Kris Mayes speaks to supporters at an election night watch party on Nov. 8, 2022, in Phoenix. Photo by Christian Petersen || Getty Image
By Caitlin Sievers || Arizona Mirror
Democrat Kris Mayes was confirmed as Arizona’s next attorney general after the results of a recount in the race were announced Thursday morning, though her margin of victory over Republican opponent Abe Hamadeh was cut nearly in half.
When initial election results were released, Mayes had a narrow 511-vote lead over Hamadeh, but after the recount, that lead shrunk to a razor-thin margin of 280 votes out of some 2.6 million ballots that were cast in November.
In the recount, which was triggered by a new law that requires a recount when the margin between the two candidates is 0.5% or less, Hamadeh gained 427 votes and Mayes gained 196.
“I will say once again that I’m thankful to everyone who took their time to vote, and democracy truly is a team sport,” Mayes said in a written statement.
Hamadeh filed a lawsuit challenging the results of the election, but it was dismissed last week by a Maricopa County judge.
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