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Gerardo 'Jerry' Anaya Elected Mayor of Somerton

Victor Calderón
Somerton Mayor-Elect Gerardo 'Jerry' Anaya visited the KAWC studios recently to talk about what makes Somerton 'The Best Little City in Arizona'.

Gerardo "Jerry" Anaya will be the next mayor of Somerton. Anaya, who is currently the vice mayor, won the election by a 2 to 1 margin over incumbent Jose Yepez on August 28. Anaya received 66 percent of the vote with Yepez receiving 33 percent.

Anaya said he felt the community's support leading up to the election.

"Well, obviously (voters) wanted a change at the top at the mayor position," he told KAWC. "Throughout the campaign, talking to people, it was evident they wanted a change and I was getting a lot of support. So the results last week, you're always cautiously optimistic, but I had a very good idea that I had a good chance."

Three seats on the Somerton City Council were also chosen by voters in the recent election. Incumbents Miguel Villalpando and Carlos Gonzalez were re-elected and newcomer Juan Castillo was elected.

Anaya and the council members will be sworn in during a November meeting.

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KAWC Reporter Victor Calderón asked Somerton Mayor-Elect Jerry Anaya about what issues matter most to Somerton residents. Stay tuned to KAWC 88.9 FM and kawc.org in the coming days for what he said about the future of the South Yuma County city.

Victor is originally from West Sacramento, California and has lived in Arizona for more than five years. He began his print journalism career in 2004 following his graduation from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Victor has been a reporter for the following daily newspapers: The Monterey County Herald, The Salinas Californian and the Reno Gazette-Journal, where he covered stories including agriculture, education and Latino community news. Victor has also served as a local editor for Patch, a national news organization with hyperlocal websites, in Carmichael, California in the Sacramento area. He also served as the editor for The New Vision, the newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, which includes Yuma and La Paz counties. Victor lives in Somerton. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends and following most sports.