Arizona megathread

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/tripgabriel/status/1595788761572466688

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1596178777574449160

[GeorgiaModerate]

When is the recount for the AG race taking place?

December 5.  The Superintendent of Education and one legislative race are also within the mandatory recount margin (0.5%) but neither of those is nearly as close by percentage as the AG race.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Does that mean that Hobbs will get to appoint a Lt. Governor or one would just be elected in 2026?

I believe one would be elected in the 2026 election, and I think the proposal made it so they are elected on the same ticket and that the Lieutenant Governor is a staff member in the governors office (such as chief of staff).

But unless the ballot measure specifically didn't create the office until after 2026 then it's technically vacant now (well not now but when the next term starts) and would have to be filled as such vacancies are set to (such as if the LG resigns without being promoted to Governor.)

I’m decently sure the office isn’t created until after 2026.

You are correct.  This is the actual ballot language:

A “YES” vote shall have the effect of amending the constitution to
create the office of Lieutenant Governor beginning with the 2026
election; requiring that a nominee for Governor name a nominee for
Lieutenant Governor to be jointly elected; replacing the Secretary of
State with the Lieutenant Governor as first in the line of succession to
the office of Governor; and provide that the Secretary of State, State
Treasurer, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction
may succeed to the office of Governor regardless of whether they were
elected.

https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/prop_131_ballot_format_language.pdf

[GeorgiaModerate]

Today is the last day for counties in Arizona to canvass and certify their vote totals.  Several counties have previously done so, but a few are still finishing up today.  Maricopa is having their public canvass meeting and it's going about as well as you would expect:

https://twitter.com/Garrett_Archer/status/1597286351044374529
https://twitter.com/Garrett_Archer/status/1597293417490284545

Check Garrett's Twitter feed for additional updates.

Also, Cochise County has voted to delay their certification at least until Friday, which is the last business day before the state certifies next Monday.  This delay is unlawful, and it's likely the state will get a court to compel certification, as happened in a similar case in New Mexico earlier this year.  In case anyone is wondering, if somehow Cochise's votes were not counted (which is EXTREMELY unlikely to the point of impossibility), it would flip AZ-06 and the Superintendent of Education races to the Democrats.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Can we rename this thread The Great Salty Lake?

LOL.  Done.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/RealMarkFinchem/status/1597033868854714369

Real good candidate you had there, Arizona GOP.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Could Hoffman and Engel actually win if Cochise county refuses to certify?

Yes.

I don't know why Hobbs is trying to force Cochise County to certify its results.

It's a win for Democrats if votes from Cochise County aren't counted.

She's probably trying to avoid anymore accusations of "rigging" the election in favor of her and the Democrats.

Democrats should call Hobbs and tell her to drop the lawsuit.

When Republicans are hanging themselves, don't intervene.

Perhaps Hobbs’s first duty is to the laws of Arizona and the oath she swore. Ever think of that?

[GeorgiaModerate]

For the good of democracy, Cochise county should certify. But for the good of the nation, they should not.

No no no no no!!!! Would you like it if an R-controlled county that happened to vote D, refused to certify? No? I thought not.

This would set a precedent tor governments to do what Trump wanted the R legislatures of Georgia and Arizona to do in 2020! It’s putting your political preferences above the rule of law. Anyone who believes in the rule cannot with integrity want this county to not certify. To want it to happen for political benefit makes you no better than a Trumpist in this regard.

[GeorgiaModerate]

For the good of democracy, Cochise county should certify. But for the good of the nation, they should not.

No no no no no!!!! Would you like it if an R-controlled county that happened to vote D, refused to certify? No? I thought not.

This would set a precedent tor governments to do what Trump wanted the R legislatures of Georgia and Arizona to do in 2020! It’s putting your political preferences above the rule of law. Anyone who believes in the rule cannot with integrity want this county to not certify. To want it to happen for political benefit makes you no better than a Trumpist in this regard.

This.

Some court will compel them to certify, right?

Yes, it’s virtually certain.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/Garrett_Archer/status/1597727457746235393

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/MarkKau24266876/status/1598102275817607169

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/prbentz/status/1598392167911010304

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/brahmresnik/status/1598488490748301312

[GeorgiaModerate]

Results have been certified. Now time for Lake to file nonsensical lawsuits and get swatted down and she moans until Hobbs is sworn in.

You're an optimist.  I suspect Lake will keep it up even after Hobbs is sworn in.

[GeorgiaModerate]

So I’m guessing Cochise was certified?

Yes, they certified on a judge's order last Thursday afternoon.

[GeorgiaModerate]

So the AG recount is underway right now?

So.... has that happened or not??

Not yet.  Even though the recount is automatic, there are some silly bureaucratic hoops they have to jump through.  The SoS is required to petition the Maricopa County Superior Court to order the recounts in the races within 0.5% margin (AG, Superintendent, and LD 13).  That petition was filed yesterday evening after the certification was complete.  Counties have until 5pm Dec. 21 to certify their recount results, and they cannot release numbers, including daily vote totals, until they’ve been certified by the court.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1600639916404543488

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/JenAFifield/status/1600897099180089344

[GeorgiaModerate]

It would be funny if these recounts just expanded Hobbs' lead like the recounts did for Biden.

The gubernatorial race is not among those being recounted.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I can't quite put my finger on why, but I somehow always disliked Lake far more than Mastriano.

Maybe it's the fact that Trump endorsed her early, while he only endorsed Mastriano the weekend before the primary when he was pulling away. Or maybe it's because she was always much more likely to win so I perceived her as a bigger threat even though he was arguably more extreme.

I know what you mean.  There was something very artificial about Lake's persona during the campaign, which I found extremely off-putting.  Mastriano at least was authentically crazy.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/Garrett_Archer/status/1601276461704708098

[GeorgiaModerate]

There's a hearing underway in Mark Finchem's lawsuit to overturn the election.  Live tweet thread is at https://twitter.com/arizonaslaw/status/1603793259578290177.  Sounds like it's not going well for Finchem's lawyer.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/DemocracyDocket/status/1603948254638608384

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1604646560947748864