Two candidates vying for Florence mayor

With Florence Mayor Tara Walter opting not to run for reelection, two candidates with strong ties to Florence have emerged as contenders. Michelle Cordes and Keith Eaton will face off during the July 30 primary election.

Michelle Cordes

Cordes recently resigned her position as member of the Florence Town Council in order to run for mayor.

Originally from Pueblo, Colorado, she moved to Florence in 2014 and in 2018, she was elected to the council, where she served as vice mayor for two years. During her tenure, she represented the council as a liaison to various boards and commissions, including the Historic District Advisory Commission, Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, Florence Teen Council, and many others.

In 2021, she was selected Citizen of the Year by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Professionally, she has spent more than 25 years in the real estate industry, where she has served as a local Realtor and managed her own business.

“My family is my foundation, and I am blessed to be the mother of three wonderful children: Cimone, Egan, and my son Cael, who unfortunately passed away,” she stated. “As a mother, I've cherished every moment with my children and am grateful for the lessons they've taught me about resilience and strength.”

Keith Eaton

Eaton has spent most of his life in service to the communities he has lived in. Born in Central Illinois, Eaton has held elected offices as a county supervisor and township trustee, as well as fire district boards, all in his native state of Illinois.

Relocating to Arizona in 1999, he re-entered the fire service and rose through the ranks to become the assistant fire chief of the Kingman Fire Department. Moving to be closer to family, Eaton most recently held the position of community development director/ fire marshal for the town of Florence until his retirement in 2022.

He holds an associate of arts degrees in fire science from Mohave Community College and a BA in emergency management/ public safety administration from Grand Canyon University. Eaton and his wife, Aline, live in the Sun City Anthem part of the community and have five children and 10 grandchildren.