Feds Subpoena Records from Arizona's 2020 Election Audit

Investigators sought virtually all data from partisan review that found no evidence of widespread fraud

Mar. 21, 2026 at 12:39pm

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A grand jury subpoena has led the Arizona Senate to hand over terabytes of data, including ballot images, related to the state's partisan review of the 2020 election to the U.S. Department of Justice. The subpoena, sent by the U.S. Attorney's Office, sought a wide range of records from the controversial 'audit' conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, which found no evidence of widespread voter fraud despite claims by former President Trump and his allies.

Why it matters

The federal investigation into the Arizona election audit underscores the ongoing scrutiny and legal battles surrounding the 2020 election, even though the Cyber Ninjas' review ultimately affirmed Joe Biden's victory in the state. The subpoena signals that the Justice Department is taking a close look at the audit process and the claims made by Trump supporters.

The details

The grand jury subpoena sent on March 5 sought a wide range of records from the Arizona Senate, including reports produced by Cyber Ninjas, electronic media devices used in the audit, and communications between state officials and Maricopa County authorities. The subpoena states the documents are part of a 'criminal investigation' being conducted by the FBI's Fraud Investigations unit.

  • The subpoena was sent on March 5, 2026, just over two weeks after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Arizona to spread election fraud claims.
  • The 'audit' conducted by Cyber Ninjas, a firm with no election administration experience, concluded in 2021 that Biden defeated Trump by more votes than the official tally found.

The players

Warren Petersen

Arizona Senate President who received the subpoena from federal investigators.

Cyber Ninjas

The Florida-based firm hired by the Arizona Senate to conduct the partisan review of the 2020 election, which found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Ben Cotton

CEO of CyFir, a subcontractor hired by Cyber Ninjas, who had to walk back some of the claims made during the election review.

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What’s next

The U.S. Attorney's Office will likely continue its investigation into the Arizona election audit, examining the data and records provided by the state Senate.

The takeaway

Despite persistent claims of voter fraud, the federal investigation into the Arizona election audit underscores that the Cyber Ninjas' review found no evidence to substantiate those allegations. The subpoena signals the Justice Department is closely scrutinizing the audit process and the information used to fuel ongoing election conspiracy theories.