Yesterday was the official deadline for any court challenges to the petitions submitted by those running for Tucson United School District Governing Board. There were none filed per Ricky Hernandez, Chief Financial Officer for the Pima County School Superintendent.

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.

There are 3 vacancies this year for the Tucson Unifed School District Governing Board and 12 people have filed petitions to run for these seats. Incumbents Miguel Cuevas, Dr. Mark Stegeman, and Dr. Alex Sugiyama are seeking election for these non-partisan, volunteer positions. Stegeman and Cuevas were elected four years ago, and Sugiyama (no relation to me though I have the same maiden name) was appointed on December 30 following the untimely death of long term Board member Judy Burns in October, 2011.

Petition deadline for nominations was today at 5 p.m. and here’s who has filed (but subject to challenges in court by August 22):

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

The other two TUSD board members Adelita Grijalva (daughter of CD 7 Congressman Raul Grijalva) and Clerk Michael Hicks are up for re-election in 2014. Info on the current school board, click here.

Stay tuned for the official list of who’s actually officially running in the November 6 General election– after August 22. For more deadline info and # of petition signatures obtained by these candidates, go to the Pima County School Superintendent webpage (click here).