Key Points:

• Arizona’s secretary of state OK’s use of campaign funds for personal security expenses

• Arizona law does not provide specific guidance on security spending

• Politicians are on high alert after recent acts of political violence

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes says he will not open campaign finance complaints against candidates who use campaign funds for personal security in the wake of increased political violence. 

Since Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot dead on Sept. 10, Arizona’s elected officials and candidates have been grappling with the potential threat to their own safety. According to an undated memo obtained by the Arizona Capitol Times, several potential officeholders have reached out to Fontes’ office to inquire about using campaign funds for security.

“Unfortunately, personal security has become a necessary part of running for and holding elected office,” Fontes wrote in the memo.

As a result, Fontes said his office will not open complaints or refer any alleged violations for enforcement based on campaign expenditures made for personal security for candidates or their families. Fontes noted in the memo that spending campaign funds on security is not expressly prohibited by state law, but it isn’t explicitly addressed either.

The move highlights the growing need for caution among candidates and a gray area in Arizona’s campaign finance laws.

Arizona’s politicians have already been adjusting to a new reality in the wake of Kirk’s death and the death of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband earlier this year. Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office has stopped sharing press conference locations without an RSVP, while Republicans and Democrats at the Legislature have requested increased security at the Capitol. 

Some of Arizona’s top leaders, like Hobbs, Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro, are entitled to a Department of Public Safety security detail due to the high-profile nature of their offices. However, other elected officials and candidates do not receive that protection and must rely on alternative security measures.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, is no stranger to political threats against her and her family. She is married to Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, and said the two have become well-acquainted with the risks of holding public office in recent years.

Bolick said she and her husband used their personal funds to purchase security cameras for their home in 2021 after both received death threats during the 2020 election. In 2024, when the state Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s territorial abortion ban and the Legislature repealed it, the Department of Public Safety offered to provide security to their home and encouraged them to install even more security cameras.

“In the past, we’ve obviously used our own resources to install cameras and I think it’s a great idea for us to be able to allow candidates who are running for office to utilize the campaign finance laws in order to address our personal security for our family,” Bolick said.

While Fontes’ memo is “a very good starting point,” Bolick said she thinks legislation may be necessary to outline what is and isn’t appropriate security spending, ensuring that bad actors don’t take advantage of the guidance.

“If it’s not clearly defined how you want to secure yourself, you might have members who think this is a good time to go out and buy a bunch of firearms or attack dogs or something silly,” Bolick said.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission, which oversees public funds given to candidates who do not take money from special interest groups, also indicated its support for using Clean Elections funds for campaign security at its Sept. 25 meeting. Clean Elections Director Tom Collins told commissioners that he believes candidates would not be violating the commission’s rules with those expenditures. Still, more guidance is needed in the form of legislation to address issues like in-kind contributions and allowable expenditures.

Hobbs’ campaign declined to comment on security measures, while candidates for other statewide offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Whether candidates dip into their campaign coffers to pay for personal security will be revealed in campaign finance reports submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office in the coming weeks. 

In the meantime, Bolick said she has provided guidance to her fellow lawmakers about how she protects her personal safety on her own dime. That includes using a post office box as her campaign address and not publicly posting locations for campaign events. 

“We’re going to have fewer people that want to run for office if we don’t actually clearly outline how you can protect your family while you’re running for office or while you’re serving our state and our community,” Bolick said.