2018 Arizona Secretary of State election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Arizona Secretary of State election
| country = Arizona
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2014 Arizona Secretary of State election
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election = 2022 Arizona Secretary of State election
| next_year = 2022
| election_date = November 6, 2018
| image1 = File:Katie Hobbs by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Katie Hobbs
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 1,176,384
| percentage1 = 50.43%
| image2 = File:Steve Gaynor (44831689025) (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Steve Gaynor
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 1,156,132
| percentage2 = 49.56%
| map_image = {{switcher |210px |County results |210px |Precinct results |default=1}}
| map_size = 210px
| map_caption = Hobbs: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933E5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Gaynor: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#c21b18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#a80000|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#909090|No data}}
| title = Secretary of State
| before_election = Michele Reagan
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Katie Hobbs
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)|
}}
{{ElectionsAZ}}
The 2018 Arizona Secretary of State election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Secretary of State of Arizona, concurrently with the election of Arizona's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Michele Reagan was first elected in 2014 and ran for re-election. She was defeated in the Republican primary by Steve Gaynor. State senator Katie Hobbs defeated Gaynor in the general election by a small margin, becoming the first Democratic Secretary of State since Richard Mahoney was elected in 1990.
The race was rated "Likely Republican" by Governing.com,{{cite web | url=https://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-secretary-state-races-2018.html | title=Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever | date=June 2018 }} but this did not come to fruition as Katie Hobbs pulled off an upset win which, alongside Democrats' victory in the concurrent Senate election, established Arizona's role as a key battleground state.
Republican primary
= Candidates =
== Nominee ==
- Steve Gaynor, businessman{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/02/09/millionaire-steve-gaynor-jumps-into-race-challenge-michele-reagan-arizona-secretary-state/324047002/|title=Millionaire jumps into race to challenge Michele Reagan for Arizona secretary of state|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://roselawgroupreporter.com/2017/12/dark-horse-candidate-arizona-secretary-state-michele-reagans-biggest-threat/|title=Could dark-horse candidate be Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan's biggest threat? - Rose Law Group Reporter|date=25 December 2017|publisher=}}
==Eliminated in primary==
- Michele Reagan, incumbent secretary of state{{cite web|url=https://apps.arizona.vote/electioninfo/elections/2018-primary-election/state/1348/3/0|title=Arizona Election Information|website=apps.arizona.vote}}{{Cite web |url=https://ktar.com/story/1512814/arizona-secretary-state-reagan-see-primary-challenge/ |title=Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan to see 2018 primary challenge |access-date=2017-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331032625/https://ktar.com/story/1512814/arizona-secretary-state-reagan-see-primary-challenge/ |archive-date=2017-03-31 |url-status=dead }}
==Declined==
- Steve Montenegro, former state senator and candidate for {{ushr|AZ|8|}} in 2018{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2017/03/30/sen-steve-montenegro-jumps-into-race-arizona-secretary-state/99844394/|title=Sen. Steve Montenegro jumps into race for Arizona secretary of state|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2017/12/11/state-senator-steve-montenegro-joins-race-replace-congress-trent-franks/940667001/|title=Crowded race to replace Rep. Trent Franks reshapes state's political landscape|publisher=}}
- Kevin Gibbons, home loan officer
= Results =
File:2018 Arizona Secretary of State Republican primary election results map by county.svg
{{Election box begin no change | title=Republican primary results{{cite web |title=2018 Primary Election - August 28, 2018 - Official Canvass of Results |url=https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/2018%200910%20Signed%20Statewide%20Canvass.pdf |website=Arizona Secretary of State}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Arizona Republican Party
|candidate = Steve Gaynor
|votes = 414,332
|percentage = 66.69%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Arizona Republican Party
|candidate = Michele Reagan (incumbent)
|votes = 206,988
|percentage = 33.31%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 621,320
| percentage = 100.0%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
== Nominee ==
- Katie Hobbs, minority leader of the Arizona Senate{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2017/03/08/democratic-state-sen-katie-hobbs-seek-unseat-arizona-secretary-state-michele-reagan/98888628/|title=Democratic state Sen. Katie Hobbs will seek to unseat Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan|publisher=}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2017-03-08/hobbs-announces-shell-run-for-arizona-secretary-of-state |title=Hobbs Announces She'll Run for Arizona Secretary of State | Arizona News | US News |access-date=2017-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213085331/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2017-03-08/hobbs-announces-shell-run-for-arizona-secretary-of-state |archive-date=2017-12-13 |url-status=dead }}
