That’s all folks: the deadline is past for filing by any other person desiring to become a write-in candidate for Mayor of the City of Tucson or for Council seats in Wards 1, 2, and 4. *

Update 7/22/11 late afternoon per Tucson City Clerk’s website: Last minute Republican filed for Mayor: Construction worker Daryl A. Peterson, so stay tuned. And Green Beryl Baker filed as a write-in candidate for the Ward 1 City Council seat, which she ran for before in 2007. She got 26.62% of the vote then compared to Regina Romero’s 72.86%.

Remember that the City of Tucson has changed this year to vote- by- mail, where ballots will be mailed to registered voters on August 10, with the actual primary election being on August 30. Absolute deadline to drop off your ballot is 7 p.m. on August 30. (Voter registration cut off date is August 1, so there’s still time to register). The primary election ballots MUST be in the possession of the city personnel by 7 p.m. on August 30 — so mark your ballot & mail early.

7 locations will be open on August 30 for voters to:

• Drop off your ‘voted’ vote-by-mail ballot, or
• Bring your vote-by-mail ballot, cast the ballot in person and drop it in the ballot box, or
• Receive and vote a vote-by-mail replacement ballot

Voting Locations Days of Operation/ Hours of Operation for both the primary & general:
Randolph Golf Complex
600 S. Alvernon Way
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Quincie Douglas Library
1585 E. 36th Street
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Clements Center
8155 E. Poinciana Drive
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox
Church
1145 E. Ft. Lowell Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Udall Park Recreation Center
7200 E. Tanque Verde Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Valencia Branch Library
202 W. Valencia Road
August 30, 2011
November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Tucson City Clerk Elections
Center
800 E. 12th Street
August 11 – August 29, 2011
8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri

August 30, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

October 20 – November 7, 2011
8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri

November 8, 2011
6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

As to who’s running, refer to my previous blog which lists the campaign websites of almost all the candidates, including 3 write-ins – click here.

There is now two Republican Mayoral write-in candidates Rick Grinnell and Daryl Peterson, plus three Democratic ones, David Karr, Joseph Maher, Jr., and Rich Kessler. The latter was listed on the City of Tucson’s webpage as of 7/15/11, but I don’t have any information on him to date, except that he is “retired.” ^

There is only one write-in Council candidate. Green Party candidate Beryl Baker has filed as a write-in to challenge the winner of the Ward 1 Democratic primary, either incumbent Romero or challenger Flores. I believe that Baker only needs to get 3 Green Party write-in votes to qualify for the General election.

And for more info on City of Tucson’s Elections, go to their website:
http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/gov/elections. *I’ve been awaiting the Tucson City Clerk’s updating of their 2011 candidate listing or an email reply about this deadline being past.

^Kessler has withdrawn from this race (updated 8/5/11).

From Pima County Recorder’s Office: http://www.recorder.pima.gov/public/voterttlsdist.aspx

Registered voters in City of Tucson (as of April, 2011)

Democrats 99,877

Republicans 56,232

Independents/others 69,735

Libertarians 2135

Greens 857

Total registered voters right now in City of Tucson are 228,836 (all six wards)
which gives the Democrats almost a 2:1 edge over the Republicans, but there are almost 70,000 Independent voters who could vote either way in the primary.

But according to Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez and UA Asst. Prof. of Communications Kate Kenski, Independents have a low voter turnout, probably because they don’t choose to vote at all or belong to an organized party.

Back in the last City of Tucson election of 2009, with Wards 3, 5 and 6 up for election, 33.5% of the total registered voters (221,316) voted. So 74,168 votes were cast city wide.

Karin Uhlilch (D) received 33,782 votes, Richard Fimbres (D) 37,749 votes and Steve Kozachik (R) 36,451 votes to prevail over their opponents. Uhlich won by only 175 votes over Republican Ben Bueller-Garcia, although the Green Party candidate Mary DeCamp received 4429 votes, which may have taken votes from the Democrat. In 2005 Uhlich had defeated Republican one term Ward 3 incumbent Kathleen Dunbar, in an upset.

