Ross in as new Pinal elections director; Frisk out

Pinal County has made a move to clean up the mess of this year’s primary elections, bringing in county Recorder Virginia Ross in to fill the position of county Elections Director.

A news release from Pinal County said:

“In light of recent issues with Pinal County’s Primary Elections, the County can announce changes in the leadership of the Elections Department.

“David Frisk is no longer in the position of Elections Director and is no longer employed by Pinal County.

“As a result of discussions with the Board of Supervisors and County Leadership, and in order to restore confidence for voters in the November Election, Recorder Virginia Ross has resigned from her elected office and has been appointed Elections Director effective immediately. Ross is an experienced and highly respected professional, who, prior to being elected as the Recorder in 2012, enjoyed a progressive career in the private sector for Fortune 100 and 500 corporations Ryder System, Inc. and IBM as a certified Project Manager, Telecommunications Manager, and Senior Contract Negotiator.

Ross did not oversee the Elections Department for this primary election in her role as the County Recorder. She was in charge of Pinal County Elections during her first term in 2014 and 2016, but with the county’s growth and an increase in Recorder responsibilities, an Elections Director was brought in to oversee the Elections Department from 2017. Since that time, the Elections Department has reported to County Management, which is overseen by the Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors will hold a Special Session Meeting in Florence Friday at 11:15 am to appoint a Recorder to complete Ross’s term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2024.

“As a Board, we are deeply embarrassed and frustrated by the mistakes that have been made in this primary election, and as such, we are taking immediate steps to ensure the November election runs smoothly, as elections in Pinal County have historically done prior to this primary,” Jeffrey McClure, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said in the county statement.

“It is vital that we restore trust with Pinal County voters, and I can assure the community that there is no better leader to take control of our Elections Department than Virginia Ross,” McClure continued. “As a fellow elected official, I am grateful to Virginia for sacrificing her elected role to answer the needs of Pinal County.”

Ross said she looks forward to the challenge.

“Having been the Recorder for Pinal County since 2013, this primary election has been a stinging experience for us all,” she said. “I look forward to involving all stakeholders in Pinal County as we work together to finish this primary election, before immediately turning our attention to the November election. I also want to take this opportunity to publicly thank my staff in the Recorder’s Office, who have provided me such stellar support since I took office in 2013.”