CAMBRIDGE, M.A. — Stephen Richer, former county recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona, joins the Ash Center of Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) as the newest Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy. He will be a part of the Reimagining Democracy program at the Center, led by Archon Fung, Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation; Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at HKS.
“We are excited to welcome Stephen to the team,” said Fung. “Like many of our fellows, he has brought enormous dedication and creativity to the cause of making elections safe, secure, and trusted in the United States. I’m eager to see how his fresh perspective and deep knowledge will contribute to our work advancing democracy. Stephen’s commitment to truth aligns with the ideals we hold dear at the Ash Center.”
In November 2020, Stephen Richer was elected as the county recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona which ranks as the second-largest voting jurisdiction in the United States, with 2.6 million registered voters.
As the Maricopa County recorder, Richer was responsible for running much of the election process in the county, including voter registration and mail-in voting. He notably pushed back on claims of a “rigged election” in 2020, and his willingness to defend free and fair elections aligns with the Ash Center’s mission of strengthening and expanding access to democratic processes.
That same year, The Arizona Republic named him “Arizonan of the Year” for his willingness to speak the truth about the integrity of the state’s election processes.
“Stephen is someone with courage,” added Tim Glynn-Burke, Executive Director of the Ash Center. “He stood firm in the face of threats and championed the integrity of an essential democratic process. I am grateful that Stephen will share his experience defending free and fair elections and is eager to join the Ash Center community.”
Richer is not new to the Ash Center — he has participated in several of the Center’s workshops focused on elections, where he collaborated with Fung, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice.
As a fellow, Richer will engage with HKS faculty, students and other fellows through his participation in various events, workshops, and seminars focused on election administration. In addition, he will engage with the entire HKS community through presentations of his work.
“I’m excited to join this amazing team that is generating big ideas about the mechanics of our democracy,” said Richer.
Richer has a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University, a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. He is a former corporate mergers and acquisitions attorney and business owner. In 2024, he was awarded the title of “Democracy Defender” by Time Magazine. In 2006, Richer was awarded the Presidential Volunteer Service Award by President George W. Bush for his rescue, recovery, and rebuilding work in the South after Hurricane Katrina.
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The mission of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation is to develop ideas and foster practices for equal and inclusive, multi-racial and multi-ethnic democracy and self-government. The Ash Center is proud to be part of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