Fimbres won by 4573 votes over Shaun McClusky (now running for Mayor) and Kozachik won in an upset by 1756 votes (defeating one term Democratic incumbent Nina Trasoff). Trasoff herself had upset 2 term Ward 6 incumbent Republican Fred Ronstadt in 2005.

How did Steve Kozachik, a Republican win in a predominantly Democratic city?

And with the Democratic voter edge in this city, how did Republican Robert Walkup win 3 terms? He defeated 1) two term Councilwoman Democrat Molly McKasson, then 2) former Democratic Mayor/Councilman Tom Volgy, and lastly 3) Green Party candidate Dave Croteau (no Democrat even ran for Mayor in 2007). See my previous blog “Will Mayor Walkup run again? (click here).

The Mayor’s seat is up for election this year, with Republican Bob Walkup not running for his 4th term. 6 men are currently seeking that position (3 Democrats, 2 Republicans, 1 Green), with nomination petitions/signatures due on June 1st. None of the candidates have served on the City Council, the usual testing ground for qualification to be a Mayor.

Council Wards 1, 2 and 4 are also up for election this year.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Regina Romero (D) has a Democratic opponent (Joe Flores), and almost had a Republican challenger (political newcomer Janet Gallup who filed last week but told me via email that she is withdrawing this week “for several personal reasons that were unforeseen”).
Regina has served for one term and is the incumbent. (In 2007 she defeated Democrat Ken Green in the Primary, then Green Party candidate Beryl Baker in the General.)

Appointed (May, 2010) Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham (D) has a Republican opponent (political newcomer Jennifer Rawson). 4 term Ward 4 Councilwoman Shirley Scott (D) is being challenged by political newcomer Republican Tyler Vogt. Can either Rawson or Vogt upset the incumbent Councilmembers– like Kozachik did in 2009?

It seems that both Republicans and Democrats have served in Wards 3 and 6, with predominantly only Democratic Councilmembers in Ward 1, 2, 4, and 5 (except for one Democrat who turned into an Independent in Ward 2). And Tucson has had long term serving Republican Mayors (Lew Murphy and Bob Walkup).

So maybe it’s personality over partisan party affiliation that determines the winners in the City elections. What do you readers think?

The AZ Court of Appeals ruled recently for the City of Tucson in a challenge to a recent state law that would have mandated Ward only, nonpartisan elections instead of the current partisan, city-wide elections (though the Councilmembers have to live in the Ward they run from). This decision may be appealed to the AZ Supreme Court.

5/13/11 UPDATE: 6 men still running for Mayor (2 Democrats, as 1 dropped out last week, 2 Republicans, 1 Green (one dropped out, replaced by another Green), and an Independent).
Here’s the current list: Jonathan Rothschild (D), Marshall Home (D), Shaun McClusky (R), Ron Asta (R), Dave Croteau (G), Pat Darcy (I). But the list keeps changing…

We all support public safety. But are you still debating over whether to support the so-called “public safety first initiative” or not?

If you missed the League of Women Voters’ forum on October 19 about the ballot propositions, here’s another chance to learn more about Proposition 200, the “Public Safety First Initiative”.

Go to Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. in the Tucson Convention Center downtown on Monday October 26, from 6 to 7 p.m. for an Arizona Public Media sponsored town hall.

Bill Buckmaster, host of “Arizona Illustrated” on KUAT Channel 6, Ann Brown, editorial page editor for the Arizona Daily Star, and Jim Nintzel, political reporter/commentator of the Tucson Weekly will be posing questions to the pro and con reps of Prop. 200.

Or, if you just want to educate yourself about the initiative online, here’s the links: Vote Yes, or Vote No. I’ve been watching those websites, and the list against 200 is growing. You can also watch a live stream of the town hall that evening at www.azpm.org.

Moreover, in the “Sample Ballot/Publicity Pamphlet and Instructions to Voters” sent for the City of Tucson Elections is the full text of Proposition 200, and arguments for and against on pages 13 to 21. It’s very illustrative to see who’s supporting this proposition and who’s not.

This Proposition has taken clear partisan lines with those running for City Council seats in Ward 3, 5, and 6: the Republicans say vote yes, and the Democrats and Green candidate say vote no.

The decision is yours — vote on or before November 3rd.