any further information about the possibility of expanding the hand count in a future election, such as increasing it from two precincts to four for ‘a more statistically valid measure of the machine.’ Volkmer said there's no specific court ruling but the preliminary opinion from the Secretary of State's Office is a small increase would be legally permissible.” [Maricopa Monitor, 11/9/22]

Kevin Cavanaugh Said He Was “Not Confident” In Machine Counts. “Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, who previously sought the expanded hand count of ballots, said he is ‘not confident’ in machine counts and suggested that manual tabulation is feasible in 2024. ‘I bet you in a week that I could come up with a system that counts faster than Mohave County,’ he said.” [Arizona Republic, 8/3/23]

CAVANAUGH PUSHED TO USE VOLUNTEERS RATHER THAN COUNTY EMPLOYEES FOR A RECOUNT

Kevin Cavanaugh Asked Why The County Used Its Own Employees For A Recount Rather Than Community Members And Was Told It Was A Cost-Saving Measure. “Vice Chairman Jeff Serdy, R-Apache Junction, asked who does the recount. Roll replied it will be staff and election-cycle ‘temp’ employees. Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, R-Coolidge, asked why the county uses its employees rather than community members. Roll said the early board that counted for the General Election cost the county $47,000. If I use them again, it will cost us a third of the budget to count the ballots.’ The election-cycle temps are bipartisan, she continued. ‘It saves about $40,000.’” [Casa Grande Dispatch, 12/10/22]

Kevin Cavanaugh Asked Whether The County Should Consider Funding For Other Counters Rather Than Using County Staff. “Vice Chairman Jeff Serdy, R-Apache Junction, asked who does the recount. Roll replied it will be staff and election-cycle ‘temp’ employees. Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, R-Coolidge, asked why the county uses its employees rather than community members. Roll said the early board that counted for the General Election cost the county $47,000. If I use them again, it will cost us a third of the budget to count the ballots.’ The election-cycle temps are bipartisan, she continued. ‘It saves about $40,000.’ Cavanaugh asked if the county should consider funding for other counters. ‘The individuals who have taken the oath to serve on the tabulation board for the recount are not individuals who were involved in the count of the election. I believe they do not have any vested or other interest in not ensuring whatever they see is what they report,’ Roll replied.” [Casa Grande Dispatch, 12/10/22]

Kevin Cavanaugh Asked If Budget Were Not A Factor, If The Deputy County Attorney Would Consider Using Volunteers And Was Told No. “She said the process is live streamed and observers are present. ‘It's kind of difficult for them to hide anything or make anything up,’ Roll said. Cavanaugh asked if budget were not a factor, would Roll use volunteers rather than employees. Roll replied no.” [Casa Grande Dispatch, 12/10/22]

Kevin Cavanaugh And Jeff Serdy Asked About Replacing Temporary Paid Positions With Volunteers, Then Cavanaugh Questioned Whether The Paid Positions Were Politically Balanced. “Cavanaugh and board Chairman Jeff Serdy, R-Apache Junction, asked about Roll's plans to replace volunteers with temporary paid positions. ‘If you have an interest in serving in the Elections Department for five or six weeks during an election cycle, it still certainly is open for you and we're happy to have you,’ Roll said. There will be an application to fill out, a modified background check and some training, she said. ‘Anybody from the public is welcome to contact Elections at any time and come in and look at it, talk to us, and see if they are interested in being a part of the whole process.’ Cavanaugh asked if these temporary paid positions represent the political parties in even numbers. ‘We've found we don't have a problem finding enough Democrats, Republicans and independents to staff the boards,’ Roll said.” [Maricopa Monitor, 5/4/23]

CAVANAUGH QUESTIONED WHETHER THERE WAS INFORMATION ON TABULATORS NOT COUNTING PROPERLY IN 2022 AND RECEIVED A VAGUE ANSWER IN RESPONSE

Kevin Cavanaugh Asked Dana Lewis Whether She Had Any Information That Tabulators Were Not Counting Properly In 2022 And She Said They Had “Done Everything To Make Sure Whatever Happened Bad In 2022 Does Not Happen In 2024.” “Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh, R-Coolidge, asked Lewis if she was aware of any information that the tabulators were not counting properly in 2022. Lewis said she understands there were some definite faults in reconciliation reports and an outside expert made an indepth audit. ‘We have reviewed all of those findings and we have done everything to make sure whatever happened bad in 2022 does not happen in 2024.’ Lewis said early ballots were mailed and in-person early voting began Wednesday.”  [Casa Grande Dispatch, 2/24/24]

CAVANAUGH BELIEVED SUPERVISORS HAD MORE LEEWAY TO PUBLICLY SPEAK ABOUT ELECTION ERRORS THAN HIS COUNTERPARTS BELIEVED

Kevin Cavanaugh Disagreed With Mike Goodman, Stephen Miller, And Jeffrey McClure About The Extent Of The Court Order Limiting What They Could Say About Election Errors. “Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh said he believed supervisors and other county officials were prohibited from disclosing the exact counts of the results but were allowed to speak about the errors. Volkmer called that interpretation ‘overly technical,’ and Supervisors Mike Goodman, Stephen Miller and Jeffrey McClure also dissented. Their understanding based on discussions with Volkmer and other attorneys, they said, was that nothing could be said publicly about the situation before the results of the recount were read aloud in court. ‘I walked out of those meetings thinking that this is absolutely not open until the right time to put this out there,’ Goodman said. ‘That's where I'm at.’”  [Arizona Daily Star, 1/6/23]

CAVANAUGH WANTED A SERIES OF HEARINGS ON THE 2022 PINAL COUNTY ELECTIONS

Kevin Cavanaugh Wanted To Hold A Series Of Hearings To Investigate The 2022 Primary And General Elections In Pinal County.

“Cavanaugh proposed a series of special meetings to investigate the county's primary and general election woes. He wants the board to levy the authority to subpoena witnesses and evidence for the hearings, he said.” [Arizona Daily Star, 1/6/23]