Somerton's primary election set for Tuesday

SOMERTON — The poll for Tuesday's primary election here will be open for voting from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters will choose among candidates for mayor and three city council seats in balloting at the Somerton Public Safety Building, 445 W. Main St.

Mayoral candidates are incumbent Martin Porchas and the city's vice mayor, Arturo Magana. Candidates for the council seats are incumbents Miguel Villalpando and Gerardo Anaya, and challengers Carlos Gonzalez, Francisco Vasquez, Arturo Vargas and Patricia Miranda.

Mayoral and council terms are four years.

There are 4,298 Somerton residents registered to vote, of whom nearly 2,000 requested early ballots.

Early ballots must be returned to election workers by 7 p.m. Tuesday to be counted in the election.

The votes can be dropped off at the Yuma County Recorder's Office, 410 S. Maiden Lane in Yuma, now through Tuesday, or they can be turned in at the Somerton Public Safety Building during hours of voting on Tuesday. If the recorders office is closed, the votes can be placed in the drop box in front.

Voters who are voting at the Somerton poll on Tuesday should bring a driver's license or other photo identification issued by the state or federal governments.

Any candidates who receive votes from more than half of all primary voters will automatically claim the offices they seek. Any remaining seats will be contested by remaining candidates in a runoff held during the city's general election on May 21.

For more information about voting or the election, call the Yuma County Elections Department at 373-1014 or Somerton City Hall, (928) 722-7400.