Arizona judicial elections, 2012 - Superior Courts

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Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2012
Judicial election dates

## Contents

* 1 Superior Court retention elections
* 1.1 Maricopa County Superior Court
* 1.2 Pima County Superior Court
* 2 Superior Court popular elections
* 2.1 Cochise County Superior Court
* 2.2 Coconino County Superior Court
* 2.3 Gila County Superior Court
* 2.4 Mohave County Superior Court
* 2.5 Navajo County Superior Court
* 2.6 Santa Cruz County Superior Court
* 2.7 Yavapai County Superior Court
* 2.8 Yuma County Superior Court
* 3 In the News
* 3.1 Arizona election recap, 2012
* 3.2 Arizona candidates gearing up for late month primary
* 3.3 Arizona Supreme Court steps into Superior Court race
* 3.4 Yuma County Superior Court race takes shape
* 4 Appellate courts
* 5 See also
* 6 External links
* 7 Footnotes

The Arizona judicial elections consisted of a primary on August 28 and general election on November 6, 2012.[1][2][3]

## Superior Court retention elections[edit]

### Maricopa County Superior Court[edit]

Judge| Incumbency| Retention vote| Retention Vote %

|
|
|

Blakey IIA. Craig Blakey II A| Yes| 388,964| 66.91%A
KleinAndrew Klein A| Yes| 420,068| 72.84%A
CohenBruce Cohen A| Yes| 395,960| 67.74%A
HarrisonCari A. Harrison A| Yes| 406,969| 70.63%A
CouryChristopher A. Coury A| Yes| 413,698| 71.51%A
WhittenChristopher Whitten A| Yes| 389,246| 69.46%ApprovedA
McNallyColleen McNally ApprovedA| Yes| 389,571| 67.83%ApprovedA
ContesConnie Contes ApprovedA| Yes| 356,879| 60.47%ApprovedA
McClennenCrane McClennen ApprovedA| Yes| 390,560| 68.50%ApprovedA
KileyDaniel Kiley ApprovedA| Yes| 415,005| 72.42%ApprovedA
GassDavid Gass ApprovedA| Yes| 376,712| 65.65%ApprovedA
UdallDavid K. Udall ApprovedA| Yes| 423,139| 72.90%ApprovedA
PalmerDavid Palmer (Arizona) A| Yes| 407,830| 71.33%ApprovedA
GerlachDouglas Gerlach ApprovedA| Yes| 393,659| 68.59%ApprovedA
Ballinger, Jr.Eddward Ballinger, Jr. ApprovedA| Yes| 405,308| 69.26%ApprovedA
DavisGlenn Davis (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 395,365| 68.22%ApprovedA
AbramsHelene Abrams ApprovedA| Yes| 414,114| 69.45%ApprovedA
BeeneJames Beene ApprovedA| Yes| 415,827| 71.48%A
GarciaJeanne Garcia ApprovedA| Yes| 367,049| 62.1%ApprovedA
Gentry-LewisJo Lynn Gentry-Lewis ApprovedA| Yes| 388,887| 67.46%ApprovedA
DitsworthJohn Ditsworth ApprovedA| Yes| 352,543| 60.79%ApprovedA
HannahJohn Hannah ApprovedA| Yes| 323,611| 55.54%ApprovedA
PadillaJose Padilla (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 325,157| 55.07%ApprovedA
MullinsKaren Mullins ApprovedA| Yes| 390,441| 68.06%A
HoffmanKristin C. Hoffman ApprovedA| Yes| 399,777| 69.03%ApprovedA
MilesLinda H. Miles ApprovedA| Yes| 410,117| 71.66%ApprovedA
FloresLisa Flores ApprovedA| Yes| 350,200| 58.99%ApprovedA
MahoneyMargaret R. Mahoney ApprovedA| Yes| 400,315| 69.42%ApprovedA
GordonMichael Gordon ApprovedA| Yes| 391,059| 67.92%ApprovedA
KempMichael Kemp ApprovedA| Yes| 401,584| 69.88%A
McVeyMichael R. McVey ApprovedA| Yes| 396,409| 69.3%ApprovedA
GatesPamela Gates ApprovedA| Yes| 413,712| 71.19%ApprovedA
McMurdiePaul McMurdie ApprovedA| Yes| 405,371| 70.75%ApprovedA
ThompsonPeter Thompson ApprovedA| Yes| 409,810| 72.58%ApprovedA
MilesRobert Miles (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 410,117| 71.66%ApprovedA
OberbilligRobert Oberbillig ApprovedA| Yes| 390,596| 68.29%A
Steinle, IIIRoland J. Steinle, III ApprovedA| Yes| 375,314| 65.93%ApprovedA
McCoyScott McCoy (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 402,539| 70.4%ApprovedA
StephensSherry K. Stephens ApprovedA| Yes| 419,994| 73.22%ApprovedA
BrnovichSusan Brnovich ApprovedA| Yes| 424,158| 72.09%ApprovedA
SandersTeresa A. Sanders ApprovedA| Yes| 426,546| 73.92%ApprovedA
LeClaireThomas L. LeClaire ApprovedA| Yes| 345,835| 59.98%ApprovedA
RyanTimothy J. Ryan A| Yes| 377,385| 65.91%ApprovedA

