PHOENIX — The Arizona Supreme Court won’t review lower court rulings that crippled Attorney General Kris Mayes’ “fake electors” case, bringing to an end the 2-year-old prosecution of top allies of President Donald Trump and leading Arizona Republicans charged with conspiring to overturn Arizona’s 2020 presidential election results.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Mayes had sought the high court review late last year, after a trial judge found that her prosecutors had withheld relevant information from the grand jury that handed up the original indictment.
Minutes after the decision was announced Thursday, a Mayes spokesman said she would take the case back to a grand jury to seek new indictments. Mayes had no other comment on the decision.
Mayes, a first-term Democrat, is running for re-election in November. The Republican AG candidates have said they would drop the case.
Restarting the grand jury process would likely extend the case into 2027 or 2028.
The Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case was announced Thursday, without comment, in a minute entry on the court’s website. The seven-member high court has six Republican appointees.
The demise of Mayes’ case six years after the 2020 presidential election comes as President Trump, now in his second term, has revived baseless claims that his 2020 defeat was “rigged.”
A recent report in The Atlantic spotlighted the fringe election deniers from 2020 who now have a home in the Trump Administration. Many of them used Arizona as a launching pad.
Arizona was one of five states that brought charges against Trump allies accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results to keep Trump in office.
Two other cases – in Georgia and Michigan – have collapsed. Cases in Nevada and Wisconsin are the only ones moving forward.
Why was case before Supreme Court?
Mayes wanted the Supreme Court to take up a May 2025 ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers that ordered her prosecutors to take the case back to a grand jury.
Myers agreed with defense attorneys who argued that prosecutors should have provided grand jurors with a copy of the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The law established the framework for certifying and counting Electoral College votes.
Myers ruled that allowing jurors to consider the law was critical for a “fair and impartial presentation.”
A state appeals court agreed with Myers.
Who are the ‘fake electors’?
The “fake electors” case got its name from the 11 presidential electors in Arizona who were accused of signing a phony document on Dec. 14, 2020, that presented themselves as the duly elected Arizona electors, despite Joe Biden’s state-certified victory in Arizona.
Read more Flight delays at Phoenix Sky Harbor due to staffing shortages, FAA says
The indictments alleged the electors conspired with Trump allies and appointees to overturn Biden’s victory.
Eighteen people were each charged with nine felony counts of fraud, forgery and conspiracy. Among the defendants: Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Trump, listed in court papers as “a former U.S. president,” was an unindicted co-conspirator.
Among the Arizona defendants were former state Republican Party chair Kelli Ward, state Sen. Jake Hoffman and Turning Point Action official Tyler Bowyer.
Three of the 18 defendants have been dropped from the case.
Two defendants, former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis and elector Loraine Pellegrino, struck plea deals. Charges were dropped against a third defendant, former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Lamon.
Mayes launched an investigation in ’23
Mayes launched an investigation into the fake electors scheme after she took office in 2023. Her predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, had declined to investigate.
A Washington Post report two months after Brnovich left office revealed he had suppressed his own staff’s findings that refuted accusations of widespread election fraud in 2020.
During a 12News interview in September 2025, in the wake of adverse court rulings, Mayes delivered a sharp rebuke when she was asked whether it was worth the time and expense to move forward with a case that might not go to a jury for years and could end in failure.
“Is our democracy worth it? Yeah, it’s worth it. It’s worth it,” she said.
“This is about sending a signal. It’s about holding those accountable who tried to undermine our country and our democracy, and it’s also about sending a signal that this will not be accepted in the future.”
Watch the 12News Streaming App for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere, thanks to the 12News streaming app!
The free 12News streaming app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News streaming showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.”
Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12News streaming app to add to your account, or have the 12News streaming app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
Read more Actor James Handy reportedly stabbed to death by girlfriend’s son