Attorney General Mayes Announces Sentencing of Former Legislator Austin Smith

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that Austin Cole Smith, age 30 of Buckeye, was sentenced today after entering two guilty pleas in Maricopa County Superior Court. Judge Aryeh Schwartz sentenced Smith to 2 years of supervised probation, he is ineligible to run for public office for 5 years, and must pay $5,000 fine with 10% surcharge. 

"If you try to illegally manipulate Arizona's elections or mislead Arizona voters, you will be held accountable under the law," said Attorney General Mayes. "There are real consequences for cheating the system." 

Smith previously entered a guilty plea to attempted fraudulent schemes and practices, a class 6 undesignated offense, and illegal signing of election petitions, a class 1 misdemeanor. As a part of his guilty plea, Smith admitted signing the name of a deceased woman on one of his candidate nomination petitions in March of 2024. He also admitted that he attempted to deceive the Secretary of State’s Office by knowingly filing petitions containing forged signatures of purported supporters of his nomination for the Republican primary for State Representative from LD 29.

A copy of the indictment is here. A copy of Smith's photo is here.