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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

A LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES, INCLUDING A SENTENCING FOR COCHISE COUNTY SUPERVISOR WHO TRIED TO DELAY THE CERTIFICATION OF VOTES IN 2022.

THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

JOINING US TONIGHT, MARY JO PITZL OF "ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM, JIM SMALL.

MARY JO, WHO IS PEGGY JUDD AND WHY IS SHE UNDER PROBATION RIGHT NOW?

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY PEGGY JUDD WAS ONE OF THE NEWEST ENTRANTS INTO THE PROBATION WORLD.

ONE OF THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE COCHISE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND MADE HEADLINES BECAUSE OF IN 2022 SHE BALKED AT CERTIFYING THE ELECTION RESULTS, SAYING THEY NEEDED MORE INFORMATION.

THAT BROUGHT ON A LAWSUIT BETWEEN HER AND ANOTHER SUPERVISOR TOM CROSBY AND WERE FORCED TO CERTIFY THE ELECTION RESULTS, BUT THE CASE IS PURSUED AGAINST HER AND CROSBY, AND SHE TOOK A PLEA.

TED: TOOK A PLEA, FELONIES KNOCKED DOWN TO MISDEMEANOR, AND THAT'S A PROBATION?

>> YOU DON'T WANT TO BE A REGISTERED FELON, AND SO NOW IT'S HER, AND THE QUESTION IS, IS HER FELLOW SUPERVISOR TOM CROSBY ALSO GOING TO TAKE A PLEA DEAL?

IT'S NOT CLEAR, HIS ATTORNEY IS CLEAR THEY DIDN'T WANT TO APOLOGIZE, YOU CAN TAKE A PLEA DEAL AND NOT APOLOGIZE.

TED: YEAH, JIM, THE PROBATION INCLUDES THE ELECTION CYCLE HERE.

THE ELECTION DAY AND AFTERMATH.

THAT'S INTENTIONAL, ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH, I THINK PROBABLY.

IT DOES KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, AS COUNTIES ARE FORCED TO CERTIFY THE ELECTIONS IN ABOUT A MONTH OR SO, WHEN THEY GET THE TASK OF ACTUALLY DOING THAT.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

IS THIS WHAT HAPPENED IN 2022 AND THE SUBSEQUENT CRIMINAL CHARGES HERE?

AND THREATS OF CRIMINAL CHARGES TO OTHER COUNTIES THAT WERE MULLING, DOING THE SAME THING, MOHAVE COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR AS THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS TAKE THE ELECTION RESULTS AND FOLLOWING STATE LAW, WHERE REALLY THEY HAVE TO CERTIFY THEM AND CERTIFY BY A CERTAIN DATE TO SEND THEM TO THE STATE SO THE STATE CAN CANVASS ITS OWN ELECTION, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE PEOPLE URGING PEGGY JUDD AND TOM CROSBY AND OTHER COUNTY SUPERVISORS TO ESSENTIALLY DIG THEIR HEELS IN AND NOT CERTIFY THE ELECTIONS IN ORDER TO PROMPT LITIGATION, IN ORDER TO PROMPT WHO KNOWS WHAT?

NONE OF THAT CAME ABOUT, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE DOING THE SAME THING, DEPENDING HOW THE ELECTION GOES.

>> ALTHOUGH, HOW MUCH CLEARER OF A MESSAGE CAN BE SENT TO THE BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS, YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED IF THIS HAPPENS.

CERTIFYING THE RESULTS IS A MINISTERIAL ACT.

THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM.

YOU LOOK AT RESULTS AND YOU SAY, YEP, THAT LOOKS ABOUT RIGHT WITH WHAT -- EXACTLY RIGHT FOR WHAT THE TALLY SHOWED, AND YOU SEND IT ALONG SO IT GETS CAUGHT UP IN THE STATE CANVASS.

TED: IT IS REFUSAL OR FAILURE TO REFUSE WHAT YOU ARE DOING?

