Pima County Superior Court Judge Kyle Bryson's courtroom.
Incumbent Democratic Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has won re-election, according to official recount results.
Final numbers in the race show Nanos with 243,891 votes and his Republican opponent Heather Lappin with 243,410.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Kyle Bryson opened the sealed envelope containing the results from the Election’s Department on Friday, Dec. 6. The entire proceeding was less than four minutes.
Nanos gained 31 votes in the recount, and Lappin gained 45.
The margin in the race fell by 14 votes to 481. Nanos previously led Lappin by 495.
The recount results mark the end of the of the tightest and most controversial races of the 2024 General Election in Pima County.
Nanos placed Lappin on administrative leave from her position as a corrections Lieutenant three weeks before Election Day, which prompted some of the Pima County Supervisors to call for a formal censure of him.
In a Facebook post, Lappin said she “firmly believed” that discipline influenced her loss and tarnished her reputation.
“In spite of using his official role to do this, Sheriff Nanos will now serve another term as Pima County Sheriff. As we move forward, I hope that Sheriff Nanos will decide to prioritize the well-being and safety of our community, address the internal issues plaguing our department, and work towards healing the divisions that have grown over the past few years. It's clear that nearly half of Pima County voters desire a change in law enforcement leadership focus. I am willing to be part of this and to assist leadership in whatever way I can,” the post read.
In a press release, Nanos thanked the Election’s Department for a fair and transparent election.
“In the coming months, we will focus on implementing new ideas and improvements to make our department even more effective and responsive to the needs of our citizens. Your safety and the safety of your loved ones remain our top priority, and we will continue to strive for excellence in our service to you,” he wrote.
The Board of Supervisors were legally advised a formal censure of the sheriff was a conflict of interest, and instead voted unanimously to request a formal criminal investigation from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
A resulting criminal investigation could impact whether Nanos faces any consequences for that discipline in his upcoming term.
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