Legal challenges have narrowed the number of candidates that Pima County voters can choose from in local, state and federal races this year.
As of May 1, there have been challenges to four county constable candidates and two justice of the peace candidates. At the state level, an early withdrawal leaves one incumbent Democrat unopposed, while two Libertarian candidates running for a congressional seat have withdrawn.
And a successful challenge to the signatures of one Pima County constable has left that race with no candidate — resulting in a write-in vote this summer.
The race for constable in Justice Precinct 9 now has no candidate after Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson ruled that incumbent George Camacho did not have “the required number of signatures to make the primary ballot this July,” Johnson said in an April 25 court filing.
A voter in the precinct filed the lawsuit, challenging 216 of the 611 signatures he submitted to the Pima County Recorder’s office. Camacho was unopposed.
That means the seat will be won by a write-in candidate.
State law says Camacho is not eligible to file as a write-in candidate for the seat, the Pima County Elections department confirmed on Friday.
Write-in candidates must file with the Pima County Elections Department by June 20 to run as a write-in.
JP 9 covers much of Tucson’s southside and South Tucson.
In Justice Precinct 10, which covers northern portions of the county, including Marana and parts of Oro Valley, incumbent constable Anton Chism had his nominating petitions successfully challenged by GOP candidate John Cammarano.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Gary Harrison ruled on April 25 that Chism, also a Republican, was 10 signatures short of what was required. His name will be removed from the primary ballot.
Chism, like Camacho, is not eligible to file as a write-in candidate for the seat under state law, the Pima County Elections Department confirmed on Friday.
A shakeup of Precinct 10’s Justice of the Peace race leaves voters with just one candidate after Democratic candidate Kathryn Mikronis withdrew due to a lack of valid signatures, the Pima County Elections Department confirmed Friday. Republican Robert Forman is now the only candidate filed in the race.
In the Legislative District 18 Senate race, Democratic challenger Matt Welch withdrew from the July primary against incumbent Priya Sundareshan on April 17, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office confirmed on Friday. Sundareshan is now unopposed.
In Congressional District 6, Libertarian candidate Mark Siarto suspended his campaign, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office confirms. Fellow Libertarian, C. Vance Cast, also suspended his campaign in late-April, he told the Star on Friday.
Cast said that he was facing legal challenges concerning the signatures he collected, and that the plaintiffs “kept moving the goalposts” and amending their complaint to the Court, so there was no way to defend himself as a third-party candidate, he said.
That leaves GOP incumbent Juan Ciscomani with a challenge in the Republican primary from Kathleen Winn.
The winner will face Democrat Kirsten Engel in November.
