Early results are in for the Tuesday, July 30, 2024 Primary Election.
In order to avoid a runoff during the general election in November, candidates need to win at least 50% plus one vote of the total number of votes cast.
Cottonwood
In Cottonwood, Ann Shaw and appointed Councilman Michael Mathews are running for the mayor’s seat, being vacated by longtime Mayor Tim Elinski.
Shaw handily defeated Mathews, 1,142 to 916, or 55.49% to 44.51%.
“I would like to thank the non-partisan Rural Organizing Initiative for recruiting, guiding, and promoting first-time candidates for political office like me,” Shaw said. “It has been an honor to run with such community-spirited candidates for city council as Felicia Coates, Bob Marks, and Lindsay Masten. I would also like to thank all those who offered support, monetary and otherwise, especially my family, and most especially my daughter Jessica. And I thank the Cottonwood voters who were paying attention and sent a clear message about how they want their city to be run.”
Mathews refused multiple requests for comment.
Mathews had also previously refused an offer to print a guest perspective on another city issue after agreeing to send one then backing out.
Incumbent Helaine Kurot and challengers Felicia Coates, Bob Marks, Lindsay Masten, Joy Mosley, Heather Piper White and Bill Tinnin are running for three open seats on council. Holly Grigaitis is also on the ballot, but refused to confirm whether or not she actually lives in Cornville outside the city limits.
Marks with 1,204 votes and Coates with 1,045 won outright. Candidates needed at least 1,002 votes. Mosley with 866 votes and Masten with 804 votes will head to a November runoff for the third seat. Tinnin had 679, Piper White had 554 and Kurot had 437.
“I am grateful for everyone in Cottonwood who involved themselves in the electoral process,” Marks said. “It is very gratifying to see so many residents engaged. I feel that my victory, as well as Ann and Felicia’s victories, are an indication that the people of Cottonwood have moved past the disruption of the past few years and are ready for the city council to progress in a positive direction. There are many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the city and I look forward to serving with great optimism.”
“Leadership is service, not position,” Coates wrote in a brief statement Aug. 1.
“Thank you all for voting and for your support,” Coates later added on Saturday, Aug. 3. “Folks helped me with petition signatures, making connections with key people, posting signs in their yards and on their cars, coaching me on the campaign process, helping with public outreach and more. What a journey this has been for me. And while a lot of work, there have been plenty of rewards along the way, including a deeper appreciation for my community.
“I commit to working hard to serve our great city and I hope I can count on you to help move our city forward!”
Grigaitis, who likely would not have been able to serve had she been elected due to residency issues, came in dead last with 421 votes.
Camp Verde
In Camp Verde, incumbent Dee Jenkins and former mayor Charlie German are facing off again. Jenkins had 1,413 votes or 55.39% while German earned 1,138 votes at 44.61%, a difference of 275 votes.
In 2020, Jenkins narrowly defeated German by 34 votes to win her first term.
“I am very grateful to all who voted for me, Jenkins wrote Aug. 1. “It is deeply humbling to know I have the trust and support of the citizens of Camp Verde and have been given the opportunity to work for and represent our beautiful and unique community for another two years. I look forward to working with the community, staff and our many partners to address the challenges we face as a growing community. Thank you to Charlie German for stepping up to run as mayor again. It is always better for voters to have a choice.”
“As Charlie’s vice mayor 2018-2019 years, I learned much from that partnership and continue to have respect and admiration for Charlie and all that he does for the Town of Camp Verde including his many years of council service,” Jenkins wrote. “While the mayoral race has been decided, who will sit in three of the council seats for the next four years awaits the November general election. I urge everyone eligible to vote to please exercise your most fundamental right as an American and vote this upcoming November. Thank you.”
“I would say the voters have spoken!” German wrote July 31. “I was pleased to see so many candidates choose to run for council seats. However, I was extremely disappointed at the approximate 35% low voter turnout. Candidates for any office commit to travel, meet, participate in debates, forums and other demands to get their message out and it’s not gratifying to see only approximately 1/3 of registered voters exercise their civic responsibility to choose their representatives.”
