JEROME - Seven candidates are after the five open seats on the Town Council. Three incumbent council members seek reelection, and four challengers hope to fill some of those seats. In Jerome, the entire council comes up for election every two years.
The sitting council will serve until the end of June. The primary election will be held March 9, and the general election will be May 18. This will be a Vote by Mail election.
The current town council is: Mayor Al Palmieri; Vice Mayor Jay Kinsella; and council members Lew Currier, Anne Bassett and Ron Richie.
Palmieri and Richie are not seeking reelection.
Incumbents Kinsella, Currier and Bassett are running to hold onto their council positions.
Four challengers also are looking to join the council. Christine Barag, Jacob Marx, Mike Parry and Lisa Rappaport.
Barag is manager of the Jerome Historical Society's Mine Museum. Lisa Rappaport is a former council member and vice mayor. She and her husband own the Twin Star Market. Mike Parry is a former city council member in Camp Verde, and he was twice a candidate for the position of town manager in Jerome. Jacob Marx could not be reached by phone.
Kinsella, Currier and Bassett not only are incumbents on the council but all three had prior experience on the council and on town commissions.
Jerome does not stagger the terms of its council, and terms are for only two years. Traditionally, the top vote getter during the election is elected by the council to serve as mayor. The council then selects its vice mayor through nomination and vote.
The new council is seated for the first scheduled meeting in July.
