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1. School Governing Board Qualifications

Pursuant to ARS 15-421(C), a person is eligible to run for a school governing board seat in Arizona when they meet the following qualifications:

• Registered voter in the state of Arizona
• Resident of the school district for at least one year immediately proceeding the day of election 
• Be a registered voter in Arizona 
• Immediate family, that has had the same residence within the previous four years, shall not serve simultaneously on a five-member governing board, pursuant ARS 15-421. 
• May not serve on two School District Governing Boards at the same time. 
• School governing board members cannot be an employee of the school district or be a spouse of a school district employee, including a person who directly provides certified or classified services to the school district as an employee of a third-party contractor. 

2. Statement of Interest

According to ARS 16-311 (H), candidates must file a Statement of Interest with the Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent before obtaining their first nomination petition signatures. Any signatures gathered prior to the Candidate Statement of Interest being filed are invalid and subject to challenge.

3. Statement of Organization (Campaign Finance)

A political Committee Statement of Organization must be filed within 10 days with the Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent once a candidate's committee has reached a combined total of $1,300 (ARS 16-905 and 16-931). This included the use of the candidate's own monies. Campaign Finance forms are included in the candidate information packet and are also available for download here. Candidates can gather petition signatures without filing a Statement on Organizations. 

4. Filing Petition Signatures

The candidate filing period for the November 8, 2022 election begins Saturday June 11, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. and closes Monday, July 11, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. ( Due to the first filing date occurring on a Saturday, our office will begin accepting nonpartisan nomination petitions on Monday, June 13, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.) Petitions presented before or after the established filing period CANNOT be accepted( ARS 16-311 (B)). Candidates may file election documents at the Coconino County School Superintendent's office. 

• Candidate's name must be legibly be written exactly how he or she would like it to be printed on the ballot. Nicknames are permissible as long as they do not suggest a title or a common usage. 

Candidates must file the following original documents with out office in order for their name to appear on the below:

• SAMPLE ONLY – NOT TO BE USED AS LEGAL ADIVCE – Nonpartisan Nomination Petition – SAMPLE ONLY

5. 2 Year Term Candidates

**Candidates for Two (2) Year Terms MUST designate the term expiration date following the name of the office on the petitions prior to gathering signatures, as well as on the nomination papers (ARS 16-314 (D)).**

6. Candidate Termination Paperwork

School Board candidates who decide to have their name removed from the ballot must submit a notarized Statement of Withdrawal to the Office of Coconino County School Superintendent. Once a candidacy is withdrawn, if the candidate has registered a campaign committee, the committee is required to continue filing campaign finance reports until/unless the committee is terminated. Candidates who withdraw their name from the ballot cannot run as a write-in candidate for the same office. Committees who file to terminate must have no outstanding debts or obligations and no cash on hand. 

7. Candidate 10-Day Challenge Period

Signatures on petitions are not verified by the Coconino County School Superintendent. However, petition signatures are subject to challenge by other candidates or electors of the State of Arizona. Immediately following the candidate filing period, candidate's filing for candidacy can be challenged with the Coconino County Superior County. The 1-day challenge period for the 2022 School Governing Board Elections is July 12, 2022 to July 25, 5:00 p.m. 2022. Pursuant to 15-242, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors meet, no earlier then 105 days before the election for that office and that office is then deemed vacant and shall be filled as provided in 15-302. 

8. Cancellation of School Governing Board Election

If only one or no candidate filed qualified nomination papers for a school district governing board member position by 5:00 p.m. on August 9, 2022, our office will recommend cancelation of the election to the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (BOS). 

Under these circumstances, the candidate who has filed in a timely and proper manner may be appointed as if elected by the BOS to file the school district's governing board position (ARS 15-424 (D)). If no candidate files and the BOS opts to cancel the election, the vacancy shall be filled through the appointment process conducted by the County School Superintendent (ARS 15-424 (D) and 15-302). 

9. Candidate Statements

Pursuant to ARS 15-421 (F), each candidate whose name has been certified to appear on the election ballot/write in list may submit the following:

• A recent photograph.
• A typewritten or electronic statement, not to exceed 500 words
• A disclosure of any relationships by affinity. consanguinity or by law to the third degree that exists between the candidate and any current governing board members or other candidates for election to the same governing board. 
  
  Certified candidates may begin submitting the information above NO EARLIER THAN Tuesday, July 12 , 2022 and NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday September 21, 2022.

A signed hard copy of the candidates statement can be delivered to our office, or may be sent via email to mcampbell@coconino.az.gov from the candidate's email address that is on file with The Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent.