Arizona Supreme Court Denies Request for Vote Extension as Kari Lake Falls Behind Gallego

The deadline for voters to fix any problems with their mail-in ballots will not be extended, according to the Arizona Supreme Court. This decision comes as the tight Senate race between Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego  reaches its final stages.

As of Sunday morning, projections from The Associated Press show that there is no clear winner in the Arizona Senate race. Democrat Ruben Gallego is currently leading with a narrow margin, garnering 49.7 percent of the vote, while Lake trails behind with 48.2 percent.

Approximately 92 percent of the vote had been counted at the time of writing.

The court announced on Sunday that voters in eight out of the state’s 15 counties were adequately informed about signature discrepancies by election officials. They were also given the chance to address and resolve the issue.

Newsweek emailed the campaign teams of Lake and Gallego on Monday to request comments.

Voter rights organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Campaign Legal Center, had requested an urgent court order to extend the deadline. They argued that delays in vote counting and notification put many voters at risk of having their ballots invalidated.

A petition was filed on Saturday, urging for an extension of up to four days. The reason behind this request is the concerns raised over the verification process of over 250,000 mail-in ballots that are yet to be reviewed as of Friday evening.

Arizona law mandates that voters who submit mail-in ballots must receive notifications regarding any issues, such as a signature mismatch. This ensures that they are provided with a reasonable opportunity to rectify the problem through a process known as “curing.”

According to Justice Bill Montgomery, who acted as the duty judge for the seven-member court, there is no evidence to suggest that these individuals did not receive reasonable efforts to correct their ballots.

He also highlighted that no counties that responded requested an extension of time. Lake, a prominent Donald Trump ally and a household name following the 2022 midterm election may face challenges due to the decision.

Lake, dubbed as the “Trump in heels,” has garnered significant national focus on the Arizona race, particularly in light of Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the crucial swing state during the recent presidential election.

Trump gained an additional 11 electoral college votes in the state, bringing his overall count to 312, surpassing Harris’ 226.

Gallego has chosen to maintain a low online presence while the votes are still being tallied. However, he did share a brief update on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. In his post, he expressed his optimism and mentioned that he and his team are closely monitoring the incoming results.

We are closely watching as results come in, and we’re feeling very optimistic. 

This team has worked tirelessly to connect with Arizonans across the state, and I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run.

While we wait for the final count, I want to thank everyone who showed up,…— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) November 6, 2024

Multiple papers and organizations have declared Gallego as the winner of the race, including the election data organization Decision Desk HQ. However, the Associated Press has not yet made a final call on the race, and Lake has not conceded.

On Sunday, @KariLakeWarRoom posted a message stating, “If you need assistance in curing your ballot, we are ready to help! Our commitment to supporting our fellow Republicans candidates and ensuring Kari Lake’s victory continues even after the election.”

Republicans are on the brink of regaining control of the House majority, a significant achievement that would grant them complete authority over Congress. This comes shortly after the party’s successful acquisition of the presidency and the Senate.

The current composition of the House of Representatives consists of 213 Republicans and 203 Democrats, with 19 races that have yet to be determined. To obtain a majority, the Republicans need to emerge victorious in five of these races, while the Democrats must secure victory in 15.

It is worth noting that Lake received significantly less support from Trump voters in Arizona compared to his performance in the state’s previous two presidential races.

In 2016, Arizona witnessed an eventful night where Republican Sen. John McCain secured his final term in office while Donald Trump emerged victorious in the state.

In 2020, Sen. Martha McSally, who assumed the seat following McCain’s passing in 2018, campaigned as a supporter of Trump. However, both she and Trump faced defeat in the state during the same year.

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