Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State candidate, will speak at the PC Democratic Club meeting on Sept. 7.
Alisa Moore
Adrian Fontes, coming off his primary win in the campaign for Arizona Secretary of State, will be the featured speaker at the Sept. 7 meeting of the PebbleCreek Democratic Club at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom. The social hour starts at 6 p.m., and the meeting at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to all.
Mr. Fontes, a native Arizonan, is well known to the club, having spoken regularly at club and legislative district meetings over the past five years. He has a clearly established commitment to public service and to working across the aisle to achieve goals on behalf of all Arizonans. Serving his country taught him the importance of dedication, discipline, and sacrifice to fight for the American dream. After being Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, Adrian returned to receive his bachelor’s degree from ASU before continuing to the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver.
Upon graduating from law school, Adrian spent his career advocating for justice and fighting for the vulnerable and disadvantaged. He served as a prosecutor in Colorado and in Maricopa County, as well as with the Arizona Attorney General’s office. While raising his family, Adrian advocated for people’s rights, which included serving on the Board of Planned Parenthood where he worked to advance pro-choice policies.
In 2016, after witnessing shameful voter suppression tactics, including 6-hour lines at the polls, he decided to run for Maricopa County Recorder. He won, becoming the first Democrat to hold the Recorder’s office in 50 years, and the first-ever Latino to hold an office in Arizona’s largest county. As Recorder, Adrian revolutionized an outdated voting system by making elections more accessible and more secure than ever before. From day one, he immediately got to work professionalizing the operation and implementing a comprehensive plan in advance of Election Day: securing polling locations, recruiting and training poll workers, and educating voters on where, when, and how to vote.
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic and violent insurrections at both the Maricopa Recorder’s office and at our nation’s capital, the elections infrastructure established by Adrian led to and supported the record voter turnout in 2020. He worked with political and community organizations across the political spectrum to increase registered voters by 500,000 people, making Maricopa County the second-largest voting jurisdiction in the country.
Arizona needs a secretary of state like Adrian Fontes. Administering elections fairly and competently at the state and local level is critical. To learn more about what Arizona faces, now and in the future, join the PC Dems on Sept. 7, and visit electfontes.com. Club information is available at pcdemclub.org.