There are 21,161 registered Independents living in LD 29 in Tucson. With the April 11, 2012 resignation of 2-term House Rep. Daniel Patterson,who was facing expulsion from the Full AZ House of Representatives, an Independent replacement is being immediately sought to fill this LD 29 House term until December 2012.

Patterson had been elected as a Democrat to LD 29 twice in 2008 and 2010 and earlier this year changed his voter registration to Independent on April 2, 2012. Upon his resignation that AZ Secretary of State informed the Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors Ramon Valadez that a replacement should be an Independent (No Party Preference) in LD 29, since Patterson was an Independent when he formally resigned.

Today the Pima County Board of Supervisors appointed a 5 member citizen’s committee to review applications and submit 3 names to them within a week. The deadline for applicants is 3 p.m. Wednesday April 18, to Pima County Clerk Robin Brigode.

The Supervisors, after some discussion this morning about publicity and transparency, appointed to the citizen’s committee:

–former LD 29 State Senator Victor Soltero (D)
–former LD 29 State House Rep. Tom Prezelski (D, who ironically lost to Patterson in Sept.2008 in the Democratic primary)
–former LD 9 State House Rep. Lou-Ann Preble (R)
–Kristin Almquist (I), former Director of Tucson office for Governor Janet Napolitano
–Julee Dawson (I), Development director at the Tucson Hebrew Academy

The Board’s motion to appoint these individuals was passed unanimously and gave the committee a deadline of 3 p.m. Friday to select 3 names for the appointment, in order to allow community input over the weekend. Then the Supervisors will select the appointee at a special board meeting at 10 a.m. on April 23.

Present at today’s meeting was Independent* James Kelley, a transportation specialist for Union Pacific Railroad personnel, a former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst, formerly “The Cholla Jumps” blogger here at Tucsoncitizen.com before he created his own blogsite (no longer in operation). Kelley is the only applicant so far for this LD 29 House seat.

At today’s meeting District 4 Supervisor Ray Carroll inquired if Pima County Elections or the Recorder’s Office could attempt to send a “robo-call” to all Independents living in LD 29 to inform them of this vacancy and how to apply. The discussion seemed to indicate that this type of publicity would be cost-prohibitive, especially with the contested CD 8 House primary election tomorrow.

* Update: Kelley told me at the meeting today that he is an Independent, but according to Pima County Recorder’s Office, he is still registered as a Republican (and has been since June, 2003). I’ve called Kelley for clarification on this, as he has served as Chair of the LD 29 Republican Party in the past. I just spoke with Kelley and he did register as an Independent on April 11, 2012 (the same day Patterson resigned), and has written confirmation of this from the AZ Secretary of State.

bumper sticker image from the SOS website

In 1987 the Pima County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution declaring May 5 as “Free Baja Arizona Day”. 24 years later the Start our State (SOS) campaign kicked off officially today at The Shanty, 401 E. 9th Street, on “Free Baja Arizona Day”. Signatures on the petition to formally form a new state in Southern Arizona are now being collected. More than 48,000 signatures of Pima County residents need to be collected before July 15, 2012 to get this initiative on the November 2012 ballot. These petitions with valid signatures will be submitted to the Pima County Division of Elections.

Co-Chairs Paul Eckerstrom and Peter Hormel, as well as Treasurer David Euchner (all Tucson attorneys) are spear heading this effort. I wrote about this movement before (click here), but Tucsoncitizen.com blogger attorney Hugh Holub (“View from Baja Arizona”) is the expert on this issue. For an in-depth article on this movement read Hugh’s article “Baja Arizona – American’s 51st State?” (click here).

About 75 people listened to Paul speak tonight about the reasons to leave the State of Arizona and what the Arizona legislature has done over the years to reduce public education funding, cut the University of Arizona funding, as well as targeting Pima County and the Hispanic population down here. He said it wasn’t a “mission impossible”, as recent polls in the AZ Daily Star and KOLD TV said that there were 58% and 63% in support for this movement, respectively. Voters in Santa Cruz and Coconino Counties have also expressed interest in joining on, but would need to start up their own initiative drives.

