It Ain't Over in Arizona

Apparently there's a little problem with some uncounted ballots:

More than 600,000 early and provisional ballots statewide have yet to be processed and counted, Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett said Wednesday.

Of that total, nearly 460,000 votes still haven't been counted in Maricopa County, and that's complicating the ability to call several close races throughout Arizona.

Bennett said the uncounted ballot total was 602,334 as of Wednesday, including Maricopa County's 344,000 uncounted early ballots and 115,000 provisional ballots yet to be verified.

And he answer to your question is, yes, this could change the outcome of several races, including the senate race between Jeff Flake (R) and former surgeon general Richard Carmona (D). It could also have a profound effect on a notable local race, the one between hard-right incumbent sheriff Joe Arpaio and his Latino opponent Paul Penzone:

He (Arpaio) garnered 53% of votes cast in this year's election, and his chief opponent, Democrat Paul Penzone, conceded as results showed Arpaio ahead by 88,000 votes.

"Arpaio won, you have to accept it," said Alberto Gutier, a Republican analyst. "He said it very clearly that he was going to be the sheriff that enforces laws, and not who makes laws."

While most of these votes would have to break Penzone's way, 460,000 is enough to change the outcome of this election. The race between Flake and Carmona was also very close, about 80,000 votes. They'll be counting these ballots for another 10 days or so, apparently.

And how much does the GOP have to be sweating over the fact that the Democrats got within spitting distance of a win in full-metal-wingnut Arizona? Lots of angry Hispanic folks down there, apparently.