Arizona’s top election official demands probe into Kari Lake over published voter signatures

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is calling for an investigation into Kari Lake’s release of voter signatures on social media, accusing her of potentially violating state law. 

“I am writing today to ask you to investigate and take appropriate enforcement action against Kari Lake for potential violations of Arizona law committed under her Twitter handle,” Fontes, a Democrat, wrote in a letter to state Attorney General Kris Mayes sent on Monday. 

Fontes argues that Arizona law “prohibits posting any information derived from voter registration forms or precinct registers to the internet” and no one other than the voter or an authorized person may reproduce a voter’s signature.  

“A violation of this provision is a Class 6 felony,” Fontes writes. 

Lake, a Republican and former local TV news anchor who was defeated by Democrat Katie Hobbs in Arizona’s 2022 gubernatorial contest, posted the 16 signatures from 2020 ballots in a Jan. 23 tweet where she claimed they were part of a “bombshell discovery” of allegedly mismatched signatures that should not have been counted.

Despite losing the Arizona race by more than 17,000 votes, Lake has refused to accept the results of the election. 

She has appealed a December ruling by an Arizona judge who found there was no clear or convincing evidence of misconduct in the 2022 election and affirmed Hobbs’ victory.

Lake also held a “Save Arizona Rally” in Scottsdale on Sunday where she referred to Hobbs as a “squatter in the governor’s office.” Former President Donald Trump called into the rally and declared it “a shame what happened” during the November election, adding that “ultimately she’s going to be victorious.” 

In December, Lake dodged significant monetary sanctions after a judge rejected pleas by Hobbs to find the Republican liable for more than $500,000 in attorney fees. Arizona Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson however did rule that Lake must pay $33,000 for the expert witnesses hired by Hobbs in defense of her Nov. 8 election victory.