On Monday, Arizona’s leaders gathered to certify the results of the 2022 general election. The normally staid and politics-free event took on an unusually political tone as Governor-elect Secretary of State Katie Hobbs took jabs at her political enemies and Attorney General Mark Brnovich distanced himself from the process.
The publicly funded event, which was not open to the public, was viewed across the state through a live stream provided by the Secretary of State’s Office.
Hobbs scolded “election deniers” and defended what many say was a botched election due to mismanagement on the part of Maricopa County.
“Arizona had a successful election,” Hobbs pronounced before signing the certification of her election as governor. “But too often throughout the process, powerful voices proliferated misinformation that threatened to disenfranchise voters.”
Her comments came a day after the Arizona Daily Independent broke the news that her office used its power to silence voices it claimed were sharing misinformation on Twitter during the 2020 General Election cycle, a clear violation of the First Amendment.
Governor-Elect Hobbs Dictated Twitter Speech While Secretary of State
While her comments might have been intended to justify those illegal actions, Hobbs ran with the Democrat Party’s “election denier” slur as her main talking point during the race. Hobbs’ opponent in the governor’s race, Kari Lake, ran almost solely as an “election denier” promoting the claim that the 2020 General Election was illegitimate, and that former President Donald Trump was the rightful winner.
For his part, Brnovich distanced himself from the results, and reminded the public that his participation was solely on the basis as a witness.
“As we gather today to solidify the 2022 midterm election results, many Arizonans of all political persuasions continue to have doubts about our election processes,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “As attorney general, I have made it one of my office’s highest priorities to defend our election laws and advocate for changes when necessary. I will continue to do so throughout the end of my term.”
He also reminded the public in a statement issued after the event that it is the counties that are ultimately responsible for the management of elections:
“The Arizona Constitution and statutes make clear that the governor and the attorney general merely serve as witnesses to the SOS’s certification. Ultimately, the counties are tasked with the actual certification responsibilities and delivering the “official canvass” to the SOS. Thus, any issues or irregularities will have to be resolved in an election contest brought against the SOS and the relevant county election officials.
The attorney general has separate statutory responsibilities to enforce the election laws, and any violation of those laws will be pursued as necessary and appropriate. The Attorney General’s participation in today’s canvass serves as neither an endorsement of the election results nor the lawfulness under which the election was conducted. Those determinations are ultimately made in any election contest or separate enforcement matters under A.R.S § 16-1021. “
Across the state, county supervisors who have serious concerns about the integrity of the election equipment and processes are working with each other and both legal and political experts in evaluating their options for future elections in light of the failures of equipment and ultimate disenfranchisement of voters on Election Day in Maricopa County.
Now that the certification is complete, a five-day window for formal election challenges is open. Lake is expected to file a lawsuit as well as the Republican National Committee and Attorney General candidate Abe Hamadeh.
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