Who Is Alexander Kolodin? Trump-Era Election Lawyer In Race For Arizona Secretary Of State

Alexander Kolodin, an Arizona Republican and state lawmaker, is seeking to become the state’s next Secretary of State in the November 3 US midterm elections. A lawyer who built his political profile through challenges to election procedures, Kolodin is campaigning on promises of greater election security, transparency and accountability. However, his involvement in lawsuits challenging the 2020 US presidential election results and subsequent disciplinary action by the Arizona State Bar have drawn scrutiny as he seeks a position that oversees the state’s elections. He is challenging Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes, who was elected in 2022.

Alexander Kolodin’s Early Life, Education And Legal Career

Born in Chandler, Arizona, Kolodin moved with his family from New York to Scottsdale when he was four. His father worked in the hotel industry, while his mother was a teacher at a private school in Chandler. He completed his schooling at Chandler High School before graduating from Georgetown University. He subsequently earned a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and was a Reagan Fellow at the Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation.

Kolodin returned to Arizona after completing his legal education and established the Kolodin Law Group. He has practised election law for more than a decade, handling cases involving election procedures, voter rights and access to public records. His campaign highlights legal challenges against Adrian Fontes, including a 2020 dispute over instructions given to voters in Maricopa County and a 2024 case concerning compliance with federal voter registration requirements.

Kolodin entered electoral politics in 2020, when he unsuccessfully contested a Republican primary for the Arizona State Senate. He later won election to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2022, representing Legislative District 3, and assumed office in January 2023. He was re-elected in 2024 and has served on committees dealing with elections, the judiciary, public safety and regulatory affairs.

Family, Finances And Controversies Surrounding Kolodin

Kolodin lives in Scottsdale with his wife and their two children. He met his wife while studying law and working as a Reagan Fellow. He has also described himself as a small-business owner. There is no publicly verified estimate of his personal net worth. His annual base salary as an Arizona state representative is $24,000, while his campaign finance disclosures provide information about political funds rather than his personal wealth.

His legal record has attracted scrutiny over his involvement in challenges to the 2020 presidential election results in Arizona. Among the cases was a lawsuit questioning the use of Sharpie markers on ballots, based on claims that ink could affect vote counting. The lawsuits were unsuccessful. In 2023, the Arizona State Bar formally admonished Kolodin over three lawsuits and placed him on 18 months of probation, requiring him to complete legal ethics courses.

Kolodin has rejected the description of himself as an election denier, arguing that his work is focused on election integrity. His campaign promises stronger security measures, transparent election administration and faster results. He also supports citizenship verification for voter registration and has backed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. He defeated Gina Swoboda in the Republican primary on July 21, 2026, and is now facing Fontes in the general election.