President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to Visit UA Campus Wednesday

General News January 10, 2011
from UANews | “President Obama will speak at a memorial event at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12 to support and remember victims of the mass shooting in Tucson, and to lift the spirits of those who have been personally affected by this tragedy.”

The event, “Together We Thrive: Tucson and America” starts at 6 p.m. at McKale Center (just west of Campbell Avenue, north of E. 6th Street) and is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 4 p.m.

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton, as well as state and federal officials will also speak at the event– Governor Jan Brewer, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, and Justice Anthony Kennedy, Circuit Justice for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit are expected to attend.

“The event will include a Native American blessing, a moment of silence, a poetry reading, and a presentation of a chain featuring messages from the public.”

Attendees should arrive early because a capacity crowd is expected, and there will be increased security due to the President’s presence.

Six people were shot & killed and 13 others injured on Saturday January 8, 2011 at a Safeway store in NW Tucson, by 22 year old suspect Jared Lee Loughner. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of CD 8 was apparently his target, and 3 of her Congressional district aides were also shot — one (Gabe Zimmerman) died at the scene. Federal district court Chief Judge John Roll was also killed, and 9 year old Christina Taylor Green.

UPDATE: video of event online (click here).

Photo of event tshirt from photographer Jon Scanlon (who attended the event);

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)

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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.

From the Arizona Secretary of State’s election website of the winners from yesterday’s General Election. Click here. Updates to follow for close races.
99.87 % precincts reporting (2236 of 2239), with a 43.68 % voter turnout.

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

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

U.S. House CD 8: 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) and Rep. Vic Williams (R)

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)

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

City of Tucson Propositions 400 (proposed sales tax increase) and 401 (proposed City Charter changes) –both NO

I will be publishing updates on the LD 26 House race and some of the state-wide propositions which are too close to call at press time. Check the Secretary of State’s website for Propositions 106 to 302.

Congratulations to all the winners!

11/3 Update: Hugh Holub “View from Baja Arizona” reports that Pima County has about 35,000 ballots (early & provisional) to still count, so the outcomes of the close races may still change. Read his article:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/view-from-baja-arizona/2010/11/03/pima-county-cant-run-an-election/

UPDATE: Tucson Weekly is reporting that there are 38,000 uncounted ballots, so this process may take till Saturday:

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/archives/2010/11/03/election-2008-whats-left-to-count-an-estimated-50k-ballots

Looks like Propositions 110, 112 and 203 are too close to call.

UPDATE, 4:30 p.m. 11/3/10: 100% of the precincts are now counted, 43.77 % voter turnout, waiting for the hundreds of early/provisional ballots statewide to be counted. I will be checking & reporting only if the lead changes in any of the close races:

CD 7, CD 8, LD 26 House, Propositions 110, 112 and 203.
Grijalva ahead by 3915 votes, Giffords by 2348 now, small changes since this morning (3885 and 2447 respectively).
And I understand that neither Jesse Kelly nor Ruth McClung will concede till all votes are counted. Congressman Grijalva has declared victory per other news sources (AZ Daily Star & KUAT).

UPDATE: 11/4 5:22 p.m. results from SOS website: Grijalva’s lead has now increased to 5,982 votes and Giffords by 3,055.

UPDATE: 11/5 email from SOS office states that : “As of Friday afternoon, there are an estimated 135,000 early ballots and 83,000 provisional ballots statewide that are yet to be processed and counted.” Deadline is November 12. Grijalva’s lead has increased to 6,327 and Giffords’ to 3,848 (5 p.m.).

7:33 p.m. Giffords has declared victory and Kelly has conceded, but I did not waver from the original declaration of her win on Wednesday morning, Nov. 3. Only races still undetermined are in LD 26 House and those 3 propositions (all still losing): 110, 112, and 203.

UPDATE 11/6: Ruth McClung sent out an email that she will not concede till all votes are counted, with Grijalva’s lead at 6061 this morning (8 a.m.). So stay tuned till next week sometime. (Giffords lead today is 3641, but that race seems decided as her lead was 2447 on 11/3). Voter turnout figures are now at 49.38%. Prop. 112 have switched to yes vote.

11/9 UPDATE: no changes in LD 26 House, Prop. 110 & 203 (still losing), but Prop. 112 now winning. Voter turnout reported at 52.26%.

11/9 further update: Per Sec. of State’s office:”As of Tuesday afternoon, there are just over 30,000 early ballots and slightly fewer than 59,000 provisional ballots statewide that are yet to be processed and counted.” Imagine that, a week after the General election and this many votes still to be counted, by Friday’s deadline.

11/10 Pima County counting complete per AZ Daily Star blog, and Rep. Nancy Young Wright has lost by 745 votes in LD 26. Voter turnout in Pima County was 65%.
http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/pueblo-politics/article_5dac3222-ed0f-11df-97d3-001cc4c002e0.html. Maricopa County ballots still being processed.

11/12 Prop. 203 (medical marijuana) took the lead today by 4421 votes! Prop. 112 in a dead heat of 43 votes (ahead) which may trigger a recount, depending on what happens with the remaining 10,000 ballots to be counted by Maricopa County tomorrow. Stay tuned. Recount is automatic if the vote difference is 200 votes or less for these statewide propositions.