A Maricopa County judge ruled Monday that Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake can go forward with part of her lawsuit amidst her claims the election was stolen.
Lake raised 10 claims in her lawsuit, asking the judge to force a re-vote or declare her winner. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed eight of the claims but said Lake has the right to make her case on the two remaining claims, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Lake’s two remaining claims allege that ballot printers in Maricopa County were not working due to election interference and that ballots were added at a county contractor, according to the AP.
Lake must prove that there was misconduct and that it affected the outcome, according to the report. While Thompson will make the judgment, Lake could appeal to the state’s Supreme Court.
“Katie Hobbs[‘s] attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED,” Lake tweeted. “She will have to take the stand & testify. Buckle up, America. This is far from over.”
BREAKING: Our Election Case is going to trial. Katie Hobbs attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED. She will have to take the stand & testify.
Buckle up, America.
This is far from over. pic.twitter.com/291EnXPP3U— Kari Lake (@KariLake) December 20, 2022
A two-day trial will take place Wednesday and Thursday.
Lake lost to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs by approximately 17,000 votes. At least 20% of tabulation machines in Maricopa County malfunctioned on Election Day. According to county officials, voters were allowed to drop ballots in a “secure ballot box.” A memo from an attorney who observed the voting process later said that roughly 60% of Election Day centers saw tabulator or printer issues.
On Thursday, a court granted Lake’s request to have some of the Maricopa County ballots inspected, with the inspection to start Tuesday morning. The Maricopa County Superior Court of Arizona granted Lake’s petition to have 50 randomly selected Election-Day cast and Election-Day spoil-marked “ballot on demand” printed ballots from six Maricopa County voting centers inspected.