2024 Arizona Races Face Recounts, Including Key Legislative Seat

As the election season concludes, a new phase begins: recounts. This shift follows a 2022 law that significantly broadens the criteria for triggering recounts in closely contested races.

Currently, three races in Maricopa County are eligible for recounts: the Fountain Hills Town Council, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors District 3, and the State Representative seat for Legislative District 2. Meanwhile, Pima County’s sheriff race will also enter the recount process, along with a potential city council race in Page, Coconino County.

The law, signed by former Governor Doug Ducey, mandates an automatic recount if the margin is 0.5% or less. For the races to be officially recounted, the election officer must file a court order confirming their eligibility. Previously, the threshold for automatic recounts was set at under 0.1%.

Before recounting can begin, local councils must certify the need and seek approval from a superior court judge, who will authorize the recount. Although this new law initiated several recounts in 2022, none altered the initial results.

In Legislative District 2, the race for the second House of Representatives seat saw a razor-thin margin of 0.08%—equating to just 132 votes—warranting an automatic recount.

In the Fountain Hills council race, despite only 17,106 ballots being cast, Maricopa County will need to recount all 2 million ballots due to the lack of precinct-based sorting.

The following races are poised for recount after the official certification:

• Maricopa County Board of Supervisors District 3: Kate Brophy McGee (R) and Daniel Valenzuela (D) separated by 0.04%
• State Representative for Legislative District 2: Justin Wilmeth (R) and Ari Daniel Bradshaw (R) separated by 0.08%
• Fountain Hills Town Council: Matthew Corrigan and Clayton Corey separated by 0.03%
• Pima County Sheriff: Chris Nanos (D) and Heather Lappin (R) separated by 0.2%
• Page City Council: Tom Sunshine Preller and John Kocjan separated by 0.12%

During the recount process, all electronic voting machinery will undergo logic and accuracy testing, and paper ballots will be re-tabulated.

Furthermore, state law stipulates a mandatory audit of precincts. Election workers and representatives from both political parties will conduct a hand count at 5% of vote centers to ensure integrity.