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Kathy Knecht
Kathy Knecht was an at-large member of the Peoria Unified School District in Arizona. She assumed office in 2006. She left office in 2018.
Knecht (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Arizona House of Representatives to represent District 21. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Knecht completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Knecht earned a B.A. in elementary education from Arizona State University in 1989. At the time of her 2014 re-election bid, she was attending graduate school there for a master's of interdisciplinary studies. She worked as an elementary school teacher in Arizona and Illinois from 1989 to 1995.[1]
As of 2014, Knecht was a member of the Arizona Town Hall Board of Directors, the Blue Blazer Squadron, and the Peoria Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She was also the treasurer of the Arizona School Boards Association.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 (2 seats)
Beverly Pingerelli and incumbent Kevin Payne defeated Kathy Knecht in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Beverly Pingerelli (R) | 35.6 | 57,803 |
| ✔ |  | Kevin Payne (R) | 32.9 | 53,441 |
 | Kathy Knecht (D)  | 31.5 | 51,047 | |
| Total votes: 162,291 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 (2 seats)
Kathy Knecht advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathy Knecht | 100.0 | 19,882 |
| Total votes: 19,882 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 (2 seats)
Incumbent Kevin Payne and Beverly Pingerelli defeated Randy Miller in the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 21 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kevin Payne | 38.1 | 16,987 |
| ✔ | | Beverly Pingerelli | 37.9 | 16,896 |
| Randy Miller | 24.0 | 10,708 | ||
| Total votes: 44,591 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2018
- See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 21
Incumbent Rick Gray defeated Kathy Knecht in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 21 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Rick Gray (R) | 52.2 | 40,869 |
| Kathy Knecht (Independent) | 47.8 | 37,380 | |
| Total votes: 78,249 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 21
Incumbent Rick Gray defeated Randy Miller in the Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 21 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rick Gray | 61.6 | 14,497 |
| Randy Miller | 38.4 | 9,055 | ||
| Total votes: 23,552 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
Three seats were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Two of the at-large seats up for election were regular four-year terms. Incumbent Kathy Knecht faced challengers William Bercu and Beverly Pingerelli.[2]
The other seat up for election was a two-year term to complete an unexpired term. James Kistner was appointed to fill this vacancy when it originally occurred. However, the length of the unexpired term exceeded two years and, therefore, was required to be filled by an elected official at this general election. Incumbent Hal Borhauer, who was serving a two-year term, ran to fulfill the rest of the this term. He was challenged by Beth Joice and Judy Doane.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Kathy Knecht Incumbent |
41.3% | 25,140 | |
| Nonpartisan | Beverly Pingerelli |
32.6% | 19,803 | |
| Nonpartisan | William Bercu | 26.1% | 15,895 | |
| Total Votes | 60,838 | |||
| Source: Maricopa County Recorder, "General Elections Election Results," accessed December 29, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
Knecht was endorsed by the following:[3]
- Bob Barrett, mayor of Peoria
- Cathy Carlat, mayor-elect of Peoria
2010
| Peoria Unified School District, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Kathy Knecht |
34.6% | 25,329 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jane Schutte |
21.5% | 15,773 | |
| Nonpartisan | Eddie Smith | 17% | 12,441 | |
| Nonpartisan | Joshua R. Carpenter | 13.3% | 9,757 | |
| Nonpartisan | John A. Rosado | 13.3% | 9,709 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 222 | |
| Total Votes | 73,231 | |||
| Source: Maricopa County Recorder, "General Election November 2, 2010, Final Official Results," November 17, 2010 | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kathy Knecht completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Knecht's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- Kathy is an independent thinker and pragmatic leader who will put people over politics.
- Arizona needs fresh, skilled, courageous leadership to bring our state out of the pandemic and create a better, stronger Arizona for everyone.
- The status quo has served Arizona poorly. Kathy will work to ensure great public schools, quality affordable healthcare and a 21st century economy.
Affordable, quality health care
Higher-paying jobs in AZ and locally
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2014
Knecht provided the following statement on her campaign website:
| “ | Since being elected to the Peoria board in 2006, I have been a very active and outspoken advocate for children and quality education in PUSD, Arizona and the nation. I am a respected community leader with a broad network and recognized for my commitment to public education on all levels. It would be a privilege and an honor to continue to serve our community and to affect positive change in our schools.[4] | ” |
| —Kathy Knecht's campaign website (2014)[3] | ||
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kathy Knecht's campaign website, "Resume," accessed September 29, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Maricopa County Education Service Agency, "Filed Candidate Listing," August 6, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kathy Knecht's campaign website, "Homepage," accessed September 29, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2014 Peoria Unified School District Elections | |
| Maricopa County, Arizona | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large, four-year term: • Incumbent, Kathy Knecht • William Bercu • Beverly Pingerelli
At-large, two-year terms: • Incumbent, Hal Borhauer • Beth Joice • Judy Doane |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
