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Cochise County delays jail district canvass after staff flags statutory posting error
Summary
County legal staff told supervisors the canvass had been posted under the wrong governing body; the jail district board will canvass tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., followed by a Board of Supervisors meeting to accept certification at about 2:30 p.m.
Chairman Antinori and county staff on Wednesday postponed a scheduled canvass after legal staff determined the meeting had been posted under the Cochise County Board of Supervisors rather than the jail district board of directors, which they said statute requires to perform the canvass.
Sharon Gohman, who advised the board, told supervisors: "Prior to coming in today, we discovered ... statute 16-642 states that the governing body holding an election shall meet and canvass the election as follows." She said she consulted with Dylan Hendel at the county attorney's office and the office recommended rescheduling to meet statutory requirements.
Under the plan outlined by Gohman and Antinori, the jail district board of directors will meet tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to canvass the jail district election. The Board of Supervisors will then convene a brief special meeting, targeting about 2:30 p.m., to accept the certified canvas from the jail district board.
Supervisor Crosby asked how other contests on the ballot would be handled, including two school district override measures. Gohman said those contests can be canvassed by the chairman of the board and the school superintendent and that the elections department had used an "IG aid" to manage those races.
No formal motion was required to adjourn; Gohman advised the board that a motion was unnecessary and Antinori adjourned the meeting, noting a 9 a.m. work session would take place the following morning.
The county posted notice that the canvass would be reposted to show the correct governing body and time. The board did not take other substantive action during the special meeting.
