Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican, released a 28-page document on Thursday containing several proposed updates to his state’s election administration, adding in his opening statement that Arizona’s election system “can and should be improved.”
Richer was among the handful of officials that Lake, a Republican who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued last fall in her failed election lawsuit that challenged the results of Arizona’s gubernatorial race, where Lake lost to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs.
“Getting tips from Stephen Richer about elections integrity is like getting fire safety tips from an arsonist,” Lake posted on her Twitter account Friday afternoon.
“The only thing he should do to reform our elections is resign immediately and apologize to every man, woman & child in Arizona for his malicious incompetence & perjury,” she added.
Richer’s proposals include several ways that Arizona could get faster election results, which the county recorder acknowledged in his document was a request of “many Arizonans.” One of the biggest criticisms that state election officials faced after the 2022 midterm election was the length of time it took to tally the final votes.
“Arizona has never had all results available on election night. No state does,” Richer wrote. “What we want is a higher percentage of results within the first 24 hours—say 95% of total results. This will allow Arizonans to quickly know the winners in all but the most closely contested races.”
Hobbs’ victory over Lake was called by the Associated Press nearly a week after Election Day this past fall.
Richer added in his proposal that the changes were intended to increase voter confidence in Arizona’s elections. Lake, despite losing a lawsuit in December that claimed there were problems with ballot printers on Election Day, has continued to fight the results.
Lake, who has vowed not to back down, filed an appeal late last year to Arizona’s Appeals Court and state Supreme Court after losing the election suit. On Friday, the Court of Appeals agreed to expedite the case, which will be heard by judges on February 1.
“Do not underestimate @KariLake’s desire to get justice for the people of Arizona,” her campaign tweeted on Friday in light of the expedited trial. “It doesn’t matter how long it takes. She will see this through.”
Despite Lake’s continued fight, Hobbs was sworn in as governor on January 2, and has not backed down from addressing her former opponent’s claims of voter fraud during her first few weeks in office.
In her first State of the State address to lawmakers on Monday, Hobbs said, “Chasing conspiracy theories, pushing agendas for special interests, attacking the rights of your fellow Arizonans or seeking to further undermine our democracy will lead nowhere.”
Newsweek reached out to Richer for comment.
