Cave Creek, Carefree council races begin
Staff reports

CAREFREE/CAVE CREEK – All sitting Cave Creek council members, including Mayor Vincent Francia, are seeking reelection, according to the town’s final candidate filings.

That’s not quite the case in neighboring Carefree, where Mayor Ed Morgan is not seeking another term in office. All six Carefree councilmen are seeking another term according to that town’s final candidate filings.

Dec. 13 was the deadline for those running in the March elections to file their signed petitions.

The incumbents in Cave Creek are Kimberly Brennan, Ernie Bunch, Dick Esser, Gilbert Lopez, Thomas McGuire, and Grace Meeth. Their challengers are Robert C. Miller and Bob Moore. Newcomer Kimberly Versage is vying for the mayor’s seat presently held by Francia.

A total of 15 candidates had sought petitions to run for office in Cave Creek.

Carefree incumbents seeking reelection to the town council are Bob Coady, Wayne Fulcher, Gary Hayward, Lloyd Meyer, David Schwan, and Greg

Gardner. The challengers include Bob Gemmill, John Traynor, David B. Smith, Glenn Miller, and Jim Peirce. In Carefree, the newly elected council chooses the town’s mayor. A total of 12 candidates had sought petitions to run for office in Carefree.

In both towns, candidates who garner more than 50 percent of the vote in the March 13 primary election are elected to office. Candidates who receive less than 50 percent of the vote face a run‑off in the May 5 general election.