Hallman, Mitchell retain positions

ASU student, 3 others head to run-off election

 by Emma Breysse
 published on Monday, March 17, 2008

Tempe's community election forums may have been a deciding factor for the votes City Council candidates received in last week's city primaries.

Last Tuesday, incumbent mayor Hugh Hallman and incumbent council member Mark Mitchell received enough votes to be automatically re-elected, according to unofficial election results distributed by the city clerk.

Of the six remaining candidates, four will advance to a run-off election for the two remaining council seats in May.

The four candidates competing for two available City Council seats will be incumbent Hut Hutson, ASU graduate student Corey Woods, Phoenix Fire Captain Joel Navarro and insurance company owner Julie Jakubek.

Some Tempe voters said they felt influenced by the impression these candidates made at several community forums and media coverage they received.

Tempe resident Michelle Flannery said she was one of more than 5,000 voters to cast a vote for Navarro last week because she was impressed when she heard him speak at a community forum last month.

"I didn't go to ask, I just went to listen, and I thought [Navarro] seemed like a good man," she said.

Flannery added that she appreciated having the opportunity to meet candidates face-to-face before the election.

"Really, you can read about them all you want, but it's seeing them when no one is editing what they say that makes my decision," she said.

Fellow Tempe resident Kevin Paseo said he usually opts for incumbent candidates first, but decided to join more than 6,000 fellow residents in voting for Corey Woods last week.

"I remember seeing his name out there a few years ago," he said, referring to Woods' unsuccessful run for Tempe City Council in the 2006 election. "The fact that he's back tells me he cares enough to try again."

Paseo said he also tends to vote for candidates whose names he is familiar with from area media coverage.

"I guess it's nothing new, but I don't like voting for someone I know nothing about," he said. "If I don't know you, I can't trust you to run my city."

Resident Bill Anders said he did not attend forums because he already knew he wanted to vote for incumbent Mark Mitchell based on Mitchell's past record.

"I go to city council meetings now and again, and I've always liked him," he said. "But I suppose if I didn't have someone in mind, those forums would be handy."

It is unclear whether the city will host further forums leading up to the general election, and city representatives did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

Reach the reporter at: emma.breysse@asu.edu.