PHOENIX — From a U.S. Senate race between Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake to House races and Maricopa County positions, there are several contested elections this fall in Arizona.
ABC15 has created this comprehensive voter guide to help cut through the political noise and provide what you need to know, including summaries of propositions and key races on the Arizona ballot. The guide will be updated with new information and reporting ahead of the November election.
AMERICA VOTES 2024: See local ABC15, national election reporting
Select the corresponding image below for more voter guide breakout information:
What matters the most to you this election season? With ABC15's Voice of the Voter series, we want to make your voice heard ahead of the 2024 election. Learn more here.
SELECT A RACE (or scroll below): U.S. Senate | Arizona Corporation Commission
Maricopa County Attorney | Maricopa County Board of Supervisors | Maricopa County School Superintendent | Maricopa County Sheriff | Maricopa County Recorder
C.D. 1 | C.D. 2 | C.D. 3 | C.D. 4 | C.D. 5 | C.D. 6 | C.D. 7 | C.D. 8 | C.D. 9
Not seeing specific candidate/race information? AZ Clean Elections has a list of candidates running for elected office in the state.
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U.S. SENATE
Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema elected to not run for another term as senator. Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego is facing off with former Phoenix TV news anchor Kari Lake.
The two candidates have agreed to a debate on October 9.
Candidate: (D) Ruben Gallego
Ruben Gallego’s top priorities include reproductive rights and providing access to abortion procedures. He supports ending the filibuster, in part to codify Roe v. Wade.
When it comes to the economy, Gallego supported the Inflation Reduction Act that lowered prescription drug prices and the CHIPS and Science Act which helped turn Arizona into a semiconductor manufacturing hub. He supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, and increasing taxes on billionaires and corporations to “pay their fair share.”
On immigration, Gallego said he supports a secure border, and according to his campaign website, “consistently” voted for funding to increase the number of border patrol agents. Gallego also supported the Bipartisan Border Bill that failed in Congress in early 2024.
We sat down one-on-one with Gallego ahead of the 2024 primary election. Watch in the player below:
Gallego served as a Marine and is a former member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in Congress. He has introduced legislation to improve VA oversight, provide benefits to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits and legislation that allows veterans to keep their separation pay should they qualify for VA disability.
Candidate: (R) Kari Lake
Kari Lake’s top priorities include a 10-point plan to secure the border, reducing inflation and the deficit. Lake supports Arizona’s current 15-week abortion law with restrictions against late-term and partial-birth abortions. Lake opposes the Arizona Abortion Access Act which voters will decide on in November.
Regarding the border, Lake wants to finish the wall, enhance technological surveillance and monitoring to assist the Border Patrol, and enforce laws already on the books.
On the economy, without citing specifics, Lake says she will cut spending, reduce bureaucracy and free American workers to grow our economy.
We sat down one-on-one with Lake ahead of the 2024 primary election. Watch in the player below:
Kari Lake is the daughter of a teacher and a nurse. She grew up in Iowa as the youngest of nine children. She says it was a fascination with people’s stories that led her to a very successful 27-year career in journalism. Nearly all of the time spent in journalism was in Phoenix.
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ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION
The five-member Arizona Corporation Commission regulates and sets rates for many public utilities, including Arizona Public Service, Southwest Gas and Tucson Electric Power. There are three open seats on the commission with three Republicans, three Democrats, and two Green Party candidates running.
Candidate: (D) Ylenia Aguilar
A Democratic candidate, Aguilar is a former board member in the Osborn School District and is currently on the board of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District. She says she is running for the commission because families cannot afford to live under the current “Republican corporate leadership.” She believes the current commission is not getting the best deal possible for ratepayers. She sees herself as a voice for consumers.
Candidate: (G) Mike Cease
A Green Party candidate, Cease says he is running for the commission to address climate change and supports sanctioning mining companies that he says are destroying the Santa Rita Mountains, Oak Flat, and other sites. If elected, he says he will also target agri-business companies that waste water and companies that exploit people with high rental rates and evictions. He says he will also identify energy companies that are slow-walking the transition to renewable energy. He says he intends to impose restrictions, fines, and sanctions on them.
Candidate: (D) Jonathon Hill
A Democratic candidate, Hill is running because he said the commission needs more technical professionals. He has worked for the last 18 years at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus on several NASA space missions. He has a background in both engineering and geological sciences. Hill said the significant increases in water and energy bills over the last few years are unacceptable.
Candidate: (R) Rene Lopez
A Republican candidate, Lopez is a third-generation Arizonan, born and raised in Mesa. He's a U.S. Navy veteran and has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering. After the Navy, Lopez worked for an oil and gas company in San Diego before moving back and settling in Chandler. He decided to get involved in politics, serving eight years on the Chandler City Council. While on the council, Lopez said he worked to make city services more efficient and hire more police officers.
Candidate: (G) Nina Luxenberg
A Green Party candidate, Luxenberg is a physician. She says she follows a code of conduct that places patients over profits and wants to ensure that private and public businesses follow an ethical code of conduct. Luxenberg says public services must be more accessible and affordable. She supports strict guidelines to prevent water, soil and air pollution and to ensure adequate water supply. Luxenberg says she is running a donation-free campaign.
Candidate: (R) Lea Márquez Peterson
A Republican candidate, Peterson is the only incumbent. She has been on the commission since 2019. Before that, she owned a chain of gas and convenience stores