Process to fill vacancy moving quickly in LD5

By Friday, the 5th Legislative District should have a new senator, according to the Navajo County Board of Supervisors. The citizens panel charged with finding three candidates will convene Thursday morning to make their selections, and Friday the Board will likely make the final decision as to who will sit in late state Sen. Jake Flake's seat.

The nine-person citizens panel formed yesterday, and includes mayors Robin Boyd of Winslow, Jeff Hill of Holbrook, and Kelly Willis of Snowflake, as well as Pinetop-Lakeside councilman Larry Vicario and Show Low councilman Jack Latham. Greg Shalow, superintendent of Blue Ridge Schools, and citizens Carla Bowen, Alice Franco-Anderson and Brad Click round out the list of members.

They must choose three people who are Navajo County residents, registered Republicans and eligible in all other ways to serve in the state Senate. Those names will go to the Board, and the winner will be selected from among them. 

"I believe we’re acting in a responsible way, being respectful of Senator Flake and his family, but doing our statutory job of making that appointment and moving forward," said Navajo County Manager Jimmy Jayne.

While by state law the process could have extended into next week, the Board expressed a desire to make the selection rapidly.

"The Senator was someone who was really going, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Navajo County Supervisor Jesse Thompson, who represents District II. "I feel comfortable moving forward in this."