A school board write-in candidate has withdrawn from the race after her nomination petitions were challenged.
Buckeye resident Susan Cheatham filed a complaint July 20 against Buckeye Union High School District Governing Board write-in-candidate Margarita Flores on the grounds that her nomination petitions contained numerous disqualifying signatures.
The civil case demanded Flores be disqualified from appearing on the 2026 general election ballot due to the lack of qualifying signatures as well as a full reimbursement of court and attorney fees to Cheatham. The complaint alleged issues with 51 signatures, ranging from missing voter information, poor handwriting, unregistered voters and people living outside the district.
InBuckeye attempted to contact both Flores and Cheatham for comment.
Flores later withdrew from the campaign.
The civil case has grounds according to state code, which states that if a nomination petition candidate for primary election fails to provide the required amount of valid petition signatures, they must withdraw.
This isn’t the first time Flores has withdrawn her nomination petition. She also withdrew from the 2024 elections, campaigning alongside Brandon Shelton, Davis Sousa and incumbent Brian Turner, all of whom were elected to the board.
The current school board also includes Maggie Lara and Nathan Madden. Lara’s term ends in 2026.