### Pima County Superior Court[edit]

Judge| Incumbency| Retention vote| Retention Vote %

|
|
|

CornelioCarmine Cornelio ApprovedA| Yes| 143,356| 70.65%ApprovedA
StaringChristopher P. Staring ApprovedA| Yes| 157,871| 77.86%ApprovedA
BerniniDeborah Bernini ApprovedA| Yes| 163,310| 79.42%ApprovedA
AragonGus Aragon ApprovedA| Yes| 151,562| 76.80%ApprovedA
HantmanHoward Hantman ApprovedA| Yes| 148,030| 72.81%ApprovedA
KearneyJan E. Kearney A| Yes| 162,580| 79.34%ApprovedA
EikleberryJane L. Eikleberry ApprovedA| Yes| 161,426| 78.96%ApprovedA
AdamKaren Adam ApprovedA| Yes| 161,436| 79.16%ApprovedA
LeeKenneth Lee (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 161,519| 78.69%ApprovedA
BrysonKyle A. Bryson ApprovedA| Yes| 157,889| 77.23%ApprovedA
MillerLeslie Miller ApprovedA| Yes| 144,885| 69.78%A
MillerMichael O. Miller ApprovedA| Yes| 160,201| 79.11%ApprovedA
TangPaul E. Tang ApprovedA| Yes| 153,458| 75.39%ApprovedA
GordonRichard Gordon (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| 161,385| 79.02%ApprovedA
FieldsRichard S. Fields ApprovedA| Yes| 161,504| 79.27%ApprovedA
RashScott Rash ApprovedA| Yes| 157,558| 77.89%ApprovedA
VillarrealStephen C. Villarreal ApprovedA| Yes| 159,235| 77.20%A

## Superior Court popular elections[edit]

### Cochise County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

ConlogueJames Conlogue ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division V| 99.48%ApprovedA| 98.70% ApprovedA
ElledgeKarl D. Elledge ApprovedA| No| Republican| Division IV| 74.99%ApprovedA| 98.63% ApprovedA
ContrerasRoger H. Contreras | No| Republican| Division IV| 24.78%|

### Coconino County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

NicholsCathleen Nichols ApprovedA| No| Democratic| Division V| | 54.77% ApprovedA
RobbinsGary Robbins | No| Republican| Division V| | 44.33% DefeatedD
MoranMark Moran ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division III| | 99.17% A

### Gila County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

CahillPeter J. Cahill ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division I| | 98.92% ApprovedA

### Mohave County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

WilliamsRick Williams (Arizona) ApprovedA| Yes| Republican| Division V| | 99.03% ApprovedA

### Navajo County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

TaylorD. Shawn Taylor | No| Republican| Division II| 98.32%ApprovedA| 46.46% DefeatedD
CoronadoEduardo Coronado | No| Democratic| Division III| 29.34%|
BrownF. Morgan Brown | No| Democratic| Division II| 46.86%|
LambJohn Lamb ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division III| 70.5%ApprovedA| 99.01% ApprovedA
RuechelMichala M. Ruechel ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division IV| 99.29%A| 98.98% ApprovedA
HigginsRobert James Higgins ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division II| 50.82%ApprovedA| 53.18% ApprovedA

### Santa Cruz County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

Montoya-PaezAnna M. Montoya-Paez ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division II| | 98.01% ApprovedA

