Quick Read
- Arizona Supreme Court refused to review lower court rulings on the 2020 fake electors case.
- The case against 18 individuals must return to a grand jury due to procedural errors.
- Legal delays may push the timeline for trial into 2027 or 2028.
- GOP candidates for AG have pledged to drop the prosecution if elected.
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on June 4, 2026, that it will not review lower court decisions that stalled the state’s prosecution of 18 individuals involved in the 2020 ‘fake electors’ scheme. According to reporting by Votebeat, the decision leaves the case in limbo, effectively requiring Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office to restart the grand jury process.
The legal challenges began when Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers previously ruled that prosecutors failed to provide a full copy of relevant federal election law to the original grand jurors who issued the indictments in April 2024. Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene, Mayes’ spokesperson, Richie Taylor, confirmed the office intends to return the case to a grand jury.
The delay carries significant political weight as Attorney General Mayes faces reelection this year. Her Republican opponents, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and attorney Rodney Glassman, have both publicly stated they would drop the case if elected. Legal observers note that this procedural setback likely pushes the trial timeline into 2027 or 2028, mirroring similar difficulties prosecutors have faced in other swing states like Georgia and Michigan.