>> AND ONLY AFTER A JUDGE ORDERED JUDD AND MR. CROSBY TO DO SO, AND CROSBY, I WAS COVERING THIS AT THE TIME, HE DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR THE COURT.

WELL, HE DIDN'T SHOW UP.

THEY WERE IN THE COURTROOM.

THE JUDGE KEPT THEM THERE AND SAID LET'S GET ON WITH THE CERTIFICATION.

HE NEVER SHOWED UP.

WHEN I REACHED HIM, HE SAID HE WAS ON STATE ROUTE WHATEVER, HE WAS DRIVING.

TED: AND HE'S UP FOR RE-ELECTION.

>> HE'S ON THE BALLOT.

A PRETTY HEAVY REPUBLICAN DISTRICT HE REPRESENTS IN COCHISE COUNTY, I DON'T KNOW HE'S AT RISK OF LOSING HIS SEAT, BUT HIS ACTIONS AFTER THE ELECTION WILL BE VERY INTERESTING.

TED: QUICKLY, THE 90-DAY PROBATION, SOUNDS LIKE IT'S INTENTIONAL BECAUSE MS. JUDD HAS TO DO HER DUTY.

THE MESSAGE TO HER IS, YOU'RE STILL RESPONSIBLE HERE, DON'T MESS IT UP.

>> WHETHER IT'S A COINCIDENCE OR NOT, IT CERTAINLY HAS THAT EFFECT.

TED: YES.

>> SO I WOULD GUESS SHE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN THE SAME WAY.

NOT TO SAY THEY WON'T STILL PROTEST OR HAVE SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO SAY ABOUT ELECTION RESULTS DEPENDING WHO WINS.

>> THINKING ABOUT IT WITH CROSBY ON THE BALLOT, DOES HE WANT TO NOT CERTIFY THE RESULTS IN HIS OWN ELECTION.

IT MIGHT DEPEND HOW IT TURNS OUT.

TED: WASN'T THAT THE ELECTION WHERE CISCOMANI MIGHT HAVE LOST IF THE COUNTY'S CERTIFICATION DID NOT GO THROUGH?

ISN'T THAT HOW THAT WORKED?

>> YEAH, THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE COCHISE IS PRETTY HEAVILY REPUBLICAN AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE COUNT SEE IN JUAN CISCOMANI'S DISTRICT, A SWING DISTRICT, BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT, AND THERE WAS TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T CERTIFY AND THIS DOESN'T GET SUBMITTED?

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT IN A RACE WHERE A CANDIDATE WON A HOTLY CONTESTED RACE IN 2022 BECAUSE OF THE VOTES IN THE COUNTY.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAKING A STORY, WAYNE SCHUTSKY, MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO AS MUCH AS YOU DO BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE A NEW RECORDER SOON.

>> BRILLIANTLY SAID THIS UNANIMOUSLY MADE THIS CHANGE BEFORE THE UPCOMING ELECTION, AND AS WE KNOW, THE CURRENT MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER, REPUBLICAN STEPHEN RICHER IS NOT GOING TO BE IN THE SAME ROLE AFTER THIS ELECTION.

WE'LL HAVE EITHER JUSTIN HEAP OR THE DEMOCRAT, TIM STRINGAM.

THEY DIDN'T CITE IT BECAUSE OF THE NEW RECORDER COMING IN, BUT DOES CHANGE THE DUTIES AND GIVES A LOT MORE OF THE ELECTION, RUNNING RESPONSIBILITY AND POWER TO THE BOARD RATHER THAN THE RECORDER.

TED: LOT OF EARLY BALLOT PROCESSING HERE, RIGHT?

>> EARLY BALLOTS ARE 60 TO 65% OF THE VOTE TOTAL IN MARICOPA COUNTY, SO THE BOARD THAT HANDLES THIS, THEY GET THE EARLY BALLOTS, THEY TAKE A LOOK AT ENVELOPE.

