PHOENIX — The Arizona Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling declaring a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Republican Party after the 2020 election was groundless and filed in bad faith and ordered the party to pay more than $18,000 in legal fees.
In a ruling late Thursday, the three-judge panel said Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah Jr. was correct in tossing the demand by the GOP that a legally required post-election hand count audit of ballots be done by precinct.
Appellate Judge Michael Brown said it was clear the Election Procedures Manual specifically allowed Maricopa County to use vote centers. That enables residents to cast a ballot at any location rather than just at a home precinct.
