Supreme Court declines to hear Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake’s voting machine lawsuit

The Supreme Court has denied Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake’s request to hear her case challenging the safety and reliability of electronic voting machines. Lake, along with state GOP figure Mark Finchem, alleged that the machines are vulnerable to hacking, but the court’s decision continues a series of legal defeats for the Republican candidates on this issue.

The case, Kari Lake, et al. vs. Fontes, Ariz. Sec. of State, et al., was dismissed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year, and the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case upholds that decision. Lake and Finchem had sought to ban the use of electronic voting machines, claiming that they could be manipulated to influence election results.

Despite their claims, the appellate court found that there was no evidence to suggest that electronic tabulation machines in Arizona had ever been hacked. The court also noted the robust safeguards in Arizona law, the use of paper ballots, and the retention of those ballots post-tabulation as additional security measures.

Lake, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, is now running for Arizona’s open Senate seat. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, Lake’s attorney expressed disappointment but maintained that they presented a strong case for review.

The ruling underscores the importance of election integrity and the need for evidence-based claims when challenging voting systems. As the election season heats up, the debate over electronic voting machines and their security measures is likely to continue.