A former Arizona Republican lawmaker has been indicted for allegedly forging signatures on his nominating petitions during his 2024 reelection campaign.
Austin Smith, who served one term representing a suburban district northwest of Phoenix, ended his reelection bid in April 2024 after questions arose about the authenticity of the petition signatures. At the same time, he stepped down from his leadership role at the conservative group Turning Point Action.
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Smith, who had supported a Republican-backed review of the 2020 presidential election results in Maricopa County—a probe that found no evidence backing Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election—now faces multiple charges.
According to an indictment released Tuesday by Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office, Smith has been charged with four felony counts, including one for fraudulent schemes, and 10 misdemeanor counts related to illegally signing election petitions.
The Associated Press reached out to Smith for comment via voicemail and email but did not receive a response.
Last year, Smith dismissed the allegations as a partisan attack by Democrats, calling the claims “silly on its face,” though he chose to drop out of the race to avoid costly legal battles.
He had served as a senior director for Turning Point Action, the campaign arm of youth-focused Turning Point USA, which plays a prominent role in Arizona Republican politics.
