Maricopa’s Public Works Director top vote getter in Casa Grande’s mayoral primary

Robert (Bob) Jackson, Maricopa’s Director of Public Works, may soon be wearing another hat — that of Casa Grande’s newest mayor.

The 2,355 ballots are in from Tuesday’s primary election, and the unofficial count shows Jackson with a total of 1009 votes or 42.92 percent of the ballots cast. Former city councilman Jerry Odom, the next highest vote getter, received 611 votes – 25.99 percent.

Jackson and Odom now face off in the general election scheduled for May 15. The winner of that contest will be the new mayor of Casa Grande.

Three-term Casa Grande Mayor Chuck Walton, the incumbent, and Jim Norris received 486 and 244 votes respectively – not enough to carry them on to the general election.

With his commanding lead in the primary Jackson may be assuming mayoral duties in Casa Grande, his hometown since 1991, in the next few months.

Maricopa’s Public Works Director Robert (Bob) Jackson was the top vote getter in Tuesday’s mayoral primary in Casa Grande. He will be running against Jerry Odom in the May 15 general election.

Jackson ran on a platform of three main objectives for Casa Grande: more involvement in regional issues, more cooperation among cities and downtown redevelopment as well as economic development (see related story).

If he is triumphant in May, will Jackson remain Maricopa’s Public Works Director? Currently he is contracted for 15-20 hours per week here, but it is usually more.

Jackson presently feels there is no conflict of interest with his Maricopa tenure and becoming Casa Grande’s mayor. He told inmaricopa.com last month that he and Maricopa City Manager Rick Buss and Mayor Kelly Anderson had agreed to wait and see, “to cross that bridge when and if it happens.”