Brennan bows out of Cave Creek election
By Linda Bentley | March 25, 2009
CAVE CREEK – During Tuesday night’s meeting, as council unanimously approved a resolution approving the official canvass of the March 10 Primary Election, Councilwoman Kim Brennan announced she was withdrawing her candidacy for council and said it had been a pleasure serving.
When Mayor Vincent Francia said she had caught him by surprise, Brennan said it seemed appropriate to announce her withdrawal publicly.
Town Clerk Carrie Dyrek said since the ballots weren’t yet printed, she would request that Maricopa County Elections not include Brennan’s name on the ballot and asked if Brennan could give her something in writing.
Brennan, who trailed the other three contenders for the remaining two seats on council by over 100 votes, immediately handed Dyrek the requested document.
For cities and towns with nonpartisan elections, there is no statutory procedure for filling a vacancy after the primary. If one of the candidates, whose name is scheduled to appear on the general election ballot, dies, withdraws or is disqualified, no one else’s name can be substituted.
The remaining two council seats will be decided on May 19 in a runoff election between Adam Trenk, Thomas McGuire and Jim Bruce.
When Francia asked if the turnout on March 10 was a record-breaker for a Cave Creek Town Council election, Dyrek said it was the highest turnout ever in Cave Creek with the vote to preserve Spur Cross Ranch now in second place.
