Quartzsite Council Member Sam Saxton

Short Political History of a Christian Constitutionalist

SUMMER 2020: Sam Saxton first ran for Quartzsite Town Council as a write-in candidate for a 4-year Quartzsite Town Council position in the August 4th, 2020 Primary. Saxton had a very active campaign. On his Sam Saxton for Town Council Facebook Page, he promoted a Voter registration event at Mountain Quail Café on July 4^th. He posted many photos of the event. (July 6, 2020 was the Deadline to register to vote for August Primary.)

(PHOTO: Sam Saxton for Town Council Facebook Page, July 5, 2020)

Saxton stated on his Facebook Page, “We registered about 15+ voters and talked to many folks about the future of our amazing community.”

But as it later turned out, Sam Saxton himself was NOT registered to vote in Arizona at all.

Every candidate fills out Nomination Paper and Declaration of Qualifications with the Town of Quartzsite to run for an elected position. The very first paragraph states, “You are hereby notified that I, the undersigned, a qualified elector, am a candidate for the office of_____________”

The final paragraph of the document states, “I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this Nomination Paper and Declaration of Qualification is true and correct, …….”

So, every election cycle, I submit a public records request for the full La Paz County voter registration list. It usually costs around $100 and is used for research purposes only.

Late evening on Thursday, July 16, 2020, I opened the Voter Registration spreadsheet, only to learn Sam Saxton’s name was not included in the listing. County offices are closed on Fridays, so I had to wait the whole weekend to call the County Recorder’s office. Thinking it had to be a mistake, I did not post anything online until it was confirmed by the County, even though the ballots had already gone out in the mail. On July 17^th Saxton posted on his Facebook page about buying postage and asking for help with a mailing. But I waited.

I called the La Paz County Recorder office Monday morning, July 20, 2020, and told them they’re missing a name, implying “You made a mistake.” They said the list is correct and everyone registered to vote is on the list, as the deadline had passed. I said, “But Sam Saxton is not on the list. The response was “Okay, so he’s not registered.” I said, “But he is a candidate running for Town Council! How can this be?” And then there was a moment of silence. “I’ll get back with you, Rain.”

A few hours later and a few phone calls back and forth with the Recorder’s Office and the Election Department, I was finally notified that Mr. Saxton and Quartzsite Town Hall had been notified that the Elections Department had officially removed him as a candidate. The Elections Department said they were going to print a notice for the precincts for election day, but they could do nothing else except make a public statement. I was asked to help notify voters of the situation and I did.

But Saxton explained to his followers on Facebook this way:

“Due to an error in the registration process for my candidacy, I regret to inform you all that I must withdraw from the race for town council. I would encourage everyone who had planned to vote for me to write-in the other write-in candidate, a local business man and Vietnam vet, Mr. Don Day. Thank you to all who have supported me. I will be running again. This came as a shock to me this morning. All I can say is.... verify...verify verify...”

He should have known, when he signed the Declaration of Qualification that he was required to be "a qualified elector" under penalty of perjury.

ARS 16-121. Qualified elector; definition

"A. A person who is qualified to register to vote pursuant to section 16-101 and who is properly registered to vote shall, if he is at least eighteen years of age on or before the date of the election, be deemed a qualified elector for any purpose for which such qualification is required by law."

I received a lot of nasty comments and emails because “you didn’t give him enough time” to make a statement first. “He didn’t know… It was only a little mistake,” etc.

A year passed….And then a Council seat was left vacant by the death of Council Member Beverly Cunningham in October, 2021. And Council had to fill the position.

On January 15, 2022, Quartzsite Town Council met during a special meeting to decide from 7 applicants. At some point during the interview process candidates were asked if they had been arrested and Saxton revealed he had been and his voting rights had been restored. Council proceeded to appoint Sam Saxton to fill the vacant seat until the next election. The vote was 4 in favor and 2 against.

On January 25, 2022 Sam Saxton was sworn in as Council Member during the regular meeting of Town of Quartzsite Common Council.

(Photo: Desert Messenger News 2022)

During the campaign season in the spring of 2022, issues came to light about some of candidates. A complaint was filed with the Town that a group of candidates working together had not filed as a Political Action Committee (PAC). Four Candidates were fined including Sam Saxton. One candidate had paid the fines, but the other three had not paid all their fines.

Quartzsite Town CODE § 30.09 QUALIFICATION OF COUNCIL CANDIDATES (at the time) stated:

   (A)   The Town Council shall judge the elections, qualifications and returns of its members pursuant to A.R.S. § 9-234. Such qualifications shall not only include those contained within A.R.S. Title 16, but also any contained within this town code.

   (B)   The qualifications for eligibility of Mayor or Council candidates for election or appointment to these positions includes the requirement that no delinquent or fixed fines and penalties, user fees, permit fees and sales tax be owed to the town at the time of declaration of candidacy.

   (C)   Council members, candidates and appointees for town elected and appointed office shall be held to certain standards of conduct, which include compliance with all federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations (i.e., to include, but not exclusive of, state standards of conduct for public officials, conflict of interest, open meetings laws and the like).

   (D)   Failure to comply with this section shall result in ineligibility of the candidate or elected official seeking re-election to be qualified to run or be appointed to town office.

APRIL 7, 2022 The Quartzsite Town Council held a Special meeting regarding eligibility of candidates to run to have names on the August 2, 2022 primary election ballots.

- Council voted unanimously that Quartzsite resident Mike Roth is not qualified to run for Town Council position due to owing the Town fines.