### Yavapai County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

YoungAnna Young ApprovedA| Yes| Republican| Division 6| | 99.55% ApprovedA
CampbellJennifer B. Campbell ApprovedA| Yes| Republican| Division II| | 99.53% ApprovedA
JonesKenton Jones ApprovedA| Yes| | Division One| | 99.43% A
BluffMichael Bluff ApprovedA| Yes| Republican| Division VII| | 99.48% ApprovedA

### Yuma County Superior Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Party| Division| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|
|

HawsDavid M. Haws | Yes| Republican| Division 4| | 49.27% DefeatedD
ClarkJim Clark ApprovedA| No| Democratic| Division IV| | 50.54% ApprovedA
CruzMaria Elena Cruz ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division VI| | 98.87% ApprovedA
ReevesMark Wayne Reeves ApprovedA| Yes| Democratic| Division I| | 98.86% ApprovedA

## In the News[edit]

### Arizona election recap, 2012[edit]

The outcome this year's general election boded well for Arizona supreme and appellate court judges. Justice John Pelander was retained to a second term on the Arizona Supreme Court, and nine of nine appeals court judges were retained to another six-year term.

While retentions for state's higher courts remained relatively calm, two superior court races in Yuma County and Coconino County drew the public's eye as results trickled in.

* Yuma County Superior Court, Division 4

Incumbent Judge David M. Haws lost his seat on the Yuma County Superior Court to opponent Jim Clark. Judge Haws was appointed to the court by Governor Jan Brewer earlier this year to replace Andrew W. Gould who moved to the Court of Appeals and challenger Jim Clark is a civil litigator who has practiced law in Yuma County for 38 years.

After a delay in results, the Yuma County Elections office reported that Clark defeated Haws by 366 votes.[4][5]

* Coconino County Superior Court, Division 5

In a race originally thought to be unopposed, Cathleen Nichols found herself in a heated race, battling for votes. After incumbent Judge Joseph Lodge was declared unable to appear on the ballot, Nichols expected to be the only candidate in this year's general election. The race changed when attorney Gary Robbins entered as a write-in candidate, accusing Nichols of using "legal shenanigans" to have Judge Lodge removed from the ballot. Nichols in turn replied with attacking Robbins' experience saying, "There is no question that Gary is not qualified to do this job."[6]

Now that unofficial results are in we have the outcome of this battle. Cathleen Nichols garnered 54.77 percent of the vote, defeating Gary Robbins, who received 44.33 percent of the vote. Nichols began her term in early January 2013.

### Arizona candidates gearing up for late month primary[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: August primaries settling judicial races on August 16, 2012.

As Arizona's August 28 primary draws nearer, superior court judicial races are shaping up. Two positions on the Navajo County Superior Court are the subject of contested races.

Division II

Incumbent Judge Robert James Higgins, a Democrat, was appointed to the Division II seat by Governor Jan Brewer in February of 2012. He earned his B.A. and his J.D. from Santa Clara University, and also holds a master's degree in English from Arizona State University. Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Higgins practiced law for 18 years in Navajo County, working for three years as a Deputy County Attorney and for 15 years in private practice. As a judge, he has implemented changes in the county's Drug Court, and has also introduced a program called Early Resolution Court, which aims to process criminal cases quickly in an effort to unclog the justice system and keep it running smoothly.[7]

F. Morgan Brown, a Democratic challenger and lifelong Arizona resident, earned his B.A. and his J.D. from Arizona State University, and has practiced at the same firm since he graduated from law school in 1996.[8] Brown hopes to increase the use of technology in the courtroom by allowing for electronic filing of documents, and is interested in introducing mediation or arbitration to help civil cases move more quickly through the system.[9]

D. Shawn Taylor, a Republican challenger, earned his B.A. from Arizona State University and his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law.[10] Taylor has worked as a clerk for the U.S. Attorney's Office, as Deputy Navajo County Attorney, as Prosecutor for Springerville, Arizona, and in private practice. He has experience in both criminal law and family law.[11]

Division III

Incumbent Judge John Lamb, a Democrat, has been the Division III judge for the past seven years, and previously served 10 years as justice of the peace. He earned his undergraduate degree at Stanford University and his J.D. from Northwestern University.[12]

Eduardo Coronado is a Democrat who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law. Coronado has experience in both civil and criminal law, and has served as the Town Attorney for Springerville, Arizona.[12] The son of migrant farm workers who worked as a migrant farm worker himself, Coronado entered the legal profession because of his desire to protect the rights of the less fortunate.[13]

### Arizona Supreme Court steps into Superior Court race[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: An indictment, legal challenges, and First Amendment questions on July 19, 2012.

