Arizona Midterm Elections: Maricopa County Election Official Moved to Undisclosed Location Due to Death Threats as Kari Lake Refuses to Concede

Arizona, a once deep red stronghold of the Republican party, flipped blue when Democrat Katie Hobbs defeated Kari Lake and was voted governor during the midterm elections. However, Lake refused to concede and has forced a Maricopa County election official into hiding because of death threats.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, a Republican, has gained national prominence not because he shared the same name of a tech billionaire but because he administered the elections for Arizona's largest county and certified that Hobbs won the election.

He publicly pushed back against fellow Republicans, especially Lake, who continued with unfounded claims that the election was stolen.

Because he did not give in to the pressure from the members of his own party, Gates received constant death threats that has become so problematic that the election official was moved to an undisclosed location for his own safety, CNN reported.

A spokesperson for Gates noted that he is still performing his official duties and has received increased security. Gates was first moved to an undisclosed location on Election Day after receiving a specific threat on social media.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is the agency tasked with providing security for one of the leaders of the county's Elections Department. Maricopa County has been subjected to election-related conspiracy theories since former President Donald Trump lost in 2020.

Following his defeat, Trump spread false claims that the elections were stolen, and Lake, one of his protégés, echoed the same sentiments. The two politicians continued to spread misinformation that resulted in death threats directed toward Maricopa County's Elections Department officials.

Maricopa County Official Bill Gates of Arizona Incredulous He's Being Attacked by Fellow Republicans

Bill Gates has been a lifelong Republican. However, he has been attacked by members of his own party following the midterm elections, and he is not happy about it.

He told NPR that his actions were not about his party but about the truth that the elections in Arizona were not stolen as Donald Trump and Kari Lake claimed.

"This isn't about partisan politics. It's not about conservative versus liberal. This is about truth versus lies," Gates said.

He noted that he was incredulous he was being attacked by fellow Republicans since he had done a lot for his party. Lake has also attacked Arizona's "McCain Republicans," calling them losers.

However, Gates continued to debunk false claims about the elections by stating facts, and this did not sit well with fellow Republicans, most of whom were backing Trump. This shows a division that is now happening in the Republican party itself.

Kari Lake Continues to Raise Doubts About the Midterm Elections in Arizona

Kari Lake has continued to mimic Donald Trump by denying the election results and casting doubt on them. She has so far refused to concede to Katie Hobbs and cited long lines at the polls and issues with ballot printers in Maricopa County as proof that the elections were stolen.

However, this was debunked by experts despite Lake continuing to spread these claims. According to the Business Insider, every ballot cast was counted, and voters can visit any polling place. But Kari Lake is now promising to assemble a legal team and challenge the results.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Maricopa County Sheriff Discusses Threats to AZ Elected Officials - From AZFamily | 3TV and CBS 5 News in Phoenix