Superintendent Jack Sellers, who represents District 1, which covers much of the southeastern Valley, was unanimously elected Wednesday morning as the new president, replacing Clint Hickman.

Sellers previously served as vice chair and will be tasked with steering the county in an election year that once again puts Arizona in the spotlight. The state will play an important role not only in the presidential election but also in determining control of both houses of Congress.

“You know, my goal is to help people understand how transparent we are and that everything we do is in accordance with the law,” Sellers told ABC15.

In his acceptance speech, Sellers said the county committed to purchasing new tabulation machines and printers, hiring more staff and working with Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer throughout the election process. .

Sellers said elections are a top priority, but they won't overshadow other priorities the county wants to address in 2024, such as affordable housing and infrastructure.

“A lot of seniors are suffering from high housing prices and we need to make sure we address this issue. Also, if you are in an area that is looking to hire teachers, We need to make sure that 'we need housing that new teachers can afford,''' Sellers told ABC15.

On infrastructure, the new chair emphasized the importance of supporting projects that continue the state's expansion and growth.

“Certainly there's $65 billion of business expansion going on in the region right now, and people need to focus on making sure we have the infrastructure to support that going forward,” Sellers said.