The Arizona Secretary of State has posted the final & unofficial results of the 2012 General Election for CD 2, here in Southern Arizona (although ballots are still being counted statewide). Pima County Elections finalized their ballot count today Nov. 19. Congressman Ron Barber (incumbent in CD 8) has won by 2454 votes. Automatic recounts only occur if the margin of victory is less than 200 votes per state law. Barber declared victory on Nov. 17 and McSally conceded on that day as well.

Ron Barber (D) 147,338, 50.32%
Martha McSally (R) 144,884, 49.48 %

This was a very close race, with early and provisional ballots in the thousands being counted in Pima and Cochise Counties since Election Night November 6. The lead changed many times, but Barber ultimately began to take the lead on Saturday November 10. McSally was leading on the morning of November 7 by 1312 votes when I first reported the Arizona general election results.

Barber was first elected to Congress in CD 8 in June, 2012 by defeating Republican Jesse Kelly in a special election. Then Barber won the CD 2 primary in August, 2012 against LD 29 Rep. Dr. Matt Heinz. Barber was chosen by his former employer, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords to run in CD 8 after she resigned in January, 2012, to spend more time in her physical recovery from the 1/8/11 Tucson Tragedy shooting. Giffords and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly have since moved back to Tucson, from Houston, Texas.

Congratulations Congressman Barber.

Congressman Ron Barber

Most of you know by now that thousands of early and provisional ballots weren’t counted on Election night November 6, and are in the process of being counted by each county elections division in Arizona. I will daily report updates & any changes of status on this post, so check back here. Counting must be done by next Friday Nov. 16 per state law, but apparently extensions are allowed.

Updated: 11/19/12 5:30 p.m. (see below)

Prop. 118 Permanent State Land Fund was losing on Election Night but has flipped to the winning side & the gap is widening:

YES 946,568
NO 926,414

Prop. 409 Bonds for City Street Improvements (switched to winning side on Nov. 12, first time since Election Night. No votes to be counted 11/17/12 but counting of provisional ballots resumed on 11/18/12.) Final tally done 11/19/12 and Prop. 409 won by 953 votes.

YES 72,483
NO 71,530

The Congressional race in CD 2 has been very close and the lead has been switching back & forth, but Barber started leading on Nov. 10 and has declared victory, with McSally conceding on 11/17/12). Final tally done 11/19/12, Barber won by 2454 votes.

Ron Barber (D), incumbent CD 8, 147,338
Martha McSally (R) 144,884

I will continue to monitor the AZ Sec. of State website (click here) and the Pima County Elections Division website (click here) for updates on Prop. 118, Prop. 409 and CD 2.

Apparently in CD 1 Democratic former Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick has declared victory over Republican Jonathan Paton, who has conceded. Paton has now ran for Congress twice (in CD 8 and CD 2) and lost both races.

No change so far in who’s leading in other close races (and I will only update if there is any change of status):

LD 9 House (Republican Ethan Orr and Democrat Victoria Steele leading for 2 seats)

LD 10 House (Democrats Stefanie Mach & incumbent Bruce Wheeler leading for 2 seats)

PCC Governing Board District 5 (incumbent Marty Cortez leading for one seat)

TUSD Governing Board (Kristel Foster, incumbent Mark Stegeman, & Camy Juarez leading for 3 seats)

The other races appear to be decided, but stay tuned till the final & official count.

For my Election night posts, click here for the candidate tally, and here for the propositions tally, updated to 11/9/12 but for only the close races.

Arizona Daily Star has issued a few endorsements for Pima County offices:

Mark Napier (R) for Sheriff, http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/pima-county-sheriff-napier-s-fresh-ideas-mean-he-s/article_a807cb13-3c63-5332-9356-8d82836c5b56.html

Nancy Young Wright (D) for Pima County Supervisor District 1 (open seat),http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/endorsement-pima-county-board-of-supervisors-dist/article_858ca2ba-8fa2-5cc1-b48a-161d026a3196.html

Sharon Bronson (D) for Pima County Supervisor District 3, incumbent, http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/endorsement-pima-county-board-of-supervisors-dist/article_09212ffb-e1a1-588d-8390-cdf56433e7b2.html

Tucson Weekly’s 2012 endorsements, http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/the-tucson-weekly-2012-endorsements/Content?oid=3546754:

Clarence Dupnik (D) for Sheriff, incumbent

F. Ann Rodriguez (D) for Recorder, incumbent

Beth Ford (R) for Treasurer, incumbent

Supervisors:

District 1: Nancy Young Wright (D)

District 2: Ramon Valadez (D), incumbent

District 3: Sharon Bronson (D), incumbent

District 5: Richard Elias (D), incumbent

District 4 Supervisor Ray Carroll (R) is running unopposed, and won his primary in August, as did School Superintendent Linda Arzoumanian (R). Assessor Bill Staples (D) had no opponent in either the Primary or General. And Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall (D) is facing only a Green Party opponent in the General Election (whom she has defeated before).

Early voting starts today (October 11), so vote wisely on or before the November 6th General Election.