Recount for third Yuma City Council seat

The Yuma City Council race is tight, with a mandatory recount that will decide who gets the third spot.

As of Wednesday, the final results show Gary Knight and Leslie McClendon have secured two of the seats. Karen Watts is in third place, with just five votes more than candidate Gregory Counts. This triggers an automatic recount pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes section 16-661. The City will follow the recount procedure in accordance with Arizona law.

Percentages reflect a percentage of the total number of ballots cast, rather than a percentage of the total number of votes cast, because Yuma City Council seats are considered at-large, and each ballot may contain up to three votes for members of the City Council.

Mayor Douglas Nicholls and Presiding Judge James Coil were both re-elected to four-year terms as a result of the Aug. 29 election, having each exceeded 50 percent of the vote.

Votes will become official once canvassed by the Yuma City Council.

A total of 7,579 ballots were cast, including:

Early ballots. Poll results from all of the 3 voting centers.

City Council / Votes Cast / Percentage of Ballots Cast

Knight, Gary 3,669 48%

McClendon, Leslie 3,289 43%

Watts, Karen 3,261 43%

Counts, Gregory 3,256 43%

Rosevear, Ken 3,187 42%

Rojas-McNair, Kristina 2,819 37%

Also to note, there have not been two women on the Yuma City Council since 2013. Here is a breakdown of the other times at least two or more women have served on the council:

2010-2013: Leslie McClendon & Bobbie Lewis

2008-2009: Ema Lea Shoop & Leslie McClendon

2001-2003: Ema Lea Shoop, Karen Hill & Norma Nelson

2000: Ema Lea Shoop & Karen Hill

1998-1999: Ema Lea Shoop, Karen Hill & Louise Renault

1992-1993: Marilyn Young & Harriett Pinsker

1990-1991: Marilyn Young & Ema Lea Shoop

1984-1985: Ema Lea Shoop & Harriett Pinsker

1980: Ema Lea Shoop & Mary Tellebuescher