ARIZONA NEWS

Despite questions, Kelli Ward says Arizona GOP election results are final

Jan 29, 2021, 11:53 AM | Updated: 12:55 pm
Dr. Kelli Ward, chair of the Arizona Republican Party. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)...
Dr. Kelli Ward, chair of the Arizona Republican Party. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

PHOENIX – As Republicans continue to raise questions about the accuracy of last weekend’s state party election, Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward said Thursday night that the results are “final, final.”

“We just recently got our results, the final results of the election on Saturday from our independent election administrator,” Ward, who narrowly won a second term as chair, said in a YouTube video. “And because no one challenged the election on the day of the election … these are the final, final results.”

In the same video, she transitioned to criticizing the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for not going far enough with the audit it authorized Wednesday on the November general election.

Ward has lobbed numerous election fraud accusations since President Joe Biden’s victory in Arizona and filed several lawsuits that were tossed by judges for lack of evidence.

“We’re supposed to be the party of election integrity, and Kelli Ward runs an election that is the complete opposite,” GOP Committeeman Trey Terry told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday morning.

Terry, who has been publicizing potential problems with the party voting on social media, said nobody complained Saturday because the actual vote totals weren’t released until Thursday. He said that violated meeting rules.

“We didn’t actually get these results until more than five days later, and now she says that nobody can call for an audit or raise a complaint because we didn’t do so at the meeting,” he said.

Terry said hundreds of state committeemen are questioning the election, although he has “no direct accusation to make” about intentional fraud.

“I’ve received calls from diehard Kelli Ward supporters who have been telling me they think something is fishy,” he said.

Tucson business owner Sergio Arellano, who finished second to Ward in the chair, formally requested an audit on Monday after learning that one committee seat was incorrectly announced before being corrected after Saturday’s meeting. He said he’s heard about other concerns, too.

He told KTAR News on Friday that he remains “very hopeful” the audit will happen. He said he proposed doing the audit on Thursday but was told that wasn’t possible. When he said asked about alternative dates, he didn’t received a response.

“The irony is, we both ran on election integrity. … Now that we are simply requesting an audit of the turnout, it’s kind of odd that it’s not being adhered to.”

Arellano, a member of the Latinos for Trump advisory board, said he hadn’t seen the video in which Ward declared the election closed.

“If she’s saying that it’s final, it’s final, all you are doing is creating more distrust in the whole process when it shouldn’t even go this far,” he said.

Bill Beard, who unsuccessfully ran for an at-large committeeman spot Saturday and is the former chairman of the Pima County Republican Party, is calling a recount of all races.

He sent his request to the party and posted it to Facebook on Thursday morning, citing “a significant number of irregularities, inconsistencies and errors during the election of state officials.”

Terry posted images of the results to Twitter after he received them Thursday.

“We did not know how many people voted in the race for party chair until five days after it happened,” he said Friday.

The results showed Ward defeating Arellano by 42 votes in the runoff, as had been previously reported. They also showed that 61 fewer ballots were cast in the runoff than the first round, when Ward and Arellano advanced from a field of four candidates.

Ward has been an outspoken and at times controversial figure in the party, gaining national attention for her attacks on the integrity of the November election, delighting supporters of Donald Trump but turning off more moderate Republicans.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gabriel Gamiño contributed to this report.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

(Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)...
KTAR.com

Arizona Democrats sue third-party No Labels, Sec. of State Fontes

The Arizona Democratic Party filed a complaint Thursday against Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and newly recognized third party No Labels.
9 hours ago
(KTAR News Photo/Jeremy Schnell)...
Taylor Tasler

Arizona corrections director says drugs getting into prisons, has plan for reform

Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry Director Ryan Thornell knows drugs are in prisons and has a plan for reform.
9 hours ago
(Photo by Gordon Chibroski/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)...
Griselda Zetino

Advocacy group to act as ‘watchdog’ for Arizona English-language learners

A Valley advocacy group plans to act as a "watchdog" for all things coming out of the Department of Education, including Arizona schools chief Tom Horne's efforts.
9 hours ago
(Everclear Photo/Ashley Osborn)...
KTAR.com

Alt-rock veterans Everclear to take center stage at Mesa Music Festival in April

Alt rockers Everclear headline the upcoming sixth annual Mesa Music Festival, a free three-day event designed to promote emerging artists.
9 hours ago
(RED Development Rendering)...
KTAR.com

Life Time plans luxury apartments, fit living complex for Paradise Valley Mall makeover

A Phoenix developer and a national health club chain are working together to build a luxury community at the reimagined Paradise Valley Mall.
9 hours ago
Desiria Bell, 36, Kross Cain, 3, and Zhariel Cain, 9. (Surprise Police Department Photos)...
KTAR.com

2 young children missing from Surprise found safe, police say

Two children reported missing from a West Valley suburb were found safe late Wednesday, authorities said.
1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...
Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.
...
Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Company looking for oldest air conditioner and wants to reward homeowner with new one

Does your air conditioner make weird noises or a burning smell when it starts? If so, you may be due for an AC unit replacement.
...
Fiesta Bowl Foundation

Celebrate 50 years of Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade magic!

Since its first production in the early 1970s, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe has been a staple of Valley traditions, bringing family fun and excitement to downtown Phoenix.
Despite questions, Kelli Ward says Arizona GOP election results are final