2026 Election: Adrian Fontes, Alex Kolodin clash over elections in Secretary of State debate

PHOENIX - Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes and Republican challenger Alex Kolodin traded sharp personal attacks and presented starkly different visions for election administration during a debate for Arizona Secretary of State.

Debate Recap:

Fontes, seeking reelection as the state’s chief election officer, pointed to his background as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, former Maricopa County recorder, and current Secretary of State, emphasizing endorsements from local law enforcement and firefighter associations.

He framed his tenure as one of neutral oversight, stating he has governed with integrity to "call balls and strikes political outcomes be darned." Fontes heavily criticized Kolodin's professional record, noting his opponent was disciplined by the State Bar and cited by the Arizona Supreme Court for dishonesty.

Kolodin, a state representative, countered by criticizing Fontes’ stewardship, arguing that the incumbent has turned Arizona’s elections into a "national embarrassment" and routinely overstepped legal boundaries. Kolodin highlighted his own legislative work, citing bipartisan accomplishments with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs that expedited mail-in ballot processing and protected voting access for overseas military personnel. He pointed to Fontes' past legal troubles, including a college-era felony indictment following a police chase, and accused Fontes of attempting to dismantle citizenship requirements for voting.

The function of the office

When asked about the office's core function, the candidates offered differing priorities.

Fontes described the secretary's role as a nonpartisan information hub and administrative authority over elections, business registrations, and state archives. He stressed the importance of serving as a trusted source of factual information for the public.

Kolodin called maintaining clean and accurate voter rolls the office's primary duty. He accused Fontes of failing to secure voter rolls and facilitating non-citizen voting through the use of Social Security numbers for registration.

Mail-in voting

On the topic of mail-in voting—a method utilized by nearly 80 percent of Arizona voters—Kolodin defended his record of refining election procedures, arguing his legislative reforms have made mail-in voting faster and more secure.

Fontes countered that Kolodin's broader platform seeks to eliminate vote-by-mail options entirely, warning that restricting voting convenience directly reduces voter access, particularly for rural residents, seniors, and working families. Fontes highlighted statewide ballot-tracking initiatives he expanded while in office.

Access to voter database

The candidates also clashed over a federal request from the Trump administration seeking access to Arizona's voter registration database. Fontes defended his refusal to hand over the data, explaining that releasing unredacted voter rolls would have violated both state law and federal privacy statutes, including the Privacy Act of 1974.

He noted that courts upheld his decision, alongside similar rulings in 25 other states. Kolodin argued that the state should utilize federal systems like SAVE to audit voter rolls for non-citizens while keeping data in-house, asserting that strict verification is necessary to restore public confidence in election integrity.

Who took part in the debate?

Adrian Fontes

Fontes served as Maricopa County Recorder before being elected to Secretary of State in 2022. In that election, Fontes defeated Republican Mark Finchem. He ran unopposed in the July primary election.

What they're saying:

Fontes says he has been fighting for justice and democracy for his entire career.

"As Secretary of State, Adrian has delivered on key promises to Arizona voters. He has enforced Arizona’s voter ID laws and kept voter rolls up-to-date. He prioritized election security by hosting first-of-their-kind tabletop exercises across the state to prepare election officials for AI-driven threats and deepfakes. To proactively address these modern risks, he established the Artificial Intelligence and Election Security Advisory Committee, which identifies opportunities and threats associated with AI in elections. His leadership has earned national excellence, including the prestigious 'Clearie' Award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission for three consecutive years (2023–2025) for innovations in election administration and security," read a statement on Fontes' campaign website.

The statement continues: "Secretary Fontes has also been a steadfast defender of vote-by-mail, a trusted system used by over 80% of Arizonans. He has successfully protected Arizonans’ private data from illegal demands, winning in court against the Trump Administration. Additionally, he has focused on improving business services by cutting red tape and reducing wait times for critical services, allowing Arizona’s business community to thrive."

Alex Kolodin

Kolodin is a Republican member of the state House of Representatives who represents District 3 in Arizona. He defeated Gina Swoboda in the July primary election.

What they're saying:

According to his campaign website, Kolodin is an election lawyer who has been practicing election law in Arizona for over a decade.

"In 2014, as a rookie lawyer, Alex litigated one of the first cases that established that election-related metadata stored on central count computers was a public record. In 2020, Adrian Fontes tried to give an illegal instruction to every person who voted by mail in Maricopa County. Alex took him to the Arizona Supreme Court and not only won the case, but won the right for every Arizona voter to challenge unlawful acts by elections officials. In 2024, when Adrian Fontes refused to comply with his obligations under the National Voter Registration Act, Alex took him to court and won again."

Have Fontes and Kolodin debated in the past?

Yes. In August, the Secretary of State candidates clashed over election safety, legal battles, and mail-in voting rules during an Arizona PBS debate.

Are there any other Secretary of State candidates?

Yes. Green Party candidate, Duwayne Collier, is on the November ballot, but he is not participating in this debate, according to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission.

It should also be noted that on the Arizona Green Party's website, Collier's Secretary of State candidacy is listed as "actively opposed."

Who is organizing the debate?

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission is the official debate sponsor.

What time is the debate?

The debate is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

When is the general election?

Per the Arizona Secretary of State's Office website, the general election will take place on Nov. 3, 2026, and the deadline to register to vote in that election is Oct. 5.

What you can do:

To register as a voter, you can visit the Secretary of State's website.

2026 ElectionsAdrian FontesArizona PoliticsPhoenixNews