Friday’s Pinal County Board of Supervisors Special Session meeting filled with residents who were satisfied with the appointment of Virginia Ross as the new elections director.
“I believe that the choices that you have made so far, it gives me tremendous pleasure to know that you have selected Virginia as the elections director,” says Belinda Rodriguez, Pinal County resident.
Ross moved into her new position after she resigned as recorder Thursday. That happened after it was announced the previous director, David Frisk, was no longer employed by the county.
"I believe that the county understood that something needed to be done very, very quickly,” says Virginia Ross, Pinal County elections director.
Tuesday, 20 Pinal County voting centers either completely ran out or were very short on in-person ballots during the primary election.
"This has been an unfortunate gap," Ross says. “What happened, definitely impacted the recorder’s office as well. And we all felt that pain.”
In addition, there was support for Dana Lewis to become the next county recorder. Lewis has an extensive background in county elections after working as the assistant to the Pinal County recorder for the last seven months.
The board unanimously agreed. Lewis was sworn in and appointed Friday.
"I think we all know that security and elections go hand in hand and what we do in the Recorder’s Office and voter registration is so important,” says Dana Lewis, Pinal County recorder. “I know that all eyes are on Pinal County right now and being able to be a steward and taking that forward hand in hand with Virginia. I'm ready for the task.”
The focus now Ross says, "I just stepped into a whirl wind. And everybody's calling and calling. And we've got to finish up this primary. Finish counting the ballots. And as I said, get back to basics and work on getting that general election ready to go. And we're going to do it right.”
