Arizona’s Mohave County Secures 2026 Ballot with Enhanced Security Measures

Mohave County in Arizona is set to enhance its ballot security measures for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. County officials aim to bolster voter confidence through the introduction of advanced security features, including potential watermarks and invisible fibers.

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a contract with Runbeck Election Services for these enhancements. The features are projected to cost between 10 to 15 cents per ballot, a reasonable expense considering the 83,000 ballots cast during the last midterm election.

Travis Lingenfelter, the supervisors’ chairman, expressed optimism that the additional costs will yield significant benefits by improving public trust in the election process. He also encouraged other counties to adopt similar measures.

This development arrives four years after baseless claims circulated alleging that fake ballots were used to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. These allegations were notably echoed by Republican figures like Kari Lake during her unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2022.

Despite numerous audits confirming the integrity of the elections, the narrative around fraudulent ballots has undermined voter confidence. Arizona’s rigorous systems include checks and balances to ensure only valid ballots are counted, but doubts linger among the electorate.

Calls for improved ballot security are gaining traction nationwide, particularly in key swing states. While California has utilized watermarked ballots for some time, states like Georgia and Michigan have begun implementing similar features.

Notably, several key Arizona Republican leaders who once propagated election fraud theories are now advocating for heightened ballot security. State Sen. Mark Finchem has attempted to legislate such measures unsuccessfully, with Governor Hobbs recently vetoing his proposal.

Runbeck Election Services—selected through a competitive bidding process—has offered various sophisticated security measures. These include invisible fibers, watermarks, and taggants that are difficult to duplicate. However, details about the final security features for Mohave County’s ballots are still pending.

Concerns remain, especially regarding Runbeck’s reputation, which has been subject to scrutiny and conspiracy theories. During a public meeting, community member Jennifer Esposito urged the board to consider alternative vendors due to these past issues, yet Supervisor Sonny Borrelli defended the integrity of Runbeck’s services.