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    • Republicans lead in 3 key Pinal County races
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    Republicans lead in 3 key Pinal County races

    Sakege Posted on

    Early results showed Republicans leading in a handful of contested races in Pinal County on election night.

    The county is one of the fastest growing in the state and one of the most conservative. Most of its seats were determined in state primaries over the summerbut some remained in doubt ahead of the general elections.

    The positions in dispute include county sheriff and a county supervisor position. Additionally, the county’s current recorder faces a write-in challenger for the position.

    Republican Ross Teeple had a wide lead over Democrat Patrick Melvin in the race for sheriff on election night. Republican Rich Vitiello had a comfortable lead over Democrat George Arredondo Sr. in the county’s only contested supervisor race, and Republican Dana Lewis appeared to have an insurmountable lead over rival Kevin Cavanaugh.

    The elections come at a key time for the county, which is increasingly facing questions about his future. Located between Phoenix and Tucson, it is often forgotten in favor of its larger neighbors. But as its population increases, the county is in a time of transition.

    Once bright blue, it became a Republican stronghold about a decade ago where only a handful of Democrats preside each election cycle. Its edges are rapidly becoming Dense suburban communities filled with residents seeking affordable housing and a reasonable commute to work in the state’s largest cities.

    Now, its leaders must confront its rapid population growth and economic development needs, among other issues.

    Meanwhile, a difficult election cycle in 2022 means many in the heavily conservative county lack confidence in the electoral system. County officials have been working over the last year to remedy that problem and ensure problem-free primaries and general elections in 2024. Still, questions about Manual vote counting and other electoral proposals remain..

    Polls closed at 7 pm Initial results will continue to come in from the polls throughout election night. Complete, unofficial results are expected to take several days. The election may be called sooner, depending on margins and the number of early votes left to count. Election results in Arizona are not official until local officials have tabulated and examined them.

    Please check back for updates.

    Elections 2024: View Arizona election results | Live coverage on Election Day

    In the western end of the county, a contested race for supervisors

    Only one of the county’s five supervisor positions is up for grabs in the general election.

    In District 1, Vitiello, a former Maricopa City Council member, faces Arredondo Sr., a former Coolidge City Council member.

    Vitiello has committed to taking a fiscally conservative approach to the county’s budget and supporting economic development by cultivating a business-friendly climate in the region. Considers supporting public safety to be one of its top priorities.

    Arredondo said he hopes to take steps to address county staff pay issues and improve planning for its capital projects. He said he would pursue economic development that is environmentally compatible with the county’s desert ecosystem and has called for partnerships to assist in workforce development.

    Vitiello already made his way in the primary, defeating Republican Ron Weber over the summer. Whoever wins this time will replace outgoing Supervisor Kevin Cavanagh, who lost the county’s Republican primary for sheriff.

    The recorder faces a rival in writing

    Lewis, the current county recorder, seemed set to run unopposed until Cavanaugh, a sitting county supervisor, filed paperwork to run for the position as a write-in candidate in August.

    The move came after Cavanaugh lost the Republican primary for county sheriff. Now, the recorder position is among the few up for grabs in Pinal County. It is a key position that has immense power over election administration in the county.

    Lewis has served as county recorder since 2022, when she was appointed by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. He came to office after the county experienced a disastrous election cycle that drew statewide attention and frustrated candidates and voters.

    During his tenure, Lewis has prioritized the development of new procedures for county election administration and staffing. It has created succession plans and revamped staff training in an effort to retain talent.

    Cavanaugh has falsely denied his loss in the Republican primary for county sheriff. An audit of Pinal County voting systems found There is no evidence of misconduct, despite his claims.. He has often questioned tabulators, the machines that count votes, and has sometimes pushed for the county to count ballots manually.

    He is also known for peppering election officials with questions at county meetings. Earlier this month, he voted with the rest of the Board of Supervisors to certify the primary results, but He said he did so “under duress” and believed the results were “incorrect” – an allegation that drew the ire of Supervisor Mike Goodman and other county officials.

    Cavanaugh has little chance of winning as a write-in candidate, odds he acknowledged to The Arizona Republic when he announced he would challenge Lewis for the seat. But he and Lewis have a frosty relationship and he said he could not allow the position to go unchallenged.

    Voters will elect a new sheriff

    Two candidates, Teeple and Melvin, are facing off for control of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

    Both have long careers in law enforcement. Teeple is a lieutenant with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and a U.S. Navy veteran. He previously worked as a construction electrician and correctional officer.

    Melvin most recently worked as Chief Deputy for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He has also served as police chief for the city of Maricopa and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. He served in the US Army.

    Teeple pledged to protect citizens’ “inalienable rights” if they were elected to office. He has presented himself to voters as a law enforcement officer who would focus on arresting criminals to keep communities safe.

    Melvin said he is focused on getting “politics and partisanship” out of the office and following the letter of the law. He has criticized current Sheriff Mark Lamb’s involvement in the national “constitutional sheriff” movement, which asserts that local sheriffs have the authority to refuse to enforce laws they consider unconstitutional.

    Both candidates say Staffing is an issue for the Sheriff’s Office as the county continues to grow.. They would seek additional resources from the Pinal County Board of Supervisors to keep up with population increases.

    Whoever wins will replace Lamb, a Republican who ran for the U.S. Senate but lost his primary to former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

    This story will be updated as election results are reported.

    Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on X: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps. Subscribe to your weekly election newsletter, Count of the Republic.

    Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.

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