Early election results in Pinal County show a supervisor hanging onto his seat while his wife may have been re-elected outright to the Maricopa City Council.
Anthony Smith looks to have held off a boisterous challenge from Rich Vitiello. He has a little more than 54 percent of the early totals.
[quote_box_right]Unofficial totals
County Supervisor District 4
Anthony Smith 2,844
Rich Vitiello 2,400
Total 5, 244[/quote_box_right]
“I’m very pleased to go forward,” Smith said. “I’m very excited about the next four years. There’s so much going on in Pinal County, and I want to be a part of it.”
With Vitiello receiving at least 45 percent of the vote, Smith anticipates the precinct breakdown will show strong Vitiello support in the Hidden Valley area, where residents were upset over the concept of the Palo Verde Regional Park.
“The survey showed some people wanted the choice of having no action on the park, so I put that on the table,” he said.
With no Democrats running, the primary results are a re-election for Smith.
Meanwhile, Nancy Smith at this point in the vote count has exceeded the threshold determined by state law calculations, which would re-elect her to the city council.
“I’m very excited and very humble,” she said of leading the voting among seven candidates for three seats. “It’s overwhelming and exciting.”[quote_box_right]Unofficial totals
Maricopa City Council (vote for up to 3)
Nancy Smith 1,816
Julia Gusse 1,369
Marvin Brown 1,287
Dan Frank 1,187
Bridger Kimball 1,107
Joshua Babb 1,054
Leon Potter 787
Total 8,607[/quote_box_right]
She said she believes her topics she made her key issues may have garnered her the top status. That includes a Global Water feasibility study, economic development, widening State Route 347 and “being able to articulate the floodplain issue.”
If the early statistics hold up, Smith will not have to run in the General Election in November to retain her seat.
Those below the threshold go forward to a runoff in the general election. That includes former councilmember Julia Gusse (who has the second highest vote total), incumbents Marvin Brown and Bridger Kimball along with former councilmember Dan Frank.