THEY OPEN UP THE ENVELOPE, SEPARATE THE BALLOT FROM THE ENVELOPE AND CHECK THE SIGNATURE ON THE ENVELOPE TO MAKE SURE THAT MATCHES WHAT'S ON THE VOTER ROLLS, IF IT DOES, THE VOTE GOES ON FOR TABULATION.

A VERY IMPORTANT TASK.

THE PROCESS ALSO CALLS FOR TWO PEOPLE TO OVERSEE THAT.

THEY HAVE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, NO LONGER BY THE RECORDER.

ONE BY EACH PARTY SO YOU HAVE THAT CHECK ON EACH OTHER.

TED: YEAH WHY, DO THEY DO THIS, JIM?

>> WELL, REGARDLESS WHAT THE BOARD SAYS THE REASON IS, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S A CONCERN THAT JUSTIN HEAP, THE REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATOR IS THE NEXT RECORDER.

I DON'T THINK THE BOARD IS ENAMORED WITH THAT IDEA.

HE HAS BEEN CAGEY AND EVASIVE WHEN TALKING ABOUT ELECTION SECURITY AND ELECTION FRAUD AND WHETHER HE BELIEVES THE LAST COUPLE OF ELECTIONS IN ARIZONA WERE FAIR AND FREE AND NOT RIGGED OR STOLEN, BUT HE'S BEEN VERY, I THINK ELECTION DENIER CURIOUS.

HE SPONSORED A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT PUSHED THE THEMES AND AGENDAS OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENLY QUESTIONING THE ELECTION AND SAYING THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTIONS.

THOSE ARE THE COMPATRIOTS IN THE LEGISLATURE, MEMBERS OF THE FAR RIGHT FREEDOM CAUCUS AND THE BOARD LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID, OKAY, STATE LAW GIVES COUNTY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS THE ABILITY TO DELEGATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION HOWEVER THEY WANT.

MOST OF THE COUNTIES GIVE IT TO THE COUNTY RECORDER AND LET THEM DO IT.

COUPLE YEARS AGO, MARICOPA COUNTY PULLED BACK THE ELECTION DAY PORTION OF THAT AND CREATED THEIR OWN ELECTION, HIRED ELECTION DIRECTOR AND BIFURCATED THE STUFF.

THIS IS THEM TAKING BACK THE REST OF IT AND SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CONTROL OF ALL OF IT AND GOING TO MANAGE IT, HAVE OUR OWN ELECTION DIRECTOR.

WE'RE GOING TO APPOINT THIS BOARD.

WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE SAY IN WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND NOT DELEGATE THE TASK TO THE ELECTED COUNTY RECORDER AND IT'S OBVIOUS THEY HAVE CONCERNS HOW JUSTIN HEAP IN PARTICULAR WOULD HANDLE THIS.

TED: HAVE YOU AND YOUR BRILLIANT COLLEAGUE, HAVE YOU HEARD REACTION FROM THE BOARD?

HAVE THE SUPERVISORS SAID ANYTHING?

HAVE THE CANDIDATES SAID ANYTHING?

ANYBODY VOICING CONCERN OVER THIS SO FAR?

>> THE BOARD YOU DON'T WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION, THEY SAID ELECTIONS HAPPEN THROUGH PROCESSES WHICH PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN, SOME STUFF LIKE THAT.

BASICALLY NOT WANTING TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.

I MENTION THAT HEAP NOT ONLY HANGS OUT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THE ELECTIONS ARE STOLEN, IT'S ALSO FUNDED BY THEM.

TYPICALLY IF YOU FUND SOMEONE'S CAMPAIGN, YOU WANT THEM TO DO WHAT YOU AGREE WITH ONCE THEY GET INTO OFFICE, IF AND WHEN THEY'RE ELECTED.

TED: IS THIS SOMETHING, QUICKLY LAST QUESTION ON THIS ONE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP HEAP'S CAMPAIGN?

