PHOENIX — Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes, who lost his reelection bid in November, will aid Pima County’s newly-elected recorder when she takes office next year.

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, a Democrat, announced in a press release Thursday that Fontes would become the interim chief deputy recorder in Pima County starting on Jan. 1.

Fontes, also a Democrat, agreed to serve in the position for at least three months to help Cázares-Kelly, according to the release, with the first order of business being to identify and onboard a permanent chief deputy.

“Mr. Fontes’ visionary solutions to increasing accessibility in his county encouraged me to imagine new programs for Pima County voters,” Cázares-Kelly said in the release. “We are fortunate to have him help us implement programs like those that inspired so many Pima County voters to elect me.”

Fontes beat longtime Republican Helen Purcell, who had been in office since 1988, in the 2016 election.

After leading Republican challenger Stephen Richer when the initial results were released on Election Night, his lead began to diminish as the days went on until Richer eventually took the lead and won by 4,599 votes.

Cázares-Kelly, meanwhile, beat Republican Benny White to replace longtime Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez, who is retiring along with her chief deputy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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