Mohave, Cochise counties wait to certify Arizona election results in protest

Two counties in Arizona, Mohave County and Cochise County, are refusing to certify their election results in what they said is a protest of Election Day voting issues in Maricopa County. Some Republicans in Arizona said Maricopa County’s voting machine glitches day cost them the election.

In Mohave county, officials promised to come back to certify the results on the Nov. 28 deadline. In Cochise County, officials haven’t said they’ll certify the results but scheduled a meeting to discuss certification on that day.

On Election Day, machines at 67 polling locations in Maricopa County had a technological glitch that prevented certain votes from being counted on site. Instead those ballots had to be counted at the county elections department. The county is home to Phoenix and 60% of the state’s voters.

Democrats won both the Senate and governor’s races. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly will now serve a full six year term, and Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, D, will take over for term limited incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey, R. The contest for attorney general is so close that it’s going to a mandatory recount. But it can’t go to a recount until all counties and the Secretary of State certify the results.

According to state elections director Kori Lorick, if counties do not certify before the deadline, their votes will not be counted. That would be a boost for Democratic candidates, since Republicans won those counties. In Cochise County, Republican candidates received up to 60% of the vote.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.