Just under the wire, one last person is throwing their name into the hat for a seat on the Camp Verde Town Council.
Carol German, a member of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and active library endowment supporter, announced last week that she will be running a write-in campaign for one of the three four-year seats on the council up for grabs in this year’s March primary and May election.
Her decision means it will actually be a contest for the four-year seats.
There are a total of five seats open this election; the three four-year seats are currently held by Council members Ron Long and Bob Kovacovich and Vice Mayor Brenda Hauser.
There is also the remaining two years of a seat left vacant by former Councilman Greg Elmer. Elmer, a first-term member of the council, resigned in November 2008 citing the need to spend more time focusing on family and work.
The mayor’s two-year term is also on the ballot this year.
Before German’s announcement, there were only three people running for the three four-year openings: former Councilwoman Jackie Baker, Councilman Bob Kovacovich and Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Robin Whatley. Write-in campaigns have often proven difficult to pull off, but if German were to win, she wouldn’t be the first.
Vice Mayor Hauser won her current seat on the board in a write-in campaign; she’s running another write-in campaign this year for Elmer’s old seat. She faces a candidate whose name will be on the ballot for the same seat, local real estate agent Raymond Williams.
The mayor’s seat faces the most competition. Mayor Tony Gioia is looking to hold onto his seat, but local businessman Tim Sykes is looking to make it his own.
They both face opposition from a third write-in candidate, local plumber Bob Burnside.
The primary election is in March, conducted by mail. The final election is in May; winners will be seated to the council in June.
