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Are you concerned with our local schools having effective leadership and quality educational programs? If so, it is a great time to consider stepping up and running for election for the available positions on local school boards.
All governing board positions listed below have a term expiration of Dec. 31, 2022. The seats will be on the November 2022 ballots. Open seats include:
- Oracle – two seats with a four-year team each, which are currently held by Gary Terrell and Jeri Taylor; 73 signatures are required.
• Ray – three seats, which are currently held by Jason Wernett (two-year term), Jonathan Ramirez (four-year term) and Tino Flores (four-year term); 11 signatures are required. - Mammoth-San Manuel – three seats, two with four-year terms, currently held by Terry Newman and Louis Madrid, and one with a two-year term, currently held by Michael Carnes; 15 signatures are required.
• Superior – four seats, one with a two-year term and is currently held by Henry Gutierrez; two with four-year terms that are currently held by Ricardo Provencio and Ignacio Magallanes; and one with a four-year term that is currently vacant; 11 signatures are required. - CVIT – one seat (Superior School District) with a four-year term currently filled by Louie Rabago; 11 signatures are required.
The first form to file is the Candidate Statement of Interest. It can be downloaded here: https://bit.ly/3JKLK8K. This one does not need to be notarized and can be submitted in person, by mail or email to the Pinal County School Office (nobrien@pinalcso.org).
Several locals have filed their intents to run already: Jeri Taylor for Oracle and Louis Madrid for Mammoth-San Manuel were the first to file. Also intending to run are: Donna Pedota (Oracle), Wendy Biallas-Odell (Oracle), Gary Terrell (Oracle), Michael Carnes (Mammoth-San Manuel), Augustine-Lou Hing (Superior), Ericka Vasquez (Superior), Hector Aparacio (Superior), Henry Gutierrez (Superior) and Tino Flores (Ray). Louie Rabago is the only candidate to have filed his statement of interest for CVIT.
Once the Candidate Statement of Interest form has been received by the County School Office and date stamped, the candidate can begin gathering signatures on the Candidate Nomination Form-Nonpartisan and Petitions. Any gathered prior to the date stamp will be nullified. Submit to Pinal County School Office, 75 North Bailey St., Florence, 85132. The filing period for submission of this form and petitions is from 8 a.m. Monday June 10, 2022, until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, 2022. Candidates may not circulate petitions before submitting a Candidate Statement of Interest form first.
A few have submitted their signed petitions including Louie Rabago (CVIT), Michael Carnes (M-SM), Jeri Taylor (Oracle), Donna Pedota (Oracle), Wendy Biallas-Odell (Oracle), Gary Terrell (Oracle) and Henry Gutierrez (Superior).
If you have any questions, call the office at 520-866-6565 during business hours from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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