Arizona certifies election win for Biden over Trump

  • Arizona certified its presidential election results, delivering another win for President-elect Joe Biden in spite of efforts from President Donald Trump's allies to reverse the outcome of the race.
  • The Grand Canyon State's certification will hand 11 Electoral College votes to Biden, who is projected to clinch 306 nationwide, compared with 232 for Trump.
  • The outcome came as members of Trump's legal team, led by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, alleged unproven conspiracies about election fraud.

Arizona on Monday certified its presidential election results, delivering another win for President-elect Joe Biden in spite of efforts by allies of President Donald Trump to reverse the outcome of the race.

The Grand Canyon State's certification will hand 11 Electoral College votes to Biden, who is projected to clinch 306 such votes nationwide, compared with 232 for Trump.

Biden is the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Arizona since 1996.

Before signing the canvas documents certifying the election, Arizona's Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, praised her state for conducting "easily the smoothest" and "most secure election in recent history" even amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Despite the unprecedented challenges, Arizonans showed up for our democracy," Hobbs said.

She also took a swipe at the flurry of claims of widespread fraud being spread by Trump and some of his surrogates.

"This election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness in accordance with Arizona's laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary," Hobbs said.

Trump falsely claims that he won the election as he refuses to concede to Biden. The president has lashed out at some officials in his own party, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who have declined to take steps to block the certification of the elections in their states.

Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, lauded his state's handling of the election, as well.

"The system is strong, that's why I have bragged on it so much," Ducey said at the signing event. "This is America, and no voter should be disenfranchised."

"The votes have been tabulated, all 15 counties have certified their results," he added.

The certification was conducted at the same time as members of Trump's legal team, led by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, alleged an array of unproven conspiracies about election fraud at a hearing in Phoenix.

Trump and his legal team for weeks have tried to reverse Biden's projected win through a series of lawsuits and recount requests in multiple states.

Those efforts have failed across the board, as the Trump campaign either lost or withdrew legal challenges to ballots, or as states that conducted recounts confirmed that Biden had defeated Trump.

On Sunday, Wisconsin said a recount of two counties, which the Trump campaign had requested, verified Biden had won the state's popular vote. That recount cost the Trump campaign $3 million.

At the hearing, Giuliani urged Republican state legislators at the hearing to defy Biden's popular vote win and select pro-Trump electors.

"What is the right count, or how can we get as close to the right count as possible? If we can, then have the courage to select that person to get the electors, because that person won the honest vote," Giuliani said.

"In history, I swear to God, you will be heroes," Giuliani told the GOP officials at the hearing. "If you can't make a determination, then don't certify."

This is developing news. Please check back for updates.

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