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Dem official: Could be days before results in key races

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Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012
By Melanie Yamaguchi
Cronkite News

Arizona Democratic Party communications director Frank Camacho says we won’t really know who wins senate and congressional races due to 300,000 to 400,000 votes not being counted. (Cronkite News Photo by Melanie Yamaguchi)

It’s an Arizona tradition that one or more races remains uncalled because of the large number of early ballots that voters drop off at polling places. County election officials have to verify each of those ballots.

Frank Camacho, communications director for the Arizona Democratic Party, said that could mean a long wait for results in the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Richard Carmona and Republican Congressman Jeff Flake and the 9th Congressional District covering parts of Phoenix and several East Valley cities.

“There are 300,000 to 400,000 votes that won’t get counted tonight because of provisional and early ballots,” Camacho said. “That could have widespread ramifications on the Senate race between Carmona and Flake and the House race between (Krysten) Sinema and (Vernon) Parker.”

Camacho was surprised that the watch party at the Renaissance Hotel was so well attended so quickly after the polls closed tonight.

“We’re quite happy,” he said. “That means we have quite a few enthusiastic Democrats out there.”

Camacho also predicted the president will be re-elected.

“Now how he’ll do in Arizona remains to be seen,” he said.