== Not on the ballot ==
- Leslie Pico, businesswoman{{cite web|url=https://electleslie.com|title=Leslie Pico for AZ Secretary of State 2018 - Take Action|website=electleslie.com|access-date=2019-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816113018/https://electleslie.com/|archive-date=2018-08-16|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.glendalestar.com/news/article_1840e7de-7964-11e8-a94c-7b4976827770.html|title=Primary candidates drop off ballot following petition challenges|publisher=Glendale Star|access-date=2018-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702074750/http://www.glendalestar.com/news/article_1840e7de-7964-11e8-a94c-7b4976827770.html|archive-date=2018-07-02|url-status=dead}}
== Withdrew ==
- Mark Robert Gordon, attorney{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/MRG4SOS/posts/323433234857686|title=Mark Robert Gordon for Secretary of State|website=www.facebook.com}}{{cite web|url=http://ktar.com/story/1760915/arizona-native-lawyer-mark-robert-gordon-to-run-for-secretary-of-state/|title=Arizona native, lawyer Mark Robert Gordon to run for secretary of state|date=29 September 2017|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://markrobertgordon.com/|title=Unity, For The Greater Good|date=19 June 2018}}
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change | title=Democratic primary results}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Arizona Democratic Party
|candidate = Katie Hobbs
|votes = 465,668
|percentage = 100.0%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 465,668
| percentage = 100.0%
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
= Predictions =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Source !Ranking !As of |
| Governing{{cite web |last1=Jacobson |first1=Louis |title=Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever |url=https://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-secretary-state-races-2018.html |publisher=Governing |accessdate=22 September 2019 |date=4 June 2018}}
|{{USRaceRating|Likely|R}} |June 4, 2018 |
= Polling =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;" |
| valign=bottom
! Poll source ! Date(s) ! Sample ! Margin ! style="width:100px;"| Steve ! style="width:100px;"| Katie ! Other ! Undecided |
| style="text-align:left;"|Data Orbital (R)[https://web.archive.org/web/20181005203457/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a8c6c15b7411cfd6afcb182/t/5bb6a7c4eef1a1b994ae85b9/1538697156403/PUBLIC+AZ+Statewide+Topline+Report+20181004+(Avg+Surge).pdf Data Orbital (R)]
| October 1–3, 2018 | 550 (LV) | ± 4.2% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 41% | 31% | 3% | 24% |
| style="text-align:left;"|OH Predictive Insights[https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/poll-steve-gaynor-has-slight-edge-in-secretary-of-state-race-with-many-undecided OH Predictive Insights]
| October 1–2, 2018 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 50% | 36% | – | 14% |
| style="text-align:left;"|Gravis Marketing[http://orlando-politics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Arizona-September-7-2018.pdf Gravis Marketing]
| September 5–7, 2018 | 882 (LV) | ± 3.3% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 45% | 40% | – | 15% |
| style="text-align:left;"|OH Predictive Insights[http://createsend.com/t/i-09BA56CD395159242540EF23F30FEDED OH Predictive Insights]
| September 5–6, 2018 | 597 (LV) | ± 4.0% | {{party shading/Republican}}| 42% | 39% | – | 19% |
= Results =
{{Election box begin | title=Arizona Secretary of State election, 2018{{cite web |title=2018 General Election |date=November 6, 2018 |website=results.arizona.vote |access-date=March 30, 2021 |url=https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/2018%201203%20Signed%20Official%20Statewide%20Canvass.pdf}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| party = Arizona Democratic Party
| candidate = Katie Hobbs
| votes = 1,176,384
| percentage = 50.43%
| change = +2.65%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Arizona Republican Party
| candidate = Steve Gaynor
| votes = 1,156,132
| percentage = 49.56%
| change = -2.66%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link
| votes = 169
| percentage = 0.01%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box total
| votes = 2,332,685
| percentage = 100.0%
| change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no swing
| winner = Arizona Democratic Party
| loser = Arizona Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
== By county ==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2 | County
! colspan=2 | Katie Hobbs ! colspan=2 | Steve Gaynor ! colspan=2 | Others ! colspan=2 | Margin ! rowspan=2 | Total |
|---|
| data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | #
! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | % ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | # ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | % ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | # ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | % ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | # ! data-sort-type="number" style="text-align:center;" | % |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Apache
| style="text-align:right;" | 17,029 | style="text-align:right;" | 68.33 | style="text-align:right;" | 7,889 | style="text-align:right;" | 31.65 | style="text-align:right;" | 4 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.02 | style="text-align:right;" | 9,140 | style="text-align:right;" | 36.68 | style="text-align:right;" | 24,922 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Cochise
