Yuma City Council hopefuls collecting 998 signatures for 2026 ballot

Candidates for the Yuma City Council, including incumbent Councilwoman Carol Smith and law-enforcement veteran Ron Van Why, have begun collecting 998 petition signatures in the City of Yuma to qualify for the 2026 municipal ballot, with all signatures due by March 23 to appear on the ballot.

The 998-signature requirement is drawn from the number of registered voters in the prior election cycle and reflects the record-high turnout in the 2024 presidential election, which raised the threshold for municipal hopefuls to nearly 1,000 valid signatures.

Carol Smith, identified by KAWC as the only incumbent councilmember running for re-election, said she is pursuing another term because, “There's still work that needs to be done that I want to be a part of,” and she added, “This council works really well together.” Smith has begun circulating petitions in the City of Yuma as part of her re-election effort for the 2026 municipal race.

Ron Van Why is running as a new candidate for Yuma City Council and is collecting signatures across the city to meet the 998 requirement. Van Why's career includes service as a Cocopah Tribal police officer and work with the Yuma County Sheriff's Department. He told KAWC, “I can have a voice for others,” and said, “I may not do things better but I will do them differently.”

KAWC reported that “The Yuma City Council will have at least two new faces next year,” and noted multiple candidates are collecting petitions though other hopefuls were not named in the current reporting. Campaign activity began Feb. 21 as candidates started gathering the nearly 1,000 signatures needed to qualify.

Candidates have until March 23 to submit the required 998 signatures to secure a place on the 2026 municipal ballot. KAWC said it will speak with other candidates at a later date as filing progresses and as the race toward the March 23 deadline continues to shape the field for Yuma City Council.