HE COULD SAY LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING, THEY'RE AFRAID OF ME, DOING THIS BECAUSE OF ME, THAT'S WHY I GOT TO GET IN THERE?

>> I DON'T KNOW, HE HAS A BASE QUITE CLEARLY, THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH HIM NO MATTER WHAT.

THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN YOU -- WHO ELSE CAN YOU PICK UP IN YOUR CAMPAIGN?

AND I DON'T KNOW THIS WOULD NECESSARILY -- IT'S REALLY IN THE WEEDS IN TERMS OF ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY DAY.

TED: ALL RIGHT, STICKING WITH YOU, MARY JO, WE HAVE AN ARREST OF THE SHOOTING UP OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICES.

60-YEAR-OLD MAN ARRESTED.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIM?

SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE LEARNING MORE, AND IT'S PRETTY ROUGH.

>> I ALWAYS FORGET HIS FIRST NAME, KELLY.

>> JEFFREY.

>> JEFF KELLY, LIVES IN AHWATUKEE AND MAKES HIS OWN HAND-PAINTED SIGNS, I THINK PAINTING OVER OTHER PEOPLE'S SIGNS WITH HIS OWN MESSAGES, AND WHAT HE DID EARLIER THIS WEEK IS MADE SOME NEW SIGNS, LINED IT UP WITH PALM TREES, LINED IT WITH RAZOR BLADES LIKE THE KIND YOU PUT IN A -- WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?

>> A RAZOR?

>> A BOX CUTTER.

>> BOX CUTTER.

AND ATTACHED BAGGIES OF A WHITE POWDERY SUBSTANCE, WITH WARNINGS LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO BREATHE TOO DEEPLY AROUND HERE, AND THE MESSAGE ON THE SIGNS WERE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, DEMS LIE AND DEMS KILL JEWS, AND THAT GOT SOME ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY AFTER POLICE HAD FOLLOWED LEADS AND FIGURED OUT HE WAS ALSO THE GUY WHO APPARENTLY WAS TAKING POTSHOTS AT A DEMOCRATIC FIELD OFFICE IN TEMPE, THREE TIMES.

TED: YEAH, AND JIM, WHEN THEY SEARCHED HIS HOME, POLICE FOUND AN ARSENAL.

THEY FOUND SOMEONE THEY SAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN UP TO NO GOOD AS FAR AS PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE?

>> WHAT THE POLICE SAID IS THEY BELIEVE HE WAS PLANNING A MASS CASUALTY EVENT.

THIS IS SOMEONE CHARGED WITH TERRORISM CHARGES RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S NOT RELATED TO THE SIGNS, RIGHT?

THAT'S ALL RELATED TO THE SHOOTINGS, THE ONLY CHARGES HE'S FACING.

BUT HE'S CHARGED WITH TERRORISTIC CHARGES, AND THEY FOUND 120 GUNS, 250,000 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION IN HIS HOUSE.

A GRENADE LAUNCHER.

ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES FOUND HIS SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES AND WENT THROUGH THEM, IT IS FULL TOP TO BOTTOM OF STANDARD RIGHT-WING, YOU KNOW, MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION, ELECTION LIES, BIRTHERISM, FEEDING INTO THE CONSPIRATORIAL AND CLEARLY THIS IS SOMEONE WHO IS -- YOU KNOW, IF HE IS INDEED THE PERSON WHO PERPETRATED THE CRIMES IS MOTIVATED BY POLITICS AND A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE'VE SEEN ONLINE FOR THE LAST EIGHT, TEN YEARS.

TED: YEAH, AND THEY FOUND RIFLE, AMMUNITION RIFLES IN HIS VEHICLE AS WELL.

SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SEEING MORE OF THIS.

KARI LAKE'S CAMPAIGN OFFICE, SUBSTANCE FOUND THERE, WASN'T FOUND TO BE SERIOUS.

IT WAS STILL A SUBSTANCE, SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS UNTIL ELECTION DAY?

