The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors made the decision on Monday to appoint Dr. Eric Meyer, a former lawmaker, to fill the vacant seat in Legislative District 4.
“I have fond memories of my previous tenure in the House and am excited to address the concerns of my constituents as well as the challenges that all Arizonans are facing. I am grateful for this opportunity and fully comprehend the significance and scale of my appointed role,” expressed Meyer in a press statement.
He was chosen over two other nominees, Kelli Butler and Karen Gresham.
Meyer is stepping into a seat that has been vacant since Laura Terech resigned at the end of June, following the adjournment of the Legislature for the year. Terech transitioned into a special projects role with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The new appointee will not have much to do when he returns to office, unless there is a special session called for lawmakers before the end of the year.
“Dr. Meyer is definitely ready to dive right in if he is chosen,” remarked Supervisor Bill Gates on Monday, as he put forth the motion to appoint Meyer.
Butler and Gresham are currently occupied with their campaigns for the two LD4 House seats in a highly competitive race for the upcoming November general election. Incumbent Matt Gress and Pamela Carter are their Republican opponents in this closely watched contest.
LD4, which covers areas in north and east Phoenix, central Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley, stands out as one of the rare districts in the state to have a representative from each party this session.
House Democrats have experienced a session filled with turnovers. Terech is the latest to leave, following in the footsteps of Athena Salman, Jennifer Longdon, Leezah Sun, Amish Shah, Jevin Hodge, and Marcelino Quiñonez.
