BULLHEAD CITY – Re-election seeking Bullhead City Council members Kathy Bruck and Tami Ring lost spots on the primary election ballot Monday, but they might quickly become official candidates once again if they prevail on an unresolved legal matter. Partial outcomes and remaining issues were identified through candidacy election challenges aired during four separate hearings conducted by Mohave County Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen.
Plaintiffs Royanne Ortiz and Eva Corbett filed lawsuits contending Bruck, Ring, council member Mark Clark and Waheed Zehri failed to gather the minimum 307 valid nominating petition signatures required to qualify their campaigns. Parties involved in Monday’s hearing used a mix of video and telephone conferencing and in-person options to participate given social distance practice resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bruck was the focus of the first hearing and Judge Jantzen concluded she failed to qualify as a candidate because she only submitted 306 valid signatures, one short of the necessary number. “That’s what makes it even more tortuous,” Jantzen said, lamenting having to disqualify a candidate who should have collected more signatures to ensure sufficient cushion against legal challenge.
In the next hearing it was decided that Zehri successfully qualified his campaign by submitting 309 valid nominating petition signatures. Ring was the focus of the next hearing conducted after a lunch recess.
“I know in good faith I turned in signatures I thought were good,” Ring told the Court. “In good faith I thought I had enough.”
Judge Jantzen ultimately decided Ring was three signatures short of a nomination at 304. “I find this frustrating,” he said, ruling Ring is also off the August 4 primary election ballot, at least for now.
Both Bruck and Ring have an opportunity to rehabilitate their candidacies because they both claim the legal paper serving process was flawed. Judge Jantzen advised both they need to submit argument on that matter before end of business Tuesday.
The legal service issue is complicated, but centers upon contention that professional servers should have been involved rather than the citizen plaintiffs, Ortiz and Corbett. “I am leaning toward the point, that that is not sufficient service,” Jantzen said.
Should Bruck and Ring prevail on the service question, Jantzen’s signature calculations would become moot because he would dismiss the legal challenges for the process flaw. Bruck and Ring could make the ballot in that fashion.
During the last hearing Monday, Jantzen determined Clark had 310 valid signatures, ensuring his spot on the ballot. Clark advised the Court that he also enjoys the right to litigate the service issue, though it apparently won’t be necessary since he has enough signatures to make the race.
One more legal challenge is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Walter Keza filed a separate lawsuit challenging Ring’s candidacy.
That hearing would be necessary and relevant should Ring earn back her ballot spot by prevailing on the paper service issue.
- Dave Hawkins