>> SHE HAD A RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

SHE POSTED IT COULD BE ANTHRAX AND THE POLICE CLARIFIED IT WASN'T HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.

THOSE HAPPENED THIS WEEK AS FAR AS VIOLENT STUFF RELATED TO POLITICS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND WE'RE STILL A WEEK AND A HALF OUT FROM THE ELECTION, AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE TEMPERATURE IS SO HIGH, AND LUCKILY ELECTIONS OFFICIALS HAVE PREPARED TO A POINT THAT, I THINK, A FEW ELECTION CYCLES AGO WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WAS VERY, VERY EXTREME, HAVING SNIPERS AND STUFF FOR ELECTION DAY JUST IN CASE, GOD KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS, BUT THIS IS THE STUFF PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF, AND IT DOES HAPPEN IN ARIZONA.

TED: WE HAD A MAILBOX INCIDENT IN PHOENIX.

ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

MARY JO, THIS IS RELATIVELY NEW IN ARIZONA.

I DON'T REMEMBER THIS IN YEARS PAST.

>> I DON'T REMEMBER PEOPLE BURNING DOWN MAILBOXES.

THIS HAPPENED AT A CENTRAL PHOENIX POST OFFICE, AND APPARENTLY FROM THE EVIDENCE THAT POLICE GATHERED, THEY DON'T THINK IT WAS INTENDED TO GO AFTER THE EARLY BALLOTS THAT PEOPLE CAN DROP IN A MAILBOX.

THE GUY JUST WAS LOOKING TO GET ARRESTED, SO LIGHT UP A MAILBOX, BUT SEEMS LIKE HE'S CERTAINLY GIVING PEOPLE IDEAS.

TED: HE CERTAINLY HAS OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.

JIM, WE GOT THIS HIGHGROUND POLL, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE MAP, BUT THEY TEND TO BE TRENDING IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION.

THE HIGHGROUND POLL AND DONALD TRUMP WAS DOWN BY A COUPLE OF POINTS IN LATE SEPTEMBER, UP HALF A POINT RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH, AND IT SPEAKS TO THIS IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE RACE.

TALK ABOUT CONTESTS BEING A COIN FLIP, AND ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT IN ARIZONA, NATIONALLY, IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATES THAT THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO, ON ELECTION DAY, WHICH SIDE IS ABLE TO MOBILIZE THEIR SUPPORTERS JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THEIR OPPONENT.

POLL AFTER POLL AFTER POLL SHOWS HARRIS UP BY ONE OR TWO, TRUMP UP BY ONE OR TWO, THEY'LL SHOW IT EVEN AND JUST DOES SPEAK TO THE CLOSENESS OF THIS RACE AND THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TWO CAMPS OF VOTERS THAT ARE DECIDED AND A VERY SMALL SEGMENT OF PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE WHO ARE PROBABLY WEIGHING WHETHER TO VOTE, NOT NECESSARILY WHO THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR.

TED: IT DOES SHOW THAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IN ARIZONA AT LEAST IS HEADING IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION, AND THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN, NOT SO MUCH?

>> YEAH, THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAS HELD THE ATTRACTION, AND WE'VE SEEN POLL SLIGHTLY UP OVER HARRIS, BUT WE TAKE POLLS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, AND AS JIM MENTIONED, BY NO MEANS A DEFINITIVE THING.

>> INTERESTING THE RETURNS ON EARLY BALLOTS COMING IN, AT LEAST IN MARICOPA COUNTY, IS SLOWER THAN NORMAL.

PERHAPS THAT'S A SIGN OF PEOPLE TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, OR MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO FINISH DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THE FOUR SIDED BALLOT.

IT'S A PRETTY LONG BALLOT, BUT THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT THAT, OR A SIGN OF JUST, MEH, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SIT IT OUT.

TED: THE SIZE OF THE BALLOT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS EARLY BALLOTS.

THAT THING IS A BEAST.

>> IT IS.