- Council members also declared Quartzsite resident Dennis Vosper is not a qualified candidate for Quartzsite Town Council due to owing campaign violation fine from 2020. The vote was 6-1.

- Town Attorney explained to the Council that Mr. Saxton was one of four individuals who were part of that mailer that went out that it was paid for the by the committee to elect the four individuals. He said a complaint was filed, investigated, and a fine was issued and not paid. Saxton explained the use of the pronoun “we” was taken out of context because he meant it in the sense of the royal “we”. Saxton said he did not pay because was like a speeding ticket that was unfounded. Council members declared that “recently appointed Council Member Sam Saxton is not a qualified candidate for Quartzsite Town Council due to owing campaign violations fines from 2020.” Vote was 4-2.

AUGUST 2, 2022 PRIMARY Saxton then ran as a write-in candidate for 4-year seat.

In the primary, Lynda Goldberg, Loretta Warner won their seats and there was a runoff in November.

NOVEMBER 8, 2022 Sam Saxton ran against Randy Smith in the General Election and won a four-year seat. Karey Amon won her 2-year seat against Colleen O’Meara.

December 13, 2022 Sam Saxton was sworn in for four years.

JUNE 11, 2024: Council Member Sam Saxton announced his resignation.

As a Constitutionalist, Saxton should be fully aware that thou shalt not use government resources to preach your religion!

This was not the first time he has preached from the dais, but it was his last. Near the end of the meeting, Saxton made the following statement during “Reports from the Council”

“I’d like to take this time to formally submit my resignation for my position as a member of Quartzsite Town Council effective this day, June the eleventh, 2024. First and foremost, I want to thank Jesus Christ, who loved me enough to die for me, who was raised on the third day, to save me from my sins. I want to thank him for opening the door for this opportunity to serve our community. He is the one who gave me this place.”

“In Psalms 75: 6-7 says “for promotion cometh neither from the east nor the from the west, nor the south, but God is the judge. He putteth down one and setteth up another. Second I want to thank my family, my wife, and children, who have sacrificed time, patience and even fear. They have endured vitriol from those who used to support me and from some who never did. They have tried to discourage us, but we held on to the promise that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. That type of interaction was something unexpected and I didn’t prepare for, but I guess it comes with political territory.”

“Thank you to my mom and my dad for instilling the spirit of service and true patriotism and the wisdom to fear God and not man. Thank you to the rest of my family near and far that have cheered me on since day one. I’ve tried to pour my heart and soul into this town to my best ability and it’s been an honor to be able to do so. I have enjoyed serving the residents of Quartzsite and contribute to the growth and development during my tenure of the Town of Council. I’ve appreciated the opportunity to work alongside a dedicated team of Town employees who are committed to the betterment of our town. And they strive to make it make it a better town than it has ever been to the best of their abilities.”

“As I move on to pursue my opportunity to be vocalists for the United States Air Force Band of the West, I would like to take this moment to give encouragement to the current and future members of Quartzsite Town Council. It is evident as I look across towns and cities across this great nation that they have fallen away from their oath. I want to express to you extreme importance of upholding Oath to the Constitution of the State of Arizona, but also even more importantly to our oath to the Constitution of the United States. Our allegiance to the principles and values enshrined in the constitution is paramount and it is your duty and your actions, and your decisions are in alignment with these foundational beliefs that have made America the greatest nation in the world. I’m confident that if the Town Council will adhere to those foundational principles, they will know how best to serve this town and create a town that will upholds the best interest of the Town of Quartzsite and its residents. Also it is imperative that you remember the difference between a council member and your constituents is merely a label. We are here to serve one another. Council members are not smarter and certainly we are not here to control or overlord. We do not sit on the dais elevated because we are somehow better than you. It is simply elevated so you can see us better from where you sit. The duties of council are simple but also complex and could be carried out by anyone here today. So, know that we are simply public servants, and we work for each of you.”

“I am grateful for the support and cooperation I have received from my constituents from my time on council. You have also made the times I wanted to walk away bearable, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“To the people of Quartzsite, remember this, Council members Lynda, Loretta, Mayor Norm, Starr, Devyn, and Karey work for you. Hold them accountable to that and to the oath they swore to uphold. When ordinances, codes, or government mandates go against your constitutional rights, take the legal actions necessary to protect your rights. This town has a great potential to be one of the few towns left that truly uphold unalienable and constitutional rights. They swore an oath to protect them. I would encourage you to ask them individually what the constitution means to them. I think you’ll be surprised. Lastly, thank you all for this amazing opportunity. To those who didn’t support me, you’ve forced me to become more resilient and stronger than I had ever been. So thank you. To those who did support me, your kindness in a storm will always be cherished in mine and my family’s heart. It was a pleasure to pleasure to serve the Town of Quartzsite. I truly wish the town continued success in all its future endeavors. I’m sure I’ll accidentally end up here again somehow. Even if it’s just a pass-through. Blessed is the nation whose god is the lord. I hope and pray that you who haven’t, will find Christ and follow him. Sincerely, Sam Saxton. Thank you guys.”

Yes, he said, “guys” to the Council Members. Saxton also addressed his fellow elected officials by only their first names, which is extremely disrespectful. He also did not even mention Lynda Goldberg’s title of Vice Mayor.

Council will address filling his vacant seat at their next council meeting on Tuesday, June 25th. I do wish Sam Saxton on the best on his new journey.