Adrian Fontes
Hobbs and Fontes call for sanctions, accuses Lake of continually changing arguments
Gov. Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes want the Arizona Supreme Court to sanction Kari Lake for peddling “frivolous conspiracy theories” in Arizona courts, while Lake keeps asking the court to reconsider her arguments that it has already dismissed. “In the months since the election, Kari Lake has baselessly and relentlessly contested her […]
Lake: Don’t sanction me because I believe my fact-free claims
Kari Lake and her lawyers are asking the Arizona Supreme Court not to sanction them for their election challenge case because Lake “honestly believes that electoral misconduct and illegal votes determined the outcome of the 2022 gubernatorial election.” The Supreme Court invited the defendants in Lake’s case, Gov. Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian […]
Fontes asks court to order Finchem to pay $75,000 for bringing ‘groundless’ election challenge
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes wants Mark Finchem, the Republican Fontes defeated in last year’s election, to pay nearly $75,000 in attorney’s fees for filing what a judge said was a “groundless” lawsuit to overturn the election. Finchem lost by more than 120,000 votes, but still filed an election contest in which the conspiracy-friendly former […]
Hobbs, Fontes, Maricopa County clap back at Lake’s appeal to the AZ Supreme Court
Failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and her lawyers “continue to malign and erode the foundations upon which our great state stands” through their court case contesting the November 2022 election results, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told the Arizona Supreme Court this week in a filing asking the court to reject Lake’s legal challenge […]
A bill to enable do-it-yourself election audits sparks rare bipartisan interest in Arizona
Behind closed doors this month, in a caucus room that typically holds members from just one party, in a state defined by its political divisiveness, a rare bipartisan parley unfolded. State Sen. Ken Bennett paced around the room explaining his idea for a Do-It-Yourself election audit. He wanted to create a path making it possible […]
Mark Finchem sanctioned in ‘groundless’ lawsuit to overturn the 2022 election
A trial court judge has said Republican secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem will be forced to pay attorney’s fees in what the judge called a “groundless” lawsuit that aimed to overturn his election loss. Finchem challenged his loss to Adrian Fontes, who won by about five percentage points — more than 120,000 votes. Finchem […]
Cochise County gives election skeptic recorder near full control of elections
Elections in Cochise County will now be run almost entirely by Recorder David Stevens, an election skeptic who has said he does not fully trust all of his county’s election procedures and believes the county can and should move to hand-counting ballots. The Board of Supervisors for the southern Arizona county voted 2-1 on Tuesday […]
Adrian Fontes and Stephen Richer, once political foes, talked potential Arizona election reforms
In a nondescript bar at the end of an alley in downtown Phoenix, the state’s most prominent election officials — and former political opponents — met Wednesday night to trade lighthearted jabs and ideas about how to improve Arizona’s election processes. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, and Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer […]
Bipartisan support for bill to make all Arizona ballots a public record
A Republican bill supported by Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes that would make ballot images a public record cleared its first hurdle Wednesday, despite concerns from Democrats about privacy issues. The legislation, which was introduced by Arizona Speaker of the House Ben Toma, would require all 15 Arizona county recorders to send the secretary […]
Cochise County’s elections director resigns after protecting midterm ballots from Republican officials
During last fall’s fights in Cochise County over hand-counting ballots and rejecting the election results, county residents say they were glad there was one person standing up to defend elections. Elections Director Lisa Marra repeatedly explained — to the supervisors, to reporters, and, finally, to a judge — that she would not break the law […]
Katie Hobbs pledges unity, Dems call for bipartisan collaboration as they assume power
On a chilly, cloud-covered Thursday morning at the Arizona Capitol, hundreds of wellwishers and spectators gathered to watch the ceremonial swearing in of the state’s newly elected top officials, including Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. The theme of the morning, at least for several of the speakers and incoming Democratic officials, was a commitment to leaving […]
Katie Hobbs, Democrats take the reins of Arizona government
Katie Hobbs officially became Arizona’s governor on Monday, ushering in a new set of priorities and vision for the state and setting the stage for contentious battles with the GOP-controlled legislature. Hobbs and four other victors in November’s statewide elections were sworn into office in a private ceremony Monday. Hobbs, who succeeded Doug Ducey as […]