IT'S BEEN 15, 20 YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD SUCH A LONG BALLOT, AND WHAT 13 BALLOT PROPOSITIONS STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS, NOT COUNTING POTENTIAL LOCAL ONES AND LOCAL CITY COUNCIL RACES AND SCHOOL BOARD RACES, IT'S A SERIOUS UNDERTAKING, FOR VOTERS TRYING TO TAKE CARE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INFORMED AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, I THINK IT DOES ADD TO THE TIME AND COULD SPEAK TO WHY WE'RE SEEING BALLOTS COME IN MORE OF A TRICKLE.

TED: AND SPEAK TO INTERESTING THINGS IN ELECTION DAY IN TERMS OF LINES BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WALK IN AND BOOP, BOOP, BOOP, AND YOU'RE OUT.

IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT THE BALLOT EARLY, YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING EARLY BALLOT FOLKS HAVE DONE IN THE LITTLE ROOM.

I DON'T SEE HOW THE LINES DON'T GET HUGE BECAUSE OF THAT?

>> TRUMP AND HARRIS ASKED VOTERS TO VOTE EARLY.

TRUMP AND LAKE WERE SAYING DON'T CAUSE A TRAFFIC JAM.

VOTE HOWEVER YOU WANT TO, HOWEVER YOU CAN.

>> COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I WAS SPEAKING TO SCOTT JARROD, THE COUNTY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR.

THE BOTTLENECK WILL BE IN THE VOTING BOOTH.

NOT GETTING INTO THE POLLING PLACE BUT THE VOTING BOOTH, AND THERE ARE ESTIMATES THAT THE AVERAGE TO FILL OUT THE BALLOT IS 9 TO 14 MINUTES.

SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE THEIR BALLOT, THE CHEAT SHEET, THEY'LL HAVE IT IN THEIR HEAD, THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WILL SAY I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THIS, AND THEY WILL STAND THERE AND THINK ABOUT IT, WHICH IS THEIR RIGHT.

TED: YEAH.

>> THAT MIGHT TAKE LONGER TO GET THROUGH THE POLLS.

IN DEFENSE OF IN-PERSON VOTING ON ELECTION DAY, THOSE BALLOTS WILL GET COUNTED QUICKLY, UNLIKE THE ONES, THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS THAT PEOPLE BRING IN ON ELECTION DAY AND PUT IN A BOX.

THAT'S WHY WE GET THE BIG DELAY.

>> THE BANE OF ALL ELECTION OFFICIALS.

GALLEGO UP 9 1/2, CLOSE TO 10 POINTS OVER LAKE.

INDEPENDENT VOTERS POLLING 9% OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

IS THE CAVALRY ON THE HORIZON FOR KARI LAKE.

ARE THEY GOING TO START SHOWING UP?

OR ARE THEY LEAVING HER?

>> I THINK THAT THE TIME FOR THE CAVALRY IN TERMS OF MONEY AND HUGE AD BUYS, THAT WAS A MONTH AGO WHEN THAT WOULD HAVE HAD THE MOST IMPACT AND THE MOST EFFECT, STARTING A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE EARLY VOTING AND RUNNING THROUGH THE REST OF THE ELECTION.

THE MONEY THAT'S THERE IS THE MONEY THAT'S THERE FOR HER, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THIS CONSISTENTLY.

WE TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY TIME WE DO THIS PROGRAM, THAT SHE IS CONSISTENTLY FIVE, TEN PLUS POINTS BEHIND RUBEN GALLEGO, A REPUBLICAN LEANING STATE IN GENERAL.

THE FINAL TALLY ON ELECTION DAY WILL PROBABLY BE CLOSER THAN THAT, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND RUBEN GALLEGO CONTINUES TO DOMINATE AMONG INDEPENDENTS.

