Incumbent Allister Adel maintains lead in Maricopa County Attorney race

PHOENIX – Hospitalized Allister Adel continued to maintain on her lead in the race for the Maricopa County Attorney position after the latest vote count was released Sunday afternoon.

Adel, who underwent emergency surgery Tuesday night for bleeding in her brain, leads Julie Gunnigle 950,717 to 915,279 in the latest vote count from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.

Adel’s lead slightly dropped from 35,438 to 34,991 votes following Sunday’s update.

The current Maricopa County Attorney overtook Gunnigle on Thursday and ended that night with a 861,809 to 845,083 lead.

Initial results from Election Day showed the Republican trailed by around 61,000 votes.

The winner would be the first woman elected as the county’s top prosecutor.

Adel was appointed to the post in October 2019 when former county attorney Bill Montgomery was promoted to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Ahead of the election, both campaigns focused on reforming the justice system, including lowering the number of offenders who are incarcerated, implementing diversion programs and working to build community relationships.

Staff at the Maricopa County Elections Department are expected to have another results update on Monday. There are approximately 38,359 ballots left to be counted in the county.

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