PHOENIX — Kari Lake filed another lawsuit Friday aimed at overturning the state's November election after her failed campaign for Arizona governor.
The lawsuit targets Lake's opponent, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and Maricopa County election officials, and claims voters were disenfranchised and officials failed to do their jobs.
Lake's suit asks, among things, that she is made governor of Arizona. Failing that, the suit says, the gubernatorial election in Maricopa County be held again.
"But this case is about more than just those bad acts. Rampant and clear violations of federal and state law have become pervasive at the Secretary of State level under Secretary Hobbs and in the Maricopa County Recorder and Elections Department," the lawsuit reads. "This case is about restoring trust in the election process-a trust that Maricopa County election officials and Hobbs have shattered."
Hobbs defeated Lake by a little more than 17,000 votes, and there has been no evidence that voters were disenfranchised, or that the result was in any way inaccurate.
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But Lake claims "thousands of voters, disproportionately Republican, gave up voting due to the long wait times or simply avoided the polls after seeing the chaos reported," and now wants a trial of all disputed facts and to be named the winner of the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election.
Lake's lawsuit also asks for:
- An opportunity to inspect Maricopa County ballots from the 2022 general
- An order striking all signatures on file with Maricopa County that are not the "registration record"
- An order striking any invalid ballots or types of ballots on an absolute or prorated basis
- An order setting aside the certified result of the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election and declaring that Kari Lake is the winner of the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election OR in the alternative, an order vacating the certified results of the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election, and an injunction requiring that Maricopa County re-conduct the gubernatorial election in conformance with all applicable law and excluding all improper votes, under the direction of a special master;
- Recusal of defendants Hobbs and Richer from further participation in matters involving the 2022 general election, including any new election and the review of any issues related to the 2022 general election and any new election.
Lake's first lawsuit filed Nov. 23 against elections officials in Maricopa County, claims election laws were violated during the election.
While most Republicans around the country who lost after spreading baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election conceded, Lake has not. She has embarked on a campaign on social media and conservative outlets to claim the election was tainted by problems in Maricopa County.
More lawsuits
Meanwhile, Abe Hamadeh filed his second lawsuit on Friday, hours before Lake.
The Republican candidate for Arizona's attorney general said in a tweet Friday that he's contesting the November election and asking to be named the winner.
The state's attorney general race was the closest statewide competition this election cycle. The final tally placed Democrat Kris Mayes ahead of Hammadeh by 510 votes triggering a recount still underway.
Hamadeh's second lawsuit is nearly identical to the first, asking for a stop to the recount, allowing people who refused provisional ballots the opportunity to cast ballots now and requiring Maricopa County to provide physical ballots. It also asks for Hamadeh to be named the winner of the race.
Arizona Politics
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