| style="text-align:right;" | 18,721 | style="text-align:right;" | 41.66 | style="text-align:right;" | 26,204 | style="text-align:right;" | 58.31 | style="text-align:right;" | 17 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.04 | style="text-align:right;" | -7,483 | style="text-align:right;" | -16.65 | style="text-align:right;" | 44,942 |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Coconino
| style="text-align:right;" | 34,120 | style="text-align:right;" | 63.21 | style="text-align:right;" | 19,851 | style="text-align:right;" | 36.78 | style="text-align:right;" | 8 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | 14,269 | style="text-align:right;" | 26.43 | style="text-align:right;" | 53,979 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Gila
| style="text-align:right;" | 7,524 | style="text-align:right;" | 37.01 | style="text-align:right;" | 12,804 | style="text-align:right;" | 62.98 | style="text-align:right;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | -5,280 | style="text-align:right;" | -25.97 | style="text-align:right;" | 20,330 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Graham
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,476 | style="text-align:right;" | 32.99 | style="text-align:right;" | 7,061 | style="text-align:right;" | 67.01 | style="text-align:right;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.00 | style="text-align:right;" | -3,585 | style="text-align:right;" | -34.02 | style="text-align:right;" | 10,537 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Greenlee
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,084 | style="text-align:right;" | 43.00 | style="text-align:right;" | 1,437 | style="text-align:right;" | 57.00 | style="text-align:right;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.00 | style="text-align:right;" | -353 | style="text-align:right;" | -14.00 | style="text-align:right;" | 2,531 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | La Paz
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,608 | style="text-align:right;" | 32.06 | style="text-align:right;" | 3,408 | style="text-align:right;" | 67.94 | style="text-align:right;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.00 | style="text-align:right;" | -1,800 | style="text-align:right;" | -35.88 | style="text-align:right;" | 5,016 |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Maricopa
| style="text-align:right;" | 713,045 | style="text-align:right;" | 50.72 | style="text-align:right;" | 692,690 | style="text-align:right;" | 49.27 | style="text-align:right;" | 85 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | 20,355 | style="text-align:right;" | 1.45 | style="text-align:right;" | 1,405,735 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Mohave
| style="text-align:right;" | 18,775 | style="text-align:right;" | 26.56 | style="text-align:right;" | 51,900 | style="text-align:right;" | 73.43 | style="text-align:right;" | 5 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | -33,125 | style="text-align:right;" | -46.87 | style="text-align:right;" | 70,675 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Navajo
| style="text-align:right;" | 16,930 | style="text-align:right;" | 47.06 | style="text-align:right;" | 19,040 | style="text-align:right;" | 52.93 | style="text-align:right;" | 3 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | -2,110 | style="text-align:right;" | -5.87 | style="text-align:right;" | 35,970 |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Pima
| style="text-align:right;" | 226,034 | style="text-align:right;" | 59.24 | style="text-align:right;" | 155,501 | style="text-align:right;" | 40.75 | style="text-align:right;" | 23 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | 70,533 | style="text-align:right;" | 18.49 | style="text-align:right;" | 381,535 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Pinal
| style="text-align:right;" | 49,756 | style="text-align:right;" | 42.90 | style="text-align:right;" | 66,211 | style="text-align:right;" | 57.09 | style="text-align:right;" | 7 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | -16,455 | style="text-align:right;" | -14.19 | style="text-align:right;" | 115,967 |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Santa Cruz
| style="text-align:right;" | 9,497 | style="text-align:right;" | 71.81 | style="text-align:right;" | 3,729 | style="text-align:right;" | 28.19 | style="text-align:right;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.00 | style="text-align:right;" | 5,768 | style="text-align:right;" | 43.62 | style="text-align:right;" | 13,226 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Yavapai
| style="text-align:right;" | 38,259 | style="text-align:right;" | 36.66 | style="text-align:right;" | 66,088 | style="text-align:right;" | 63.33 | style="text-align:right;" | 13 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.01 | style="text-align:right;" | -27,829 | style="text-align:right;" | -26.67 | style="text-align:right;" | 104,347 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Yuma
| style="text-align:right;" | 20,526 | style="text-align:right;" | 47.91 | style="text-align:right;" | 22,319 | style="text-align:right;" | 52.09 | style="text-align:right;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;" | 0.00 | style="text-align:right;" | -1,793 | style="text-align:right;" | -4.18 | style="text-align:right;" | 42,845 |
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{2018 United States elections}}