Republican Juan Ciscomani defeated his Democratic opponent by more than 5,000 votes in Arizona's competitive sixth Congressional District, but Cochise County's refusal to certify the results of the November election could cost him his seat.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, also the governor-elect, sued the county after it failed to meet the Nov. 28 deadline to certify its election. The Republican-led Board of Supervisors delayed the canvass vote to hear concerns about the certification of ballot tabulators despite election officials approving the equipment, Bloomberg reported.

The lawsuit, filed in Arizona Superior Court, asks a court to force the Cochise County Board of Supervisors to certify the county's results by Dec. 8 as they are required to do under state law.

If Arizona officials don't have Cochise County's vote totals by the time of their state-level certification next week, the ballots of more than 47,000 county residents can be tossed out, costing Ciscomani his victory and Republicans a seat in the House of Representatives, where they hold a narrow seven-seat majority.

"The Board's inaction not only violates the plain language of the statute, but also undermines a basic tenet of free and fair elections in this state: ensuring that every Arizonan's voice is heard," the lawsuit states.

The county's officials are heading to court this afternoon and may be present without an attorney to represent them against charges of breaking the law by failing to certify...

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