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that Judge Joseph Lodge's name will not appear on the ballot in the state's primary election.[14]

Judge Lodge collected 1,100 signatures in support of his nomination to the Coconino County Superior Court, more than twice the number he was required to obtain. However, on June 19,[15] Yavapai County Judge Michael Bluff issued a decision stating that those signatures were invalid because Lodge failed to indicate to signers which of the division seats on the court he was seeking.[16] Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch agreed with Judge Bluff's assessment and ordered that Judge Lodge be kept off the ballot.[14]

At the time of his election, Judge Lodge served as the Division 5 judge on the Coconino County Superior Court, a position to which he was appointed in 2010. He expected to face Cathleen Nichols in the August 28 primary election, but following the state Supreme Court's ruling, Nichols will now appear on the ballot as the only candidate for the Division 5 judgeship.[15]

### Yuma County Superior Court race takes shape[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: Results from North Carolina and West Virginia (and more!) on May 10, 2012.

Recent events in Arizona have implications for two seats on the Yuma County Superior Court.

Judge David M. Haws, who was appointed by Governor Jan Brewer to the Division IV position on the Yuma County Superior Court in February, will be sworn in to his position on Friday, May 11, 2012.[17] To keep his recently attained place on the court, Judge Haws must run for election in the Arizona primary on August 28. Judge Haws has announced that he does intend to compete in the primary and will campaign to retain his current position.[18]

Judge Haws will face Yuma attorney Jim Clark in the primary election. Clark, who has practiced law in Yuma County for nearly his entire 38-year legal career, announced his candidacy for Division IV judge on the Yuma County Superior Court in March. During his career, Clark has worked as a Yuma County prosecutor and in private practice.[19]

In addition to the developments in the Division IV race, incumbent Judge Maria Elena Cruz has filed her candidacy for re-election to her position as Division VI judge on the Yuma County Superior Court.[20]

## Appellate courts[edit]

To learn more about the appellate court retention elections, visit: Arizona judicial elections, 2012.

## See also[edit]

* Arizona judicial elections

## External links[edit]

* The Weekly Bulletin, "Plenty of local elections on tap in 2012," January 11, 2012

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ The Green Papers: Arizona 2012 General Election
2. ↑ Politics1, Online Guide to Arizona Politics
3. ↑ Arizona Secretary of State: 2011/2012 Election Important Dates
4. ↑ KYMA News, "Jim Clark Leads in Race for Yuma County Sup. Court Judge," November 13, 2012
5. ↑ The Yuma Sun, "Challengers win races for judge, treasurer," November 16, 2012
6. ↑ Arizona Daily Sun, "No love lost in race for judge," October 9, 2012
7. ↑ White Mountain Independent Central, "Judge announces bid to retain office," August 13, 2012
8. ↑ F. Morgan Brown campaign website, Professional Background
9. ↑ F. Morgan Brown campaign website, Campaign Vision
10. ↑ Elect Shawn Taylor Superior Court Judge campaign website, Meet Shawn Taylor
11. ↑ Elect Shawn Taylor Superior Court Judge campaign website, Uniquely Qualified
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 White Mountain Independent Central, "In the races: Here comes a judge candidate," April 6, 2012
13. ↑ Eduardo Coronado for Superior Court Judge Facebook campaign page
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Arizona Daily Sun, "Judge's name thrown off primary ballot," June 28, 2012
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 KTAR.com, "Arizona Supreme Court throws judge's name off ballot," June 28, 2012
16. ↑ Arizona Daily Sun, "County judge off ballot?" June 27, 2012
17. ↑ Yuma County Arizona, "Haws to be sworn in during investiture," April 30, 2012
18. ↑ Judge David Haws campaign website, News and events, April 1, 2012
19. ↑ Yuma Sun, Attorney Jim Clark announces for judge," March 25, 2012
20. ↑ Yuma County Nomination Paper, May 2, 2012

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