A Pima County resident has filed papers challenging the signatures that congressional candidate Edna San Miguel submitted to the Arizona Secretary of State.
The challenge, filed on behalf of resident Betty Villegas, states the Republican candidate filed 1,653 invalid signatures and therefore does not have enough signatures to qualify as a candidate.
San Miguel filed 2,130 signatures and needs 864 valid signatures from Republicans living in Congressional District 3 to qualify for the ballot.
The 34-page document cites a number of legal reasons to discount the signatures gathered by San Miguel and her supporters, from some signers not living in CD3 to others not being registered Republicans. At least one signature was collected from a registered felon, the challenge states.
San Miguel, who hopes to run against U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a Democrat, said she has asked the court for time to hire an attorney.
The Tucson author and teacher said she was caught off guard by the court challenge, but is confident her signatures will be found to be valid.
The case is scheduled to be heard Wednesday, June 15, at 1:30 p.m. in Pima County Superior Court.
