The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has invited three candidates running for Maricopa County Attorney to apply for appointment to the position in the interim.
The three candidates are Anni Foster, Gina Godbehere, and Rachel Mitchell, all Republicans who submitted the minimum number of signatures required to get on the ballot in the August primary.
The candidates will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire this week and then will be invited for in-person interviews with board members next week.
“The Board takes seriously its statutory responsibility to appoint an attorney in good standing to serve through the 2022 election,” said Chairman Bill Gates, District 3. “A well-run County Attorney’s Office is a critical piece of a fair and efficient criminal justice system. This process will allow us to get to know the candidates better and determine if one of them is the right fit to serve in this position until voters choose a new County Attorney in November.”
The Board is required by law to fill a vacancy in the office and must appoint someone of the same political party as the previous office holder, in this case a Republican. State law does not dictate a specific process for filling the vacancy. The person chosen by the Board will serve through the 2022 General Election, when voters will choose a new County Attorney to serve out the remainder of the term through 2024.
“Not only does the County Attorney represent the citizens of Arizona in criminal matters, but they serve as counsel to the Board of Supervisors and every other county elected official in civil matters,” said Supervisor Tom Galvin, District 2. “We expect the person we appoint to be our advocate, without equivocation, and we expect them to put their oath of office and a commitment to the facts above political expediency.”
A timeline has not been set for an official appointment.