PHOENIX, Arizona — A former Republican state lawmaker who publicly questioned the integrity of Arizona’s elections is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to using forged signatures on nominating petitions in an effort to qualify for the 2024 primary ballot.
Austin Smith, 30, admitted in November that he knowingly submitted petitions containing falsified signatures, including forging the name of a deceased woman, to meet the requirements for appearing on the ballot. Smith pleaded guilty to attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, along with illegal signing of election petitions.
Smith served one term representing a Phoenix-area district in the Arizona House before abandoning his reelection bid in April 2024 as scrutiny intensified over the legitimacy of his petition signatures. At the time, he resigned from his leadership role at Turning Point Action, the political arm of Turning Point USA, a conservative organization that has grown into a powerful force in Arizona Republican politics.
Court records indicate Smith’s plea agreement calls for probation, a $5,000 fine, and a five-year ban on seeking public office. Prior to dropping out of the race, Smith dismissed the allegations as politically motivated but said he withdrew to avoid mounting legal costs.
During his brief legislative career, Smith supported Republican-backed efforts to review the 2020 presidential election results in Maricopa County, a process that ultimately found no evidence supporting claims that the election was stolen. He also sponsored legislation aimed at banning mail-in voting, while campaigning against what he described as election law violations by political elites.
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