When Maricopa County Democratic Chairperson Patti O’Neil spoke with Blog for Arizona last December, she talked about her goals for improving voter registration numbers, messaging outreach, and candidate support.
Now, six months later, Chairperson O’Neil graciously interviewed with Blog for Arizona again and previewed the County Party’s Summer Convention on June 20 and discussed the progress that has been made in the last six months that will help propel Democrats to victory in November.
The questions and Chairperson O’Neil’s responses are below.
Please tell us about the upcoming summer convention. What are at least two outcomes you would like the attendees to leave with after it’s over? And what are at least two marching orders you and your team will be giving the Legislative District (LD) members to pursue?
“The upcoming summer election will be an important opportunity to bring our leaders, precinct committee members, volunteers, and LD teams together around a shared mission. Stay organized, stay focused, and keep building on the momentum we have created.
Our work is paying off. In Maricopa County alone, we have seen precinct committee membership increase by 30%. And that growth reflects the commitment of people who are willing to show up, do the work, and help move our efforts forward.
At least two outcomes I would like attendees to leave with are, first, a renewed sense of purpose and confidence that our grassroots efforts are making a measurable difference. The increase in precinct committee members shows that when we organize consistently and communicate clearly, people respond. Second, I want attendees to leave with a practical direction that they can take back to the LDs immediately, including how to strengthen local organizations, recruit more volunteers, register more voters, and keep voters engaged through Election Day.
And these marching orders will be straightforward. We will encourage them to get organized and stay focused, as I mentioned. That means building strong precinct-level teams, tracking progress, communicating regularly, and making sure every volunteer understands the role they play.
Second, we will direct LDs to continue expanding voter registration efforts and to increase participation in the active early voting list. We are already out registering voters, and those efforts are paying dividends.
Finally, we emphasize the important message to vote the entire ballot. Every race matters, and our LDs need to help voters understand why completing the full ballot is essential to achieving success at every level. If attendees leave the summer convention motivated, organized, and ready to execute, then we will be in a strong position to keep growing, keep registering voters, and keep turning out hard work into results.”
Please give us an update on the Maricopa County Democrats’ voter registration efforts since we last spoke, and do you have any statistical evidence to back that up?
“Since we last spoke, the Maricopa County Democratic Voter Registration Program has continued to grow and produce measurable results. Last year, we invested, as I mentioned last time we spoke, in a part-time staff member dedicated to voter registration, and that investment has helped build a stronger voter volunteer infrastructure. He has now trained more than 600 volunteers and has filled 80 tabling events organized by MCDP. This does not include all the shifts outside of MCDP that we have assisted with.
Those efforts are continued in earnest across the county and are beginning to show up in the data. From January through June 14th, Democrats have seen a net gain of approximately 10,000 registrations compared with Republicans. Now, based on voter information, we track this data through the Maricopa County Recorder’s and Election website.
The county voter registration totals are regularly updated, almost on a daily basis, and allow registrations to be viewed by party and geography, giving a reliable way to monitor progress over time.”
The road to victory still lies through increased Democratic registration numbers and appealing to Independents and disenchanted Republicans?
“Yes.”
What are the names of the county, school board, legislative district, congressional, and statewide offices, Maricopa County Democrats will be concentrating resources from now until Election Day. Please explain.
“Right now, we’re razor-focused on the primary. This is an exciting time of the election cycle, really. There are many competitive races across Maricopa and Arizona, and the Maricopa County Democratic Party is focused on building the momentum to win in November. At the same time, during the primary, as I mentioned, the party must remain neutral among Democratic candidates, so our commitment is to support a fair primary. We have two county-wide positions. Clerk of the Superior Court, we have a young man by the name of Sebastian Mata, who is running, and Judy Schweibert for the Maricopa County Community College District at Large.”
What are at least three policy issues the Maricopa County Democrats will focus on in 2026? Please explain.
“So, this one is a little bit more entailed because we are fighting for policies that improve the lives of everyday people and reflect our core values of fairness, freedom, opportunity, and justice. At least three key policy issues will be affordability, health care, and protecting democracy and equal rights. But let me further explain what I mean.