CONTINUES TO PULL SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF INDEPENDENTS FROM KARI LAKE AND YOU SEE HER TRAILING DONALD TRUMP IN THE SAME POLL.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE CAVALRY AS FAR AS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, EVERYONE AND THEIR BROTHER HAS BEEN THROUGH ARIZONA THIS WEEK AND THE NEXT WEEK, NAME A HIGH-RANKING POLITICIAN AND THEY ARE HERE.

IS IT MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO HAVE DONALD TRUMP, HE'S BEEN HERE TWICE OR SOMETHING IN TWO WEEKS.

ANOTHER TIME WITH HALLOWEEN.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HERE TODAY.

FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON HERE EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

IS THIS MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

>> WALZ WAS HERE RECENTLY.

TED: YEAH, AND VANCE WAS HERE IN PEORIA AND TUCSON.

BIG DEAL?

NO BIG DEAL?

SHORE UP THE BASE?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> YOU ARE DOING THE ECHO CHAMBER EVENTS YOU ARE PREACHING TO YOUR OWN SUPPORTERS.

AT THE SAME TIME, IF YOU DIDN'T DO IT, IT WOULD BE WEIRD AND INSULT TO PEOPLE WHOSE VOTES YOU ARE HOPING TO GET IN ARIZONA BECAUSE IT'S A SWING STATE.

AS A REPORTER, IT'S LIKE BEING CHARGED BY THE CAVALRY AND CALM DOWN, BUT IT WILL CALM DOWN INEVITABLY, SO A FEW MORE WEEKS OF THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GETTING THE ATTENTION UP UNTIL ELECTION DAY.

TED: THIS IS GETTING THE BASE IN LINE, IS IT NOT, MARY JO?

>> IT'S GETTING THE BASE, THEY'RE THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU.

GETS THEM TALKING TO FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.

PEOPLE WHO AREN'T COMING TO THE RALLIES, MAYBE SOME OF THEM ARE THE SLIVER OF THE ELECTORATE WHO HASN'T MADE UP THEIR MINDS YET.

THIS HELPS THEM GET ENERGIZED TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE.

TED: YOU AGREE, JIM?

>> YES, THIS IS ABOUT DRIVING TURNOUT.

NOT ENOUGH TO SAY THAT YOU SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP OR KAMALA HARRIS, BUT YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY BE MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO GO TO THE POLLS, AND TO WHAT MARY JO IS SAYING, TO WALK OUT OF THAT EVENT AND THEN GO TALK TO YOUR FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS AND FIND THE ONES WHO ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT VOTING OR DISINCLINED TO VOTE AND GET THEM TO VOTE.

SPEAK FOR THE CANDIDATE THAT YOU SUPPORT.

TED: AND THE POLLS ARE SO TIGHT, ESPECIALLY THE PRESIDENTIAL RACES, KEEP IT THERE.

GETTING OUT THE VOTE, THAT IS HUGE.

THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, WILL IT NOT?

>> I THINK IT WILL.

IN ARIZONA AND THE OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES WHERE WE'RE SEEING SIMILAR DYNAMICS, IT IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO TURNOUT, RIGHT?

AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, IT'S GOING TO BE THAT YOU SEE KAMALA HARRIS WIN THE POPULAR VOTE LIKE JOE BIDEN DID BY A WIDE MARGIN, JUST LIKE HILLARY CLINTON DID BY SEVERAL MILLION VOTES.

BECAUSE WE'RE IN AMERICA AND THAT'S NOT HOW WE ELECT PRESIDENTS, THAT'S NOT WHAT MATTERS, SPECIFIC STATES IN ORDER TO GET THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES.

ARIZONA IS -- THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A BATTLEGROUND STATE, WHERE OHIO AND FLORIDA WERE 20 YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER THINKING BOY, I WISH WE GOT ATTENTION, WE GOT LOVE, AND BOY, WE GOT IT.

LIKE DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE.

