Election 2016

Jeff Farrell and Richard Hernandez, both seeking seats on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, have lost legal challenges of the signatures they gathered to be on the ballot, likely ending their election campaigns.

Maria Felix, the Precinct 9 justice of the peace, won a challenge to her petition signatures and will be on the ballot.

Farrell was one of two Democratic contenders for the District 1 supervisor seat, and Hernandez was running as an independent in District 2 and would have been the sole contender against Democratic incumbent RamΓ³n Valadez.

A challenge against signatures gathered by Ken Bennett, a former secretary of state and now a Republican candidate for the District 1 congressional seat, was dropped, so he will be on the ballot.

Also, a judge has yet to rule on a challenge to Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Frank Tamburri, a Secretary of State’s Office employee said Thursday.

Stephen St. Clair, a Republican candidate for constable, withdrew before a hearing on his challenge, and Edna San Miguel, a Republican challenger to District 3 U.S. Rep. RaΓΊl Grijalva, a Democrat, dropped out of her race during a hearing Tuesday, according to Chris Roads, the chief deputy recorder in the Pima County Recorder’s Office.

Farrell said he would appeal the decision in his case, though Roads said a five-day window with the Arizona Supreme Court may have already lapsed since his June 17 hearing.

Hernandez said he was unsure if he would appeal, saying the potential costs for doing so could be high for his independent campaign.


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Contact Murphy Woodhouse at mwoodhouse@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @murphywoodhouse