Arizona ex-lawmaker, former Turning Point leader pleads guilty to signature fraud

Elections

UPDATE: Arizona ex-lawmaker, former Turning Point leader gets probation for signature fraud

Camryn Sanchez, Associated Press

Austin Smith, 30, pleaded guilty in mid-November to charges of attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, and illegal signing of election petitions. He had acknowledged trying to use petitions with forged signatures that he knew were false and forging a dead woman’s signature on a nominating petition.

Former lawmaker and Turning Point political leader Austin Smith pleaded guilty Monday to reduced counts for forging signatures to get himself reelected.

Smith, 30, served for two years in the state House of Representatives. He withdrew his reelection bid in 2024 when he was first accused of forging signatures.

Smith was the field director of Turning Point Action. He’s now listed on their website as the “enterprise director.” Smith was indicted by a state grand jury in June on several counts — including four felonies — for forging signatures on nomination petitions for his reelection campaign.

He agreed to a deal and only pleaded guilty to two counts on Monday — for “attempted fraudulent schemes and practices” and “illegal signing of election petitions.”

Smith will have to pay a fine and serve a probation term. He also won’t be able to run for office for five years.

The plea agreement calls for Smith to be sentenced to probation, pay a $5,000 fine and be barred from running for public office for five years. He pleaded guilty to attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, and illegal signing of election petitions.

In campaign literature, Smith voiced support for a Republican-backed review of the 2020 presidential election in Maricopa County that ultimately ended without producing proof to support President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election.

He had previously cast the allegations against him as a coordinated attack by Democrats that was “silly on its face,” but said he would drop out to avoid racking up legal bills.

Smith had been a senior director of Turning Point Action, which has become a major force in Arizona Republican politics.

The Associated Press left messages for Kurt Altman, Smith's attorney, and a Turning Point spokesperson.

“Forging signatures, including those of people who have died, in order to get yourself on the ballot is illegal, and it erodes trust in our elections,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat. “My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who tries to cheat the system and mislead Arizona voters.”

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify that Austin Smith has never worked for Turning Point USA, only Turning Point Action.