Mayor and City Council candidates await election results

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) -  We've been following these races for quite some time now and we are eager to see who comes out on top. 

The candidates we spoke to earlier today said they are feeling a mix of emotions.

Current Mayor of Yuma Doug Nicholls is running for reelection against councilwoman Karen Watts.

He believes we have seen great growth and change during his term, however, says there is more to do.

I spoke to Mayor Nicholls earlier after he voted at MLK center and asked him how he is feeling. 

“Good a little anxious to get it all over with and kind of see the results and kind of be out of that campaign mode,” said Nicholls.

Nicholls says there are two candidates and as long as one gets 50 percent plus one then there is no need for the general.

I also spoke with Karen Watts, where she told me she was feeling good about today and the work she put into her campaign. 

“No matter what happens, it was great and I was glad that I chose to run for mayor and it was an experience that I will never forget,” said Watts.

Watts says it is time for new, female leadership in Yuma.

There are seven candidates running for Yuma City Council.

And for these seven candidates, six will continue onto the general election in November, to fill the three open seats, unless one candidate gets 50 percent plus one, then they automatically get a seat. 

Candidates Carol Smith and Art Morales say they are both feeling thankful for the support of the community. 

“I’ve run into a lot of people that I know and I grew up with, but then I’ve run into a lot of people that were absolute strangers before I met them and the support I felt from them has been so genuine and reminds me why I love yuma so much,” said Smith.

“To my fellow Yumans thank you so much for all the love, all the support, the messages I’ve been receiving and for those of you who didn’t get a chance to vote, we still got the general elections coming up in November,” said Morales.