Maricopa County says it’s too late to alter redistricting plan

Arizona’s most populous county is moving to participate in a federal court case to argue that it’s too late to temporarily change new legislative districts in time for this year’s elections.

Maricopa County elections officials on Wednesday requested court permission to intervene in a lawsuit filed by individual Republicans to challenge the map

County officials tell The Arizona Republic that they’re not trying to weigh in on the challenge itself.

The officials say they only want to argue that granting the suit’s request for a court-drawn interim map for use this year would throw election preparations into disarray.

Officials say the county wants the court to wait until after this year’s elections to change legislative districts.

The state’s public campaign funding agency also asked for permission to intervene.