Officials in Arizona Certify Election Results

Elected officials in Arizona certified the state’s election results on Monday in a formal canvassing ceremony at the state Capitol, initiating the start of recounts and potential lawsuits, which couldn’t begin by law until after the canvassing.

Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, the Democratic governor-elect, presided over the official certification, to the outcry of some Republicans, including her competitor Kari Lake, who was expected to challenge the vote. During the campaign, Lake repeatedly called on Hobbs to recuse herself from her role, but Hobbs maintained she carried no conflict of interest since former secretaries of state have certified their own election wins and because her office does not count the votes.

At the start of the certification process, Hobbs spoke about the importance of protecting democracy and looked to the next major election in 2024.

Read the source article at abcnews.go.com