“I see how the historians are likely right when they predict how easily it will be for us to lose our great nation through being apathetic and exhibit the common belief that ‘my vote doesn’t count,'” German said. “It’s really disappointing to see so little enthusiasm for the critical foundation of our political process of selecting those who will represent us.
“I am hoping and praying that we will regain our interest and enthusiasm for the process and show respect for all candidates that choose to be inside the public fish bowl of public scrutiny and let us honor their efforts by making the effort to start hitting 80-90% of Voter turn out. Any candidate seeking office would love to win knowing they have captured the majority of those they seek to represent. Come on, we need to step up and demonstrate our confidence in what we can do as Americans in selecting their leaders.”
“Let me close with expressing what an honor it is for me to be invited to run for an office by my friends, neighbors and fellow citizens,” said German, who served as Camp Verde mayor from 2013 to 2020. “To win is amazing and it is humbling to realize I’ve been granted the responsibility to serve those I represent with respect, honesty integrity and professionalism. I am thankful for all of the opportunities offered and given me over the years.”
In the Verde Valley’s biggest race, incumbents Jackie Baker and Jessie Murdock and challengers Terry Andrews, Brian Bolton, Kai Buchanan, Robert Foreman, Dave Inman, Jerry “Geronimo” Martin, Thomas “T.C.” Noble and Patricia Seybold are running for three open seats on the Camp Verde Town Council. Christine “Tina” Viola and Tanner Bryson, who was kicked off the mayoral ballot in April, are write-in candidates.
None of the candidates reached the 905 vote threshold required.
Murdock had 888 votes, 17 votes shy of the threshold, followed by Foreman with 656 votes, Bolton 601 votes, Baker 563 votes, Seybold 532 votes and Martin 506 votes head to a six-candidate runoff. Noble had 458 votes, Buchanan 446 votes, Inman 320 votes, Andrews 320 votes and Bryson 130 votes and Viola, who were eliminated from the runoff.
Clarkdale
In Clarkdale, incumbent Robyn Prud’Homme-Bauer and Cynthia Malla are running for the mayor’s seat. Prud’Homme-Bauer defeated Malla, 672 to 571.
“I am humbled by the outcome of the election and grateful to all who voted for me – THANK YOU!,” Prud’Homme-Bauer wrote July 31. “My opponent ran a strong campaign that allowed me to clearly articulate my vision for Clarkdale. But the campaign also highlighted where I can do better at listening and learning about what Clarkdale residents want. I look forward to the next four years with enthusiasm as the mayor of Clarkdale.”
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported our campaign,” Malla wrote Aug. 2. “It has been very rewarding these last few months to run for the office of mayor of Clarkdale. I have met and talked with so many Clarkdale citizens as I have walked through your neighborhoods and knocked on your doors. I am reminded of what a wonderful, diverse town Clarkdale is, and how lucky I am to be living among you. I have heard your concerns, your wishes for the future and how much you love living here. This was absolutely my most favorite part of this whole adventure. It has also been gratifying to see the citizens of Clarkdale, for the first time since I have lived here, engaging in our town’s governance to such a great degree. I do believe we have made a bit of history these last few months. Clarkdale has chosen the mayor that its citizens want to lead them. Though I will not have the privilege of serving as your mayor I am hopeful for the future under the leadership of my opponent. She has given much to Clarkdale over the last four years and I believe will continue to do so over the next four years. Listening to one another, respectful dialog and a willingness to engage in the process is the way forward towards the best possible future for Clarkdale. We are, after all, still neighbors.”
Incumbent Marney Babbitt-Pierce and Debbie Hunseder and challengers Amanda Arnold and Nathan Porter are running for two open seats.
Babbitt-Pierce won reelection with 643, joined by Hunseder with 586 votes. Porter came in third with 564 and Arnold last with 394.
