Certification of Arizona congressional race will jump-start recount
Sep 12, 2016, 9:19 AM | Updated: 11:08 am
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — Results from Arizona’s August primary election were certified Monday, which will pave the way for a recount in a Phoenix congressional race that still doesn’t have a winner.
Maricopa County and state officials confirmed that State Senate President Andy Biggs was ahead of former GoDaddy executive Christine Jones in the Republican race for Congressional District 5 by 16 votes.
The county Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote approved the county canvass and sent it to state officials. Last week’s unofficial results showed Biggs leading by 16 votes.
A state official now will ask a judge for permission to hold the required recount.
The narrow margin automatically triggered a recount, per state law. The recount was expected to take several days.
Biggs’ margin jumped from eight votes Friday after 18 additional ballots were counted by order of a judge.
County Superior Court Judge Joshua Rogers held a hearing late last week for both sides to state their case and hear from various witnesses including testimony from a handwriting expert.
The 18 additional ballots were cast by voters who weren’t told when they went to the wrong polling places that their provisional ballots wouldn’t be counted.
CD5 is made up of suburbs in southeastern Phoenix. The GOP nominee in the heavily Republican district will almost certainly replace Republican Rep. Matt Salmon, who is retiring, in November’s general election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.