Stephen Richer is the Maricopa County Recorder in Phoenix, Arizona. He was elected, as a Republican, in November 2020 and assumed office in January 2021. As Recorder, Stephen runs an office of 165 full time employees and is responsible for the recording of public documents, the county’s voter registration database of 2.6 million voters, and the administration of the county’s elections – 62% of the voting population of Arizona.

 

Prior to beginning his term as Recorder, Stephen worked as a lawyer and a business person. For Washington DC people in the audience, Stephen was the co-founder of a short-lived and highly mediocre bar at 22nd and P streets, northwest, called “Thomas Foolery.” Stephen has also worked at the conservative and libertarian think tanks American Enterprise Institute and Cato Institute.

 

Stephen was named “Republican Politician of the Year – 2021” by Phoenix New Times and “Arizonan of the Year – 2021” by The Arizona Republic.

 

Stephen holds a B.A. from Tulane University and both an M.A. and J.D. from The University of Chicago. Stephen received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Gold Class, from President George W. Bush in 2006.