Granite Shoals council candidate filing opens Jan. 18; election May 6
Aaron Garcia (right) was sworn in as mayor of Granite Shoals by Municipal Court Judge Frank Reilly on Oct. 11, 2022, after the City Council accepted the resignation of Mayor Will Skinner. Garcia was mayor pro tem, a position that automatically assumes the role of mayor if vacated. Although only elected as a councilor in May 2022, he will be back on the ballot in 2023 because of his move to mayor. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Interested candidates for the Granite Shoals City Council can file to run from Jan. 18 through Feb. 17. The election is May 6.
To qualify for an elected position in Granite Shoals, you must be a registered voter in the city, pass a criminal background check, have no debts to the city, and have resided within the city limits for at least a year.
Pick up an application packet starting Jan. 18 at Granite Shoals City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road.
“This is a means to serve your city and volunteer your time,” said Interim City Manager Peggy Smith.
Positions on the council are unpaid.
Five of the seven council spots are up for grabs in the coming election. Usually, places 1, 3, and 5 and mayor would be up for election in an odd-numbered year, as per the city charter. The resignations of former Mayor Will Skinner and Place 5 Councilor Eddie McCoy led to a chain of events that resulted in the Place 2 seat being added to the ballot.
Due to required appointments after the resignations, Mayor Aaron Garcia and Place 2 Councilor Kevin Flack have only held their positions since October 2022 and Place 5 Councilor Michael Berg has only had his seat since December.
The Place 1 seat is currently held by Mayor Pro-Tem Ron Munos, who is serving his second term. Place 3 Councilor Samantha Ortis is finishing out her first term.
Councilors Steve Hougen of Place 4 and Phil Ort of Place 6 were re-elected in 2022 and will not be on the 2023 ballot. Although Mayor Garcia was also elected in May, his move into that position from Place 2 in October puts him back on the ballot in 2023.
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