Sierra Vista, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that a State Grand Jury has indicted 48-year-old Sandra Finch Russell, of Sierra Vista, with one felony count of Perjury, for signing a false “Declaration of Qualification” as a part of her 2020 candidacy for the office of Judge of the Superior Court in Cochise County.
The October 4 indictment alleges that in her declaration filed on April 6, 2020, Russell falsely stated that she would “have been a citizen of Arizona for 7 years” at the time of the November 3, 2020, General Election. The indictment further alleges that Russell had previously completed an “Oath of Elector” in DeKalb County (Georgia) on May 24, 2016, stating “I … do swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen … of the State of Georgia”.
Arizona law only permits an individual to have one place of residence for purposes of voting and seeking elected office. The Arizona Constitution requires that all candidates for the office of Superior Court Judge be residents of Arizona for at least five years prior to taking office. Russell lost the election for the Cochise County Superior Court on November 3, 2020.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Lawson is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by and is being prosecuted by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Election Integrity Unit (EIU).