Nanos Triumphs in Pima County Sheriff Race Recount

A recent mandatory recount has confirmed Sheriff Chris Nanos’ re-election, with a narrow margin of just 481 votes in the November general election, where 487,301 ballots were cast. The outcome shifted slightly in favor of GOP challenger Heather Lappin, who gained 14 votes during the recount process.

Initially, Nanos, a Democrat, led Lappin by 495 votes based on the certified count of 487,225 ballots. Given the closeness of these results—approximately 0.1 percent—state law mandated that the Pima County Board of Supervisors seek a court order for a recount, conducted by the Elections Department on November 27, where all 518,595 ballots were retabulated.

The recount revealed that Nanos received 243,891 votes compared to Lappin’s 243,410, a slight increase from the original count where Nanos had 243,860 and Lappin had 243,365. Nanos gained 31 votes while Lappin increased her tally by 45 votes during the recount.

This adjustment stemmed from a review of ballots flagged by tabulation machines for possible overvotes, undervotes, or unclear markings. Pima County uses a bipartisan adjudication board to clarify voter intent on these ballots. This board, composed of one Democrat and one Republican, ensures the review process is fair and impartial.

The Pima County press release noted that the adjudications during the recount accounted for a net increase of four ballots previously recorded as overvoted, 71 previously classified as undervoted, and one additional write-in vote, resulting in a total of 76 more valid votes cast.

Pima County Elections Director Constance Hargrove explained, “It is not uncommon to see changes in adjudicated ballots during a recount. The boards adjudicating the ballots may differ from those who originally made the determination, and their decisions are independent and final.”

Judge Kyle Bryson expedited the certification of the recount results after the Pima County Attorney’s Office requested an earlier finalization, as the recount concluded ahead of schedule.

Nanos, who has served since his appointment as sheriff in 2015, previously lost the position to Republican Mark Napier in 2016 but reclaimed it in 2020. Although Nanos led the race by nearly 25,000 votes when early ballots were released on Election Day, he saw a significant drop, trailing Lappin by 187 votes at one point. In a statement following the recount, he expressed gratitude to the residents of Pima County, stating, “It is a true honor to serve as your sheriff once again,” and emphasized a commitment to improving the sheriff’s department.

Lappin, responding to the recount results, suggested that Nanos’ decision to put her on administrative leave affected the election’s outcome and harmed her reputation. Despite expressing these concerns, she acknowledged Nanos’ victory.

Meanwhile, the Pima County Deputy’s Organization—comprising employees within the department who had opposed Nanos—reported Lappin’s reinstatement after her administrative leave ended, highlighting the ongoing tensions within the department.