- Slug: BC-CNS Maricopa County Races, 1,295 words
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By Christopher Howley
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Maricopa County residents voted for several countywide officials, including sheriff, attorney, assessor, treasurer, school superintendent and recorder, and in early returns, Democrats appear to be leading some of the most high-profile offices in a county that has historically leaned Republican.
However, the county has seen historic turnout for this election.
“I think the voter awareness in Arizona is as high as it has ever been,” OH Predictive Insights chief pollster Mike Noble said. “I am not surprised at the level of enthusiasm among voters.”
County sheriff
Democratic incumbent Paul Penzone appeared poised to defeat Republican challenger Jerry Sheridan to earn his second term as sheriff, according to early returns from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.
The sheriff leads the county’s law enforcement units, manages the office’s budget and oversees the county jail system and the care of inmates.
Before voters elected Penzone to succeed controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2016, Penzone was a member of the Phoenix Police Department for 21 years.
After retiring from police work, Penzone spent time as the vice president of ChildHelp, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and treating those who have been affected.
Penzone said he hopes to continue his office’s work with the African American, Hispanic and LGBTQ communities.
“As the sheriff, I have a responsibility every day to make sure my treatment and respect I show for everyone in the community becomes an example,” Penzone told Cronkite News before Election Day. “We just have to make sure there’s balance, that we’re doing a great job, and that those who are invested in participating with us have a seat at the table to help us be better.”
Sheridan, who was chief deputy during Arpaio’s final six years, beat his former boss in the August primary to run for sheriff for the first time. In 2016, he and Arpaio were found in civil contempt for ignoring a federal order to stop deputies from racially profiling Hispanics.
Sheridan began his career with the Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer in 1978 and spent time in various positions in law enforcement, including police captain, chief of patrol and chief of custody. He also teaches law enforcement classes at county community colleges.
County attorney
Julie Gunnigle could become the first woman in county history to be elected county attorney. The Democrat held a small lead over incumbent Allister Adel as of 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to early returns from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.
Gunnigle was born and raised in Maricopa County and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. As an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County, Illinois, she prosecuted financial crime and public corruption.
Gunnigle’s campaign platform includes protecting women, children and seniors from violent crimes, addressing mass incarceration and sentencing reform and holding law enforcement accountable.
After Gov. Doug Ducey appointed County Attorney Bill Montgomery to Arizona’s Supreme Court in September 2019, the Board of Supervisors appointed Republican Allister Adel to replace him.
Adel began her legal career at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where she was a deputy county attorney for seven years. She was executive director of the Maricopa County Bar Association from 2016-18.
Adel’s campaign platform consisted of keeping children and families safe, reforming the criminal justice system and providing ethical leadership.
The election comes just over a week after the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barret, who is seen as an opponent of abortion rights.
Gunnigle, who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, told KJZZ that she would not prosecute residents for health care matters if Roe v. Wade was overturned by the high court.
“I am terrified as to what a post-Roe Arizona would look like, and what’s at stake in our Supreme Court and in our county attorney race for reproductive justice,” Gunnigle told KJZZ.
Adel disagreed with Gunnigle’s decision, calling it “far-fetched.”
“Your duty as a top prosecutor is to enforce the laws that are on the books whether you agree with them or not,” Adel told KJZZ.
County assessor
Democrat Aaron Connor appeared poised to defeat Republican incumbent Eddie Cook to become the next county assessor, according to early returns from Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.
Connor has experience working as an underwriter, loan processor, title reviewer, loan officer, business analyst and a systems administrator.
Even with all that experience, Connor said he believes his family values and his transparency will make him a good county assessor.
“Service has always been in my family’s DNA,” Connor said. “We really do have a mind to not only take care of the people that we know, but the people that we don’t know as well.”
In January, County Assessor Paul Petersen resigned after being indicted in October 2019 for his involvement in an adoption fraud scheme. The Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Republican Eddie Cook to replace Peterson. Cook had been a member of the Gilbert Town Council for nine years.
County treasurer
Daniel Toporek, a Democrat, had a lead over Republican John Allen to become the new county treasurer, according to early returns from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.
This would be Toporek’s first elected post after 34 years as a pilot for the Marines and Army. Toporek retired from the military in 2019 and ran for office to continue his work in public service.
“I’m really running to bring trust, transparency, collaboration and innovation to the office of the Maricopa County Treasurer,” Toporek told Cronkite News before the election. “I think that there are a lot of improvements we could make in the lives of people who live in Maricopa County.”
After beating incumbent County Treasurer Royce Flora in the primary, Republican John Allen hoped to make the jump from state to county government Tuesday. Allen spent 11 of the past 17 years in the Arizona House of Representatives and served as majority leader in 2017 and 2018.
County recorder
Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes may get another term as Maricopa County recorder.
According to early returns from the Maricopa County Recorder’s office, Fontes held a small lead over Stephen Richer as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Fontes served in the Marines before practicing law for 15 years. He earned degrees from Arizona State University and the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.
Fontes was criticized in 2018 when dozens of polls could not open on time. At the time, Fontes said the problem, which he blamed on a contractor, was resolved within hours and did not affect any votes.
His opponent, Republican Stephen Richer ran “to make the recorder’s office boring again” to deliver fair and competent elections without “partisan activism.”
Richer, an attorney in downtown Phoenix who graduated from the University of Chicago Law School, had previously served on the Arizona Board of Humanities and as an Arizona Industry Fellow.
The county recorder oversees voter registration, all the county’s recorded documents and sending ballots to voters who request them.
County school superintendent
Democrat Jeanne Casteen took a slight lead over Republican incumbent Steve Watson in early returns from the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.
Casteen is the president of the Creighton School District Governing Board. She has been campaigning on her promise to provide education to every child regardless of economic status and her goal to increase teacher salaries.
The county superintendent oversees school board elections, bond and override elections, appointments, school finance and maintaining homeschool and private school records, according to the office’s website.
Watson advocated and helped create the STEM Resource Center to provide resources to Maricopa County teachers for free.
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
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