Gina Godbehere becomes first in GOP to qualify for ballot for Maricopa County attorney special election

PHOENIX — Gina Godbehere on Wednesday became the first Republican to secure enough valid signatures to be on the ballot for the upcoming special election to replace Allister Adel as Maricopa County attorney.

Godbehere secured 4,528 signatures, the amount GOP candidates need to appear on the ballot for the primary election in August.

“This is only possible due to the support of so many who activated their networks and sent a clear message of overwhelming public support for my candidacy,” Godbehere said in a tweet.

Julie Gunnigle, a Democrat, was the first candidate to qualify for the ballot. Gunnigle received the necessary 4,289 signatures for per party on March 22, a day after Adel announced her resignation.

Prominent prosecutor Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, is the next closest candidate to reach the signature threshold with 3,258, according to Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer.

Candidates have until April 4 to qualify for the ballot.

The special election to determine who will serve the final two years of Adel’s term will be held along with the state’s midterm elections, with the primary on Aug. 2 and the general on Nov. 8.

Adel announced her resignation from the country’s third-largest prosecutorial agency on March 21 but didn’t offer a reason.

The announcement gave some closure to a tumultuous period in office, including the recent disclosure that nearly 200 misdemeanor criminal cases had to be dropped because her office didn’t file charges on time and continued concerns about her sobriety.

Chief Deputy Ken Vick is overseeing operations until an interim county attorney, which has to be a Republican, is selected.

Vick helped run the office when Adel was hospitalized with a brain injury after a fall in November 2020.

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