Today’s race will determine Maricopa’s next mayor

Voters are casting ballots today to select three councilmembers and a mayor to lead Maricopa along with four existing members of the City Council.

While it is anyone’s guess who of eight Council candidates will secure a spot today by garnering at least 50 percent of the vote plus one, or who might face off during a general election in May, one thing is all but certain:Either Anthony “Tony” Smith or Michael Godsey will walk away as the definitive winner today — unless the vote is equally split 50-50.

“I’m confident it will be wrapped up today,” said Smith, the lone mayoral candidate whose name appears on today’s ballot. “One of us has to get 51 percent of the vote. We’re not going on. there’s only two of us.”

Being a project manager, Smith said he’s ready to dig in and start working toward creating a better communication system and to begin putting together a 100-day plan as early as tomorrow, although he could not formally implement it until taking office June 3.

Godsey, a write-in candidate who entered the race in early January, said win or lose he won’t be exiting the public arena any time soon. He intends to remain involved in affairs which affect those who live or work in Maricopa.

“The next mayor has a big job ahead of him,” he said. “It’s been an enlightening experience. A lot of stuff has surprised me.”

Godsey said the first task he’ll undertake, also win or lose, will be to gain the public’s trust, something he says is sorely lacking in Maricopa goverment.

“Once we get that, everything else will be easy.”

Maricopa voters should visit the polling location where they are registered (see Every vote matters in city primary on Tuesday). Results will be made available on inmaricopa.com tonight as they become available from Pinal County.

For in-depth election coverage visit our elections page.

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Photos by RuthAnn Hogue