Yuma promotes Janet Pierson to city clerk role

Yuma promoted Janet Pierson to city clerk, putting a longtime city employee in charge of the office that sits at the center of public records, council proceedings and election administration. The move keeps one of City Hall’s most sensitive transparency jobs in the hands of someone who already knew the office from the inside.

Pierson joined the City of Yuma in 2007 and had most recently served as deputy city clerk. The city said she had already been working in a leadership capacity before the promotion was made official, and Acting City Administrator Jay Simonton pointed to her institutional knowledge and years of service as the reason she was the clear choice to lead the office. Pierson, a Yuma native, said she was honored to continue her public-service career in the community where she grew up. The city’s staff directory now lists her as city clerk.

The transition matters because the City Clerk’s Office is more than an administrative desk. Under city policy, the clerk is appointed by the city administrator with City Council approval, and the office exists to administer and safeguard the integrity of the municipal governing process. It maintains the official records of the City of Yuma government, responds to public-records requests, and provides notices for City Council meetings along with access to agendas, packets, minutes and meeting summaries. It also handles candidate committees and political action committees, including campaign finance reporting for active committees in the city.

The office also oversees a range of licenses that affect local businesses and event organizers, including liquor licenses, special-event liquor licenses, bingo licenses and off-track betting licenses within Yuma city limits. Most liquor-related licenses must clear City Council before they are issued, giving the clerk’s office a direct role in how those applications move through local government.

Pierson takes over as Yuma heads into a 2026 election cycle. The city has set a Primary Election for July 21, 2026, followed by a General Election on November 3, 2026. Voters will choose a mayor, three city council members and the presiding municipal judge. Registration for city elections is handled through the Yuma County Recorder’s Office, early voting is run by the county, and designated voting centers serve residents in Yuma, Wellton, Somerton and San Luis.

Lynda Bushong’s retirement closes an 18-year chapter in the clerk’s office. She joined the city in 2008 as deputy city clerk, was appointed city clerk in 2010 and spent nearly two decades supporting city operations, public access and records work. With council deadlines, records requests and election filings converging, Pierson now inherits one of the most important continuity roles in Yuma government.