TED: MARY JO, THERE IS A STORY IN THE REPUBLIC REGARDING WATER REGULATIONS, A REAL POSSIBILITY IN ARIZONA STARTING IN WILLCOX.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW REAL THE POSSIBILITY IS GIVEN WILLCOX OR THAT CORNER OF THE STATE, BUT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN UP DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CREATING ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA IN THE WILLCOX WATER BASIN IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL, AND AMA SAYS IT MANAGES WATER.

IT'S GOING TO SET LIMITS ON WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE -- WHO CAN PUT A NEW STRAW INTO THE AQUIFER AND PULL WATER OUT?

AND FOR NOW, IT HAS STOPPED NEW AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY FROM COMING INTO THE AREA BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE, HOME OWNERS, NOT SO MUCH THE AG COMMUNITY, BUT RESIDENTS VERY, VERY WORRIED ABOUT WATER AVAILABILITY.

HOW MUCH FARTHER DOWN DO I HAVE TO DRILL WITH THE WELL?

TED: YOU SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY IF TOM SAYS WE'RE GOING TO DO IT?

>> CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THEY WANT BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK.

TED: YOU TELL ME, ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES DECIDES?

WHO STOPS THEM?

>> WELL, SO, THE BACKGROUND OF THIS IS HOBBS AND THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COME TO A DEAL HOW TO MANAGE RURAL WATER GROUND WATER, AMA IS IN URBAN AREAS AND AN ARGUMENT IS THERE SHOULD BE ALTERNATIVE SPECIFIC TO RURAL AREAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS.

HOWEVER, THEY HAVEN'T COME TO A DEAL.

EVERYONE IS -- I WON'T SAY STUBBORN, BUT THEY HAVEN'T COME TO A DEAL, AND HOBBS IS FLEXING MUSCLE AND SHOWING WHAT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH CAN DO.

DEPLOYING THE DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE IN THE RIO VERDE AREA AND DEPLOYING THE WATER RESOURCES IN THE WILLCOX AREA AND SAYING I'M PUSHING BACK AGAINST DEVELOPERS AND MEGA FARMS AND DOING IT ON MY OWN, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COME TO THE TABLE, AND SHE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH LAWMAKERS, BUT THIS FIRST STEP IS TO ANNOUNCE THEY'RE STARTING THE PROCESS AND TO HEAR PUBLIC INPUT, BUT SHE WAS CLEAR TO MENTION, PEOPLE IN WILLCOX ASKED FOR THIS.

TED: YEAH, AS FAR AS THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THIS A TOPIC, MAYBE NOT A, BUT SOMEWHERE HIGHER IN THE ALPHABET?

>> WATER IS A PERSISTENT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION BUT VERY LITTLE ACTION THE LAST, WELL, 20 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

IT'S BECOME MORE POINTED AND MORE FOCUSED IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS AS WE START TO DEAL WITH GROUND WATER WITH THE DROUGHT, WITH COLORADO RIVER, WITH ALL THESE THINGS BUT HAVE TO YET TO COME TO SOLUTIONS THAT CAN GET BUY-IN AND ADVANCE THE PROCESS.

TED: WILL WE SEE SOMETHING NEXT SESSION ON THIS?

>> SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS LIKE.

TED: EXACTLY.

THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

>> VERY MUCH.

RATHER FAMOUSLY REPRESENTED GAIL GRIFFIN CHAIRED THE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES WATER POLICY.

SHE IS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT PRESCRIPTIONS.

SHE BELIEVES IT SHOULD BE A MORE VOLUNTARY PROCESS, AND TO JIM'S POINT, THAT'S WHY THEY TALK ABOUT IT A LOT BUT NOT MUCH GETS DONE.

WILL SHE BE IN A POSITION TO INFLUENCE WATER POLICY AS SHE HAS IN YEARS PAST?

IT DEPENDS.

EVEN IF THE REPUBLICANS KEEP THE CHAMBER IN THE HOUSE, WHO WILL BE THE SPEAKER?

WHO WILL APPOINT THE HEAD OF THE WATER COMMITTEE?

TED: GOT TO STOP IT RIGHT THERE.

PANEL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL THERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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