First, we will focus on lowering costs for working families. Republican policies have made life harder for everyday Americans, including through failed tariffs, misplaced priorities, and endless war conflicts that contribute to a higher cost. Families are feeling the impact of gas prices, grocery bills, rent, utilities, and energy costs. Democrats believe the government should work for working people, not just the wealthy and well-connected. We will support leaders who fight for an economy where people can afford to live, work, and raise a family.
Second, we will focus on affordable health care for all. Health care should not be available only to those who can afford expensive insurance or out-of-pocket costs. Democrats believe that every person deserves access to quality, affordable medical care, including preventive care, prescription medication, mental health services, and reproductive health care. We will support candidates who work to expand access, lower costs, and protect people from losing coverage when they need it.
Third, we will focus on protecting freedom, Democracy, and equal justice under the law. We believe in the freedom for all, not just for some. That includes protecting voting rights, civil rights, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ plus rights, and the right of every person to be treated fairly under the law. We also believe in a fair and just legal system, not one that favors people who can afford to buy influence or special treatment. Democrats will work to defend democracy, protect constitutional rights, and ensure that our legal system serves everyone equally.
Overall, the Maricopa County Democrats will continue to work to elect candidates who stand up for everyday Arizonans and support policies that make life more affordable, protect individual freedoms, and create a fairer, more just society.”
How about investing in Public Schools and ESA reform?
“We are a hub for the ESA reform. We are also doing a fundraiser for the ESA reform on Friday, and we’ve asked them to table at our convention. Equally important is to protect the vote and enshrine mail-in ballots into our constitution. And so we are also working with Protect the Vote. They will also be tabling. And these are issues that we are definitely supporting.”
And Water Security?
“Hey, we live in the desert. Water is life. So any measure to waste water like data centers, we are opposed to and opposed to any candidate that supports a data center.”
To what extent have Maricopa County Democrats improved their social media outreach and messaging since the last time we spoke last winter? And what are these two positive effects you’ve seen since the last time we spoke?
“So, we remained consistent and focused on our messaging, highlighting the accomplishments of our elected officials. The other side gives us plenty to respond to, and the news cycle, as you know, now moves mostly on an hourly rather than daily basis. That allows us to clearly contrast, one, how Republican policies are hurting everyday people, and two, emphasizing the work Democratic leaders are doing for Arizonans. And we see that positive response to whether it’s our social media post, whether it’s our fundraising emails, we’re seeing a lot of traction in those areas.”
To what extent are you worried that Mr. Heap’s recent acts at the Maricopa County recorder’s office could confuse or jeopardize the voting process, either through the mail-in option or voter turnout on election day? And also, are you worried that Mr. Sheridan, with his controversial worldviews at the sheriff’s office, may help him?
“Yes, this is a serious concern with ballots for the primary about to be mailed. Republicans are facing a likability problem while Democrats are well-organized. Their only option is to cast doubt on the election process.
We have seen firsthand how Recorder Heap has undermined confidence in that process. He filed a lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors during a year-long dispute over the shared services agreement, repeatedly failed to attend board meetings when his presence was requested, and, most recently, his office was caught on camera removing equipment from MCTEC without proper protocol. These actions give us every reason to turn out in strong numbers at the polls.
I want the LDs to know that we are organized, vigilant, and prepared to keep a close eye on what the Recorder is doing. We can both walk and shoot gum as Democrats.”
How about the Sheriff?
“It is difficult to know what to expect, but we should prepare for the worst-case scenario. Listen, the County Board of Supervisors has remained firm in its commitment to protecting elections, and we hope it will hold the Sheriff’s office to the same level of scrutiny as the County Recorder. Regardless, we as a party need to stay vigilant.”
Is there anything not covered in the first six questions that you would like the readers to know about the upcoming Maricopa County Democratic Convention and your electoral efforts for 2026? Please explain.
“I’m very proud of the work we have done in the county. We have remained focused under the barrage of all the distractions from this administration. We are committed to partnering with our legislative districts, educating the electorate, as we head into the primary and onto the general election.
Please click here to find out more about the Maricopa County Democratic Party 2026 Summer Convention.
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