MOHAVE COUNTY – The filing window opens Monday for dozens of prospective candidates seeking municipal or county office in northwest Arizona. The Mohave County Elections Department and City Clerk’s offices will begin accepting nominating petitions from potential office seekers who’ve been gathering signatures to qualify their campaigns for the July 30 primary election.
Early birds are expected.
“Some will be here at 8:00 Monday morning, or shortly thereafter,” County Elections Director Allen Tempert said, roughly one month ahead of the April 1 deadline for nominating petition submission. “I’m going to have a semi-busy first week, a very busy last week and we will process every petitioner that walks in the door by 5 o’clock that day.”
Tempert noted some like to file early while others need more time to collect signatures. He said still some others strategically turn in their paperwork at the very end of the submission period to provide less time to challenge petitions that may be vulnerable for possibly lacking the minimum number of required valid signatures.
Some 25 citizens have been circulating petitions to run for the five Mohave County supervisor seats that are up for grabs. 14 more seek other county positions, with four office holders currently unchallenged in the republican primary: County Attorney Matt Smith, Superior Court Judge Rick Williams, Treasurer SueAnn Mello and Recorder Lydia Durst.
Each of the municipal Clerks in Kingman, Lake Havasu and Bullhead City request that prospective candidates call in advance to schedule appointments for handling petition submission.
“This is both for our benefit and their benefit,” said Kingman City Clerk Annie Meredith. “It allows us to ensure that have ample time set aside just for them to review their submitted materials and provide them with the necessary next steps communication.”
“What our normal practice is that they make an appointment and they come in an submit their petitions,” retiring Bullhead City Clerk Sue Stein said. “We count the number of sheets that they provide and we give them a receipt.”
Same thing in Lake Havasu said City Clerk Kelly Williams.
“We do recommend that candidates do contact us to schedule that appointment so that we can be available and do all the counting and filing,” Williams said.
Respective Clerk’s office contact numbers for Kingman, Lake Havasu and Bullhead City are 928-753-8102 928-453-4142 and 928-763-9400.
Mayor Ken Watkins has no challengers as he seeks re-election in Kingman. Incumbents Cherish Sammeli, Jamie Scott Stehly and Keith Walker are potentially challenged by Robert Cathey and Robert “Joey” McEuen for 4-year Council Terms.
Kingman Council appointee Cengiz Arik is pursuing the two-year council term, along with Frank Nieman, James Dykens, Elliot Chalew, Janet Petrice and Cynthia Olivas.
Those seeking Council seats who’ve filed a statement of interest in Bullhead City include incumbents Rodney Head and Juan Lizarraga, and prospective challengers Linda Saldana, Annette Wegmann-Wood, Misty Devenney, Jason Newlin, Karen Dallman, Eugene O’Neill and John Hassett. Member Grace Hecht is running for county supervisor rather than defending her Council seat.
Those who’ve submitted statements of interest to pursue 3 Lake Havasu city council seats include incumbents Cameron Moses and Nancy Campbell, along with potential challengers David Diaz, Joan Dzuro, Ricky Riegler, Morgan Braden, Teri Kay Parcells, Albert R. Vititoe, Christopher Kreutzer and Robert Miles. Council member David Lane is not seeking re-election.
The names of all seeking county office can be found on the Mohave County website (Mohave.gov) by clicking Government, Elections and the 2024 Statement of Interest Tab. Other important dates and information can be found under tabs for the Elections Department and Recorders Office.
