Linda Thor

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Linda Thor

Nonpartisan

Maricopa County Community College District At-large

Tenure

2017 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

8

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Pepperdine University, 1971

Graduate

California State University, Los Angeles, 1980

Ph.D

Pepperdine University, 1986

Personal

Birthplace

Los Angeles, Calif.

Profession

Chancellor

Contact

Official website

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Linda Thor is an at-large member of the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona. She assumed office in 2017. Her current term ends on December 31, 2028.

Thor won re-election for an at-large seat of the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona outright after the general election on November 5, 2024, was canceled.

Biography

Linda Thor was born in Los Angeles, California. She received a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University in 1971, a master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 1980, and a Ph.D. from Pepperdine University in 1986. Thor's professional experience includes being the chancellor for Foothill-De Anza Community College District, the president for Rio Salado College, and the president for West Los Angeles College.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Maricopa County, Arizona (2024)

General election

The general election was canceled. Linda Thor (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Thor in this election.

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Maricopa County, Arizona (2020)

General election

General election for Maricopa County Community College District At-large

Incumbent Linda Thor defeated Shelli Richardson Boggs in the general election for Maricopa County Community College District At-large on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Linda Thor (Nonpartisan)	63.1	908,819
	Submit photo	Shelli Richardson Boggs (Nonpartisan)	36.4	524,368
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	6,982

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,440,169
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Thor's endorsements in the 2020 election, please [www.Thor4Board.com/endorsements/ click here].

2016

See also: Municipal elections in Maricopa County, Arizona (2016)

Maricopa County held elections for the county board of supervisors, county assessor, county attorney, county recorder, sheriff, county treasurer, and special districts in 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. A primary election was held on August 30, 2016. The filing deadline for those wishing to run in this election was June 1, 2016. Linda Thor defeated incumbent John Heep in the Maricopa County Community College District at-large general election.

Maricopa County Community College District, At-large General Election, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Linda Thor	68.97%	631,285
John Heep Incumbent	31.03%	284,077
Total Votes		915,362
Source: Maricopa County Recorder, "2016 General Election Final Results," accessed November 28, 2016

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Linda Thor did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Linda Thor completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Thor's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Dr. Linda Thor is a nationally recognized educational innovator who worked in community colleges for 41 years. For 29 years, she was a college president or a system chancellor. First elected to the Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board in 2016, she was the Board President in 2019. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism, a master's degree in public administration, and a doctorate in education (focused on community college leadership).

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Focusing on student success and quality education
• Building a smart budget and maintaining fiscal oversight
• Promoting quality, affordable training for jobs and careers

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Higher education affordability and accessibility, preparing a high-skilled workforce, closing educational equity and achievement gaps, and supporting public education at all levels.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, transparency

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Experienced, trusted, passionate, compassionate

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Focus on what is best for students; value employees; be a trustee of the taxpayers' investment.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassination of President John Kennedy. I was 13.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Don Quixote. I also have a quest and an impossible dream.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The most important job of a governing board member is to hire, monitor and evaluate the Chancellor (CEO). The Board approves the $1.5 billion budget, sets property taxes, establishes tuition and fees, and approves policies impacting students and employees.

Who are your constituents?

Students, employees, employers, taxpayers, elected officials, K-12 schools, and universities.

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

Areas for expansion include more internships, more short-term training opportunities (academies, boot camps), micro-credentials, and stackable certificates.

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.

See also

2024 Elections

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External links

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Officeholder

Maricopa County Community College District At-large

Website

Personal

Instagram

LinkedIn