STEPHEN RICHER

Stephen is a legal scholar at the Cato Institute, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center, and the CEO of consulting firm Republic Affairs.  He is also a weekly columnist at The Arizona Republic and a contributor at The Dispatch.

Previously, Stephen was the elected Recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona, the fourth largest county in the United States, where he was responsible for voter registration, early voting administration, and public recordings.

Stephen has received many awards and recognitions for his commitment to public service and democracy, including being named “Arizonan of the Year” in 2021 by The Arizona Republic, “Leader of the Year” in 2023 by the Arizona Capitol Times, and a “Defender of Democracy” in 2024 by Time Magazine.

Stephen received his J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and his B.A. from Tulane University.