Katie Hobbs certifies 2022 Arizona election in ceremony at Capitol

Secretary of State and Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs officially certified the Nov. 8 election results in a ceremony at the Capitol on Monday morning, a routine step in the election process and one that clears the way for lawsuits and recounts in three races to begin.

Seated alongside Gov. Doug Ducey, Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel, whose signatures also were required on the certification documents, Hobbs thanked the about 2.6 million voters who cast ballots this year.

"I just want to once again thank the voters of Arizona, because of your participation our democratic institutions thrived," Hobbs said. "Stay engaged and keep voting."

The certification ceremony, technically called a canvass in Arizona law, was fairly bland when taken in the context of recent years.

In 2020, Ducey silenced a phone call from President Donald Trump during the certification, leading to a viral moment in the opening stages of Trump's efforts to overturn the election result.

"This is a responsibility I do not take lightly," Ducey said Monday before signing the canvass. "It's one that recognizes the votes cast by the citizens of our great state. Voting is a fundamental principle of our nation's democracy. It's an important right and an effective method in ensuring Americans' voices are heard."

This year, all was quiet at the state Capitol. No protesters were spotted outside the Executive Tower or outside the House and Senate Monday morning. Still, Hobbs warned that those who cast doubt on elections would continue to do so.

"As we've learned these past few years, protecting our democracy requires everyone's participation to help discern truth from fiction, and listening to experts seeking to uphold our laws and republic rather than promote conspiracies," Hobbs said.

"False claims that undermine our democracy remain prevalent," she said, referencing the efforts to delay county certification of results.

The Cochise County Board of Supervisors certified that county's election results last week only after being ordered by a judge to do so.

Brnovich, the Republican attorney general and former candidate for U.S. Senate, repeatedly noted his role was as a witness to the certification. After the ceremony, he issued a statement to clarify his presence should not be viewed as an endorsement of the election outcomes "nor the lawfulness under which the election was conducted."

Those issues will be sorted out in any election lawsuits, he said. Lawsuits were expected to be filed soon from Kari Lake and Abe Hamedeh, losing GOP candidates for governor and attorney general, respectively.

“As we gather today to solidify the 2022 midterm election results, many Arizonans of all political persuasions continue to have doubts about our election processes," Brnovich said in a statement. "As attorney general, I have made it one of my office’s highest priorities to defend our election laws and advocate for changes when necessary. I will continue to do so throughout the end of my term."

Among the races Hobbs certified was her own win in the governor's race. Hobbs has drawn barbs from critics who see it as a conflict of interest.

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But Hobbs, as well as former secretaries of state who have certified their own election wins, have said there is not a conflict. The secretary doesn't handle the ballots, and the certification of the governor's race must include Ducey's signature to be legal.

The law required the canvass to be a public meeting, but Hobbs' office did not allow in-person attendance for the event at the state Capitol, citing security concerns. Instead, the canvass was livestreamed on Zoom as well as on the secretary of state's Facebook page. About half of the ceremony was inaudible on those platforms, however.

Now that the canvass is signed, the winning candidates will receive certificates of election. The completion of the canvass also kicks off a five-day period in which election challenges can be filed and is the "start" signal for three automatic recounts required by state law.

The Secretary of State's Office will go to court Monday to get an order to permit the 15 counties to release the Nov. 8 ballots to begin those recounts, according to Assistant Secretary of State Allie Bones.

Recounts will occur in the race for superintendent of public instruction, between leader Tom Horne, a Republican, and Democratic incumbent Kathy Hoffman; for state attorney general, between leader Kris Mayes, a Democrat, and Republican Abe Hamadeh; and for a state House of Representatives seat in Legislative District 13 in Chandler, between leader Liz Harris and Julie Willoughby, both Republicans.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Katie Hobbs certifies 2022 Arizona election in ceremony at Capitol