District 10 to nominate Quelland replacements

Rep. Doug Quelland (Photo by Bill Coates)

Republican Party officials in Legislative District 10 are scheduled to choose three people on June 21 to potentially replace Rep. Doug Quelland, whose seat was declared vacant after the court upheld his removal from office.

Quelland has been fighting to keep his seat after the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission found last year that he violated campaign finance rules.

Three names have cropped up as potential replacements, including two primary candidates for the House seat – Kimberly Yee and Bill Adams, according to Sen. Linda Gray, a Glendale Republican who represents the district.

A third candidate might be Henry GrosJean, a long-time precinct committeeman.

“This is just simply to stand in for six months,” GrosJean said, confirming his interest in the position. “It’s just temporary. I’m not on the ballot.”

Under the law, the district is required to send three names to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which would ultimately appoint a replacement.

The appointee will serve out the rest of Quelland’s term.

Quelland’s attorney asked the court on June 2 to suspend its May 17 decision that affirmed the findings of the Clean Elections Commission last November. The commission had ordered Quelland’s removal from office after finding he paid a consultant $15,000, in violation of rules for publicly funded candidates.

Barring any surprise from the court before the meeting, the district should have three potential replacements June 21.