The number of potential City Council candidates stands at seven with the addition this week of ASU alumnus Jay Mansperger.
Mansperger, who was unsuccessful in a bid for mayor four years ago, said he applied for a City Council petition after Councilman Hugh Hallman announced to run for mayor.
"I figured with that opening, I would run for the seat," Mansperger said. "The first obstacle will be getting the needed signatures to get on the ballot."
Collecting signatures can be the most difficult and tedious part of the election process. It's a rite of passage all candidates must complete to get on the March 12 election ballot.
Candidate Pam Goronkin is collecting signatures and said she is ahead of her projected schedule.
"It's a tough process, and you have to take the initiative," she said. "I'm sure those people filling out petitions know their work is cut out for them."
Tempe City Council candidate Brett Scott said Thursday that some candidates announcing their intent to run have no intention of following through with the lengthy process.
Scott said elected officials are encouraging trusted associates to run for the three available seats, in hopes of confusing voters into relying on familiar names.
"I think the crowd at City Hall is getting very nervous and feel it's necessary to dilute the challengers," Scott said. "They think it's necessary to throw up as many bodies as they can to fill out paperwork. These people are just a bunch of ghost candidates."
Councilman Len Copple said council members have not tried to influence associates into running for office.
"I have no idea what Scott is talking about. As far as I know, no one in City Hall had anything to do with Mansperger's decision to run," Copple said.
Scott said he hasn't seen some candidates collecting signatures.
"My guess is that a lot of these people who have filled out paperwork and announced, probably will not gather signatures or will not be successful in collecting the needed signatures," he said.
Reach Victor Allen at victordallen@cs.com.