Jerome
In Jerome, candidates run at-large, with the person earning the most votes becoming mayor. Incumbent Mayor Christina “Alex” Barber, Vice Mayor Jane Moore and Councilman Dr. Jack Dillenberg are running alongside challengers Issam “Izzy” Sharif and Sonia Sheffield and write-in candidate Cole Vasquez.
Barber has 101 votes, Moore 96, Sheffield 82, Dillenberg 71, Sharif 66 with Vasquez at 12. If the vote totals remain steady, Barber will again be Jerome’s mayor.
Sedona
In Sedona, incumbent Scott Jablow and challenger John Martinez, a former vice mayor and councilman, are running for mayor.
Jablow defeated Martinez 1,314 to 984, 57.18% to 42.82%.
Votes are counted separately for West Sedona and the west side of the Chapel area, which are in Yavapai County, and for Uptown, Gallery Row and the east side of the Chapel area, which are in Coconino County.
Martinez outpaced Jablow by eight votes in Coconino County, 365 to 357, but Jablow won Yavapai voters by 1,162 to 916.
Incumbents Kathy Kinsella and Holli Ploog and challengers Derek Pfaff and Katherine Todd are running for three seats on council. Votes are counted separately in West Sedona and the west side of the Chapel area, which are in Yavapapi County, and Uptown, Gallery Rowe and the east side of the Chapel area, which are in Coconino County.
Ploog earned 1,725 votes, Pfaff won 1,902 votes and Kinsella took third with 1,811 votes. Todd earned 1,227 votes.
County Elections
In Yavapai County District 3, incumbent Donna Michaels and Nikki Check are running for the Democratic nomination. The winner faces Republican Lori Drake in the general election in November.
Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers
In the biggest victory of the night, Check crushed Michaels by 2,125 votes, 3,475 votes to 1,184 votes, or 72.02% to 27.98%
“I am honored and humbled that my candidacy resonated with voters in this race and I look forward to the next one,” Check said.
Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve,” Michaels stated Aug. 1. “I’ve loved every single moment and thank all of District 3, the county and the state with whom I have enjoyed a wonderful relationship. I intend to continue on my major projects … until my term expires, and then continue to serve as I have for over three decades, in our community, our county and our state. Thank you for asking … I appreciate the opportunity.”
In Yavapai County District 2, incumbent James Gregory and Wiley Cline are running for the Republican nomination. The winner is the de facto winner of the general election because no Democrat is running in November.
Gregory won 4,604 to 2,856, making him the de facto winner of the general election because no Democrat is running in November.
Democratic incumbent Adam Hess and Republicans Sean Golliher and Tammy Ontiveros are all on the primary ballot for the Coconino County District 3 supervisor’s race. The district represents Oak Creek Canyon, Uptown, Gallery Row and the eastern half of the Chapel area of Sedona.
Ontiveros defeated Golliher by nearly two to one, with 1,582 votes to 917 votes. Hess picked up 1,930 votes in his uncontested race.
Steve King defeated Kara Woods by 23,155 votes to 20,794 in the Republican race for Yavapai County School Superintendent.
Incumbent Republican Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane beat challenger David Stringer by 32,659 to 14,235.
Incumbent Republican Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes beat challenger Douglas Eckenrod by 35,663 to 10,781.
King, McGrane and Rhodes face no Democratic opponents in November.
Arizona Legislative District 1
As of press time, Mark Finchem, with 23,661 votes, was leading incumbent Arizona State Sen. Ken Bennett and challenger Steve Zipperman, with 16.996 votes and 9,179 votes, respectively, for the Republican nomination for Arizona State Senate District 1. The winner will face Democrat Mike Fogel in November.
Incumbent Arizona State Reps. Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss fended off Shawn Dell Wildman by 34,590 and 30,880 to 12,737, respectively, to win the Republican nominations. They will face Democrats Marcia Smith and Jay Ruby in November.
