Automatic recounts of 3 Maricopa County races don’t change winners
Dec 10, 2024, 6:41 AM
Three Maricopa County races in the 2024 general election were subject to automatic recounts. (Getty Images File Photo)
(Getty Images File Photo)
PHOENIX – The automatic recounts of several close Maricopa County races in the 2024 election didn’t change any of the winners, authorities announced Monday.
Under state law, recounts must be conducted in races where the margin is within 0.5%. Three metro Phoenix contests were under that threshold for the November general election.
The Maricopa County Elections Department conducted the machine recounts and submitted the results to the Superior Court judge overseeing the process, as required per Arizona statue. Judge John Blanchard unsealed the results two weeks after the state canvass was completed on Nov. 25.
The automatic recounts of all ballots cast in the three tight races confirmed that Kate Brophy McGee won the District 3 seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Justin Wilmeth held his District 2 position in the Arizona House of Representatives and Peggy McMahon kept her spot on the Fountain Hills Town Council.
Every Vote Counts – Thank You, Maricopa County District 3!
I am incredibly honored to share that the recount has confirmed our victory! This win is a testament to the power of every single vote and the unwavering commitment of so many who believed in our campaign. 🧵
— Kate Brophy McGee (@KateMcGeeAZ) December 9, 2024
Breakdown of Maricopa County automatic recounts
The recount of the supervisor race added seven votes for Brophy McGee and left Democrat Daniel Valenzuela’s total unchanged, widening her final margin to 171 votes.
Brophy McGee’s victory means Republicans defended their 4-1 majority on the powerful county governing body even though two GOP supervisors didn’t seek reelection and third was ousted in the primary.
Wilmeth, meanwhile, fended off a fellow Republican, Ari Daniel Bradshaw, for the second seat in his north Phoenix district, so the recount result didn’t affect the final balance of the Legislature for the upcoming session. Democrat Stephanie Simacek, the top vote-getter in the LD2 race, will be Wilmeth’s district mate.
The recount ended up flipping two votes in Wilmeth’s favor, pushing his margin of victory to 134 votes.
RELATED STORIES
Republicans wound up winning 33 of the 60 Arizona House spots, adding two seats to their majority from the 2023-24 session. In addition, the GOP increased its Senate majority by one seat to 17-13.
In the Fountain Hills Town Council race, the finally tally didn’t change, with McMahon clinging to her victory by just seven votes over Mathew Corrigan. Rick Watts, meanwhile, was the top vote-getter in a four-way race for two seats and will be sworn in along with McMahon on Tuesday.
The results of a high-profile recount in southern Arizona were released last week, confirming Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos’ reelection.
