Arizona judge rejects GOP candidate’s election claims

PHOENIX — A judge on Saturday threw out Republican Kari Lake’s challenge of her defeat in the Arizona governor’s race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, rejecting her claims that problems with ballot printers at some polling places on Election Day were the result of intentional misconduct.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, who was appointed by former GOP Gov. Jan Brewer, did not find clear and convincing evidence of the widespread misconduct that Lake had alleged had affected the result of the November general election. Lake said she will appeal the ruling.

Lake, who lost to Hobbs by just over 17,000 votes, was among the most vocal 2022 Republicans promoting former President Donald Trump’s election lies, which she made the centerpiece of her campaign. While most of the other election deniers around the country conceded after losing their races in November, Lake did not. Instead, she asked the judge to either declare her the winner or order a revote in Maricopa County.

Lawyers for Lake focused on problems with ballot printers at some polling places in Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters. The defective printers produced ballots that were too light to be read by the on-site tabulators at polling places. Lines backed up in some areas amid the confusion.

County officials say everyone had a chance to vote and all ballots were counted, because ballots affected by the printers were taken to more sophisticated counters at the elections department headquarters.

Lake faced long odds in her challenge, needing to prove not only that misconduct occurred, but also that it was intended to deny her victory and did in fact result in the wrong person being declared the winner.