(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- Katie Hobbs, the Democratic Secretary of State of Arizona, threatened to arrest the Mohave County Board of Supervisors if they decided not to certify the 2022 election by the due day on Monday. In protest of Maricopa County’s numerous election irregularities, the board refused certification.
Kori Lorick, the director of the Arizona State Elections, threatened the board members in a number of letters and emails that they would face legal action if they failed to certify the results by the due date. Threats of legal action for “nonfeasance” were also mentioned in the email.
According to Matt Smith, the Mohave County attorney, the Secretary of State did contact the County and mentioned A.R.S. Section 16-1010 as legislation that might be used to prosecute the board if they did not certify the election. Election officials who “fail to perform their duties” are subject to the law, which is a felony in Arizona and carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail for those found guilty.
Supervisor Travis Linginfelter, the board’s incoming chair, claimed that Arizona State Elections Director Kori Lorick personally threatened legal action.
In an email to the board, Lorick stated, “Our office will take whatever legal action necessary to guarantee that Arizona’s voters have their votes counted, including sending the specific supervisors who vote against certification for criminal enforcement under A.R.S. 16-1010.” The incoming governor, Hobbs, managed her election while serving as secretary of state, which caused controversy.
Republicans on the Mohave County Board had plans to hold hearings on the numerous voting irregularities that marred the state’s largest county on election day, similar to what other counties in Arizona did. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors said that a “printing error” caused close to 25% of the voting machines to be inoperable on election day. Over 17,000 votes were ultimately impacted, according to the board, and they were allegedly counted.
The Arizona Board of Canvassers has been warned that failing to certify election returns in Mohave and Maricopa counties would “disenfranchise” their voters. Voters were told to go to other polling stations where voting equipment was working, but many votes were not counted because they were not checked out properly. Some voters had to leave the polling booth before being able to cast their ballots.
