Arizona election officials certified Monday’s midterm election results, declaring Democrats winners over Republican candidates in high-profile Senate races and gubernatorial elections.
Now, there is a five-day window to challenge the election’s validity. After expressing concern about the election’s administration, Kari Lake (Republican candidate for governor) is expected to file suit.
Katie Hobbs will be the Democratic secretary-general. Sen. Mark Kelly (D.AZ) will continue his six-year term as governor. Adrian Fontes will be secretary-of-state. After the certification, Democrat Kris Mayes won the race for attorney general by just 510 votes. This is due to recent state legislative rule changes.
Arizona was the only state where Republicans running in midterm elections last month had all supported former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud took place in 2020. All those candidates lost the vote count or were behind their Democratic counterparts. Election officials and some Republican candidates fought for certification. There were also allegations of printer malfunctions, voter disenfranchisement, and other issues.
Several Republican-controlled counties delayed their certifications despite no evidence of problems with the vote count. A judge ordered Cochise County to certify its results last week. Mohave County GOP board members also tried to delay the certification of their vote canvasses.
Hobbs, along with Gov. Doug Ducey (R AZ), Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Robert Brutinel were present at an event on Monday to certify the results in all 15 counties.
Hobbs stated that “Arizona had a very successful election.” “But, too often during the process, powerful voices proliferated false information that threatened to disenfranchise voter.”
