I reported on the previous filing deadline of August 8, when 12 people submitted petitions (click here for earlier article).

Since August 8th I was able to find out more information on the 12 candidates. Here’s the updated official list, with campaign websites for those who have one:

–Menelik Bakari, retired teacher, Doolen Middle School
–Debe Campos-Fleenor, Allstate insurance agent
–Don Cotton, retired postal worker, owner of online printing business, www.cottonfortusd.com
–Miguel Cuevas, current Board member & President; Project Coach at AFNI, www.votemiguelcuevas.com
–Ralph Ellinwood, attorney (criminal law), www.futuretusd.org
–Kristel Foster, former UA clinical assistant professor in education (3 years), program specialist at Sunnyside School District language acquisition dept., www.fosterfortusd.com
–John Hunnicutt, husband of blogger Loretta of “Arizona Daily Independent”, businessman/owner of Philanthropy and Paytran, www.johnhunnicutt4tusd.com
–Camy Juarez, neighborhood reinvestment project coordinator, www.juarezfortusd.com
–Robert Medler, VP of Government Affairs, Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce, www.medler4tusd.com
–Elizabeth “Betts” Putnam-Hidalgo, part-time teacher & activist, www.betts4tusd.com
–Mark Stegeman, UA associate professor of economics, current board member & former President, www.stegeman4tusd.com
–Alex Sugiyama, UA lecturer of economics, current board member, www.sugiyamafortusd.com

Although this is a non-partisan race, here’s the party registration for these twelve per Pima County Recorder’s Office:

Democrat: Miguel Cuevas, Don Cotton, Ralph Ellinwood, Kristel Foster, Camy Juarez, Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, Mark Stegeman
Green: none
Independent/No Party Preference: Menelik Bakari
Libertarian: none
Republican: Debe Campos-Fleenor, John Hunnicut, Robert Medler, Alex Sugiyama

The incumbents in this election are Miguel Cuevas, Dr. Mark Stegeman,and Dr. Alex Sugiyama. Cuevas & Stegeman were elected in Nov. 2008. Sugiyama was selected from a total of 54 applicants who applied for the vacant seat last year after TUSD board member Judy Burns passed away suddenly in October. He was appointed to that seat by Pima County School Superintendent Dr. Linda Arzoumanian in December, 2011. Bakari, Campos-Fleenor, Ellinwood, Foster, Medler, and Putnam-Hidalgo had also applied for the vacant seat.

View their campaign websites (if any), attend debates/forums with these candidates and vote wisely on Nov. 6.