Phoenix, AZ – On Monday, March 9, 2026, the Precinct Committeemen of Legislative District 3 chose three individuals to be considered by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Arizona State Representative Joseph Chaplik.
On March 3, 2026, the Arizona Secretary of State notified the Republican Party of Arizona of the vacancy.
The Republican Party of Arizona moved swiftly to coordinate the nomination process.
The following individuals were chosen by the Precinct Committeemen for consideration by the Board of Supervisors:
- Cody Reim
- Michelle Ugenti-Rita
- George Khalaf
“The Republican Party of Arizona focused on ensuring that the voters of Legislative District 3 were confident that the nomination process to fill the seat was fair and transparent,” stated AZGOP Chair Sergio Arellano. “Not only have we achieved that, but LD3’s Precinct Committeemen also demonstrated their dedication to conservative principles by choosing three outstanding individuals as their nominees.”
Background:
The replacement process is as follows:
- The Arizona Secretary of State notifies the Chair of the Republican Party of Arizona.
- Next, the Republican Party of Arizona chair informs the elected Precinct Committeemen in the departing lawmaker’s district of the vacancy.
- The AZGOP Chair works with the Legislative District 3 Chair to coordinate a date, time, and location for a meeting to nominate three qualified candidates, within five business days of the initial notification from AZGOP.
- The AZGOP will forward the names of the three nominated candidates to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, who will appoint one of the three candidates nominated by the PCs as the new representative.