In attendance tonight were LD 29 State Rep. Daniel Patterson, Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich, former LD 28 House candidates Ted Prezelski and Tim Sultan, attorney Bill Risner (election integrity), Adam Kinsey (Executive Director of Pima County Democratic Party).

For more info: www.startourstate.com, or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/startourstate (with 3363 fans). On the Facebook page you can also vote for the name of the new state.

The SOS committee meets every Thursday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Shanty to collect petition signatures and donations (also can be made online via Pay Pal). They are selling Free Baja Arizona t-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons. Email address is startourstate@gmail.com. Mailing address for checks is Start our State, P.O. Box 308, Tucson, AZ 85702.

Free Baja Arizona!

On Election Night (November 2, 2010) and the days afterward, some of these races were too close to call, and at long last the Secretary of State has posted the final “unofficial results” (click here) with all results from the thousands of early & provisional ballots being counted. Voter turnout statewide was 55.65 %; higher at 65.54 % in Pima County. These results won’t be “official” until November 29, when the election Canvass is approved, but note the recount info below regarding Prop. 112. And Prop. 203 (medical marijuana) did prevail after all.

U.S. Senate: incumbent Senator John McCain (R)

U.S. House CD7: incumbent Congressman Raul Grijalva (D)

U.S. House CD 8: incumbent Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D)

Governor of Arizona: incumbent Governor Jan Brewer (R)

Secretary of State: incumbent Ken Bennett (R)

Treasurer: Doug Ducey (R)

Attorney General: Tom Horne (R)

Superintendent of Public Instruction: John Huppenthal (R)

Corporation Commission (2 seats): Brenda Burns (R), incumbent Gary Pierce (R)

State Mine Inspector: incumbent Joe Hart (R)

————-

In Southern Arizona legislative districts:

LD 25 Senate: Gail Griffin (R)
House: Peggy Judd (R) & Rep. David Stevens (R), incumbent

LD 26 Senate: Senator Al Melvin (R), incumbent
House: Terri Proud (R) & Rep. Vic Williams (R), incumbent

LD 27 Senate: Rep.Olivia Cajero Bedford (D)
House: Sally Ann Gonzales (D) & Dr. Macario Saldate (D)

LD 28 Senate: Senator Paula Aboud (D), incumbent
House: Rep. Steve Farley (D), incumbent & Bruce Wheeler (D)

LD 29 Senate: Senator Linda Lopez (D), incumbent
House: Rep. Daniel Patterson (D) & Rep. Dr. Matt Heinz, (D), both incumbents

LD 30 Senate: Senator Frank Antenori (R), incumbent
House: Rep. David Gowan (R) & Rep. Ted Vogt (R), both incumbents

Prop. 106 Health Care Services YES

Prop. 107 Preferential Treatment/Discrimination YES

Prop. 109 Hunting & Fishing NO

Prop. 110 State Trust Lands NO

Prop. 111 Lt. Governor NO

Prop. 112 Initiative Petitions NO? (lost by only 123 votes, recount to occur after November 29, may take about 10 days thereafter for all 15 counties to recount their ballots)

Prop. 113 Secret Ballot for Unions YES

Prop. 203 Medical Marijuana YES (won by 4341 votes, only decided on 11/13/10 with final tallies)

Prop. 301 “Growing Smarter” NO

Prop 302 “First Things First” NO

City of Tucson Prop. 400 (proposed sales tax increase) – NO

City of Tucson Prop. 401 (proposed City Charter changes) – NO

For Pima County election results, click here.

Clerk of the Superior Court: Patti Noland (R), incumbent

TUSD Governing Board (2 seats): Adelita Grijalva, incumbent & Michael Hicks

The Arizona voters have spoken.
Ballots Cast: 1,750,877 of 3,146,418 registered voters.