Updated

Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

Eli Crane Wins Arizona 2nd Term by 3,834 Votes as Jonathan Nez Withholds Concession

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

Eli Crane Wins Arizona 2nd Term by 3,834 Votes as Jonathan Nez Withholds Concession

Q: With a narrow margin, what specific steps must Arizona election officials take before officially certifying the final results?

Before Arizona can officially certify a close race like this one, county officials must finish counting all valid ballots, including late-processed early ballots, cured signature-challenge ballots, and eligible provisional ballots. In a large district such as Arizona’s 2nd, that also means completing routine verification steps like signature review on mail ballots and resolving any outstanding voter identification issues by the legal deadlines. After that, each county involved in the district must conduct its official canvass, a public review and adoption of the final county results. Under Arizona law, counties must complete that canvass by Nov. 19. Once county canvasses are done, they must immediately transmit the certified results for federal offices to the secretary of state. At the state level, the secretary of state then completes the statewide canvass for the congressional race by Nov. 23, formally certifying the result and issuing the certificate of election. Because the margin matters in close contests, officials also must determine whether the final canvass places the race within Arizona’s automatic recount threshold, which is 0.5 percentage points. If it does, the secretary of state must, within 24 hours after the last county canvass or the canvass deadline, certify that fact to Maricopa County Superior Court, which then orders a recount. The recount would determine the final official winner, although the state canvass deadline itself still remains in place.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 9

3,834 votes separated Rep. Eli Crane and Democrat Jonathan Nez when the AP called Arizona’s race, giving the Republican a narrow second term.
Crane beat Nez in a rematch of their 2024 contest, extending GOP control of a district Fox News Power Rankings had rated Likely R before Election Day.
Nez had not conceded by Monday; in a Nov. 5 social media post, he said counting every ballot in the sprawling district "takes time."
Trump had endorsed Crane as an "America First Patriot" and attacked Nez during the campaign, while Crane said after the win he would keep fighting the congressional "status quo."