The AP news article reprinted in the Arizona Daily Star today (“Even untainted by scandal, women lag noticeably in electoral sphere”) discusses why less women run for political office. (click here):

The number of women in Congress has plateaued since 2007, with just 17 women in the 100-member Senate and 72 in the 435-member House. In state legislatures nationwide, 1,738 lawmakers are women, compared with 1,809 last year, and the percentage of women holding statewide office has fallen from 27.6 percent in 2001 to 21.9 percent today. Just six states have female governors.

We are one of those states with a woman Governor, Jan Brewer, who just won her own term in November, 2010 after taking over in January 2009 when then-Governor Janet Napolitano left to become head of federal Homeland Security. Brewer is a Republican and Napolitano is a Democrat.

I wrote about women candidates in last year’s Arizona elections (click here) and many women ran for almost all races in the legislature and state-wide offices.

In the current 2011 election for the City of Tucson, only one woman (Mary DeCamp, a Green Party member) is running for Mayor. Councilmembers Karin Uhlich (Ward 3) and Shirley Scott (Ward 4) were considering bids for Mayor as well, but opted to stay in their Council seats. In Wards 1, 2 and 4, women are running: Democratic Councilmember Regina Romero for re-election, Republican challenger Jennifer Rawson, and Democratic Councilmember Shirley Scott for re-election.

On the Southern Arizona legislative front there are several women politicians: LD 25 Senator Gail Griffin (R), LD 25 House Rep. Peggy Judd (R), LD 26 House Rep. Terri Proud (R), LD 27 Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford (D), LD 27 House Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales (D), LD 28 Senator Paula Aboud (D), LD 29 Senator Linda Lopez (D). And CD 8 is represented in U.S. Congress by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, who is recovering from that tragic shooting on January 8, 2011.

I think women don’t run because politics is still perceived as a “dirty game”, with long hours and often disagreeable constituents and issues. Plus women may still have to multi-task with children, meal preparation/housework, etc.

What do you think readers? The AP article goes on to say that perhaps more women should run for office, due to the number of recent sex scandals involving male politicians (i.e. former VP candidate/U.S. Senator John Edwards, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Congressman Anthony Weiner). The assumption there is that perhaps women politicians wouldn’t fall prey to sexual temptations or scandals.

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.

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.