By Harold Kitching
Casa Grande Dispatch
A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today in Pinal County Superior Court on a challenge to Martin E. Schmidt’s petitions to run for Casa Grande City Council.
The complaint, filed by Garrett Powell of Casa Grande, asks that Schmidt’s name not be allowed on the March primary election ballot because he did not collect enough signatures of Casa Grande residents who are registered voters, a requirement to run for City Council.
According to the complaint, 171 valid signatures are required to be on the ballot. It says that on Dec. 12, the filing deadline, Schmidt, presented petitions containing 207 names.
Powell’s complaint contends a check of the latest registered voter rolls shows that 90 of the signatures are from people who are not registered to vote and 11 are from people who do not live in Casa Grande. That leaves only 106 valid signatures, or 65 fewer than required, Powell contends.
Schmidt, who lives in the Mission Royale subdivision, told the Casa Grande Dispatch he will be at the hearing. He said this was his first run for public office and he considers it “a learning experience.” Basically, he said, he took people at their word when they told him they were registered voters.
He also said he intends to run in the next Casa Grande municipal election. Generally, that would be in 2015, but if a new state law is upheld, all municipal elections in the state must be held in even numbered years.
