Attorney Thomas Galvin picked for Maricopa County Board of Supervisors vacancy

PHOENIX – Thomas Galvin, a Phoenix attorney, was selected Wednesday to fill the District 2 vacancy on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

The board that governs Arizona’s largest county voted unanimously to appoint Galvin to the seat, which has been open since Steve Chucri’s resignation went into effect Nov. 5.

Galvin, who was sworn in a few hours after his appointment, is a member of the Rose Law Group’s land use, government affairs and renewable energy practice groups.

“Public service has never been more challenging or more important,” he said, according to a county press release. “I believe this job, at this moment, has the potential to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and our region’s future.”

According to a video on his firm’s website, Galvin grew up in New York and has lived in Arizona for about 14 years.

He previously worked as a policy adviser to Brenda Burns when she served on the Arizona Corporation Commission and also has experience in commercial real estate.

The board selected Galvin from among seven finalists after conducting interviews last week. Christopher Glover, Suzanne Klapp, Daniel Mahoney, Corey Mishkin, Thomas O’Malley and Vernon Parker also advanced to the finalist stage out of 22 total applicants, all of whom had to be Republicans, as was Chucri.

“I was so impressed with the quality of the candidates who applied, from longtime public servants to accomplished businesspeople and professionals,” said Chairman Jack Sellers.

“Ultimately, Tom Galvin stood out by clearly demonstrating he understands the priorities and values of Maricopa County as well the current and future needs of District 2.”

The District 2 seat will be on the ballot during the November 2022 election.

Chucri announced his decision to step down Sept. 21, after secretly recorded audio was released in which he expressed differences with other supervisors regarding the GOP-controlled Arizona Senate’s review of Maricopa County’s 2020 election results.

The recordings were published by conservative website Gateway Pundit, which said they came from a March 22 meeting with leaders from a group called We the People AZ Alliance as well as a Jan. 22 phone call.

Chucri, who was one of four Republicans on the five-member board, later made it clear that he agreed with his colleagues that the election was legitimate.

In his resignation letter, Chucri, who was first elected in 2012, cited a political landscape “wrought with toxicity.”

District 2 covers the eastern segment of Maricopa County and includes part or all of the following jurisdictions: Apache Junction, Carefree, Cave Creek, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

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