On November 4, 2008, Let's Make Claudia Ellquist Our New County Attorney!
Welcome the Elect Ellquist homepage, where you can learn more about the campaign to elect Claudia Ellquist as Pima County Attorney. Learn about the grassroots campaign, and about the candidate's background and issues, and why she should be County Attorney. You can also join the e-mail list for campaign updates, sign up to volunteer, or learn how to make a financial donation to the campaign. You may also contact the campaign directly, by phoning (520) 622-3339 or by sending e-mail to info@ElectEllquist.org. Thank you!
Key Campaign Issues
The Pima County Attorney administers the County Attorney's office, which: oversees the prosecution and settlement of criminal cases that are committed in Pima County; advises the Pima County Supervisors and Administrator on civil law; and, most importantly, sees that, within her budget and staffing, justice prevails. The key to the success of these tasks is how the County Attorney sets priorities and uses resources that are available, and in the extended economic crisis that is ahead of us, hard decisions need to be made in order to sustain the current level of services, or provide for any expansion that is needed.
Pima County needs a new County Attorney, and, as importantly, a new vision about how to best use the resources that we have. Send a message, vote for change.
"The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning."
— Adlai E. Stevenson
Why You Should Elect Ellquist
No cutting corners on justice. I'll administer justice in this county by being, first and foremost, a good administrator, using the creativity, level-headedness and skills that I have demonstrated over a lifetime of accomplishment for our community. Time and again I have been able to challenge the status quo because I understood what needed to be done, developed a pragmatic and achievable plan, attracted the talented and experienced people who could make it happen, and created an institutional culture for them to work in that was ethical, effective, and enduring. I'll bring that same independence, and new perspective, to the County Attorney's office.
Costly decisions. Four years ago, the Pima County Attorney's Office went to trial at 2–3 times the rate of every other county in Arizona, including Maricopa. This office asked for the death penalty more than any county our size in the nation. I raised those issues in my 2004 challenge, and am pleased to report that progress has been made. But not enough. Even in good economic times, such expensive practices take away funds we can put into prevention, early intervention, innovation, and cutting crime, before it reaches the front page and our homes. But today, just to stay even, we need to cut costs. I am the one candidate who will tell you how. A critical first step to freeing up needed resources will be a four-year moratorium on requests for the death penalty. Studies in state after state show that death costs three times what life does, and we are no safer for the expenditure. In fact, we are less safe, since those funds could be used to fight the crimes that affect our ordinary daily lives.
Fairness and protection. The County Attorney's job is not winning cases: it is seeing that justice prevails. My emphasis on fairness, responsibility, restoration, community participation and community values recognizes that what is right, is also what is smart. We can trade resources devoured by the practices I'll discontinue, for more resources into confronting and ending domestic violence and sexual violence; more juvenile diversion and teen court; more restorative justice options, accountability and treatment for adults where appropriate. We can make the otherwise excellent Victim Witness program independent of the prosecutor's office, to better protect the interests of victims of crime.
Elections. The County Attorney enforces the election laws and can be a powerful voice for change. Laws need to be changed so that all political views have an equal opportunity to be heard. The system needs to be opened up and the spoiler system ended. Alternative parties should be required to follow reasonable and fair rules, but not be so overly burdened that voters are denied the opportunity to vote for real change and reform. We should honor the Constitution and the Bill of Rights by allowing everyone to have a voice and equal access in the electoral system. As County Attorney, I will fairly enforce the election laws and lobby for reasonable and innovative reforms.
Change is possible. I can make these changes, because I am a break from the past. My training is in the law, my experience is in creating task forces and institutions, managing people and money, getting things done. I've led the largest successful recall in the state's history. I've been a key player in expanding healthcare access through two popular ballot measures. I've sat as a Commissioner on the powerful Arizona Citizens' Clean Elections Commission, overseeing millions of dollars, writing rules under the Act, administering election law, sitting in judgment of lawbreakers. As a leader of the Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty, I championed the drive that ended the barbaric practice of executing prisoners with IQs under 70, which was a decisive stepping stone to convincing the US Supreme Court to abolish it altogether. In 2007, I arranged for bi-partisan apology, from both floors of the Arizona legislature, to Ray Krone, for false prosecution leading to death row, before, ten years later, DNA completely exonerated him. In 2008, I advise Church Women United nationally, on legislation, human rights, justice and institutional change.
Vote for Claudia Ellquist, your voice for effective change!
"I hope this campaign will be a model on how campaigns should be run. The incumbent is intelligent, hard working, and ethical; she has improved the office over her predecessor. I celebrate that we can demonstrate to the public what it is like to have two strong women candidates, not stooping to personal attack, but engaged in good public debate and lifting up the issues. I offer a clear choice; we can do better!"
— Claudia Ellquist
The Ten Key Values of the Green Party
Please follow this link for more information on the Green Party's values.
- Grassroots democracy
- Social justice and equal opportunity
- Ecological wisdom
- Non-violence
- Decentralization
- Community-based economics and economic justice
- Feminism and gender equity
- Respect for diversity
- Personal and global responsibility
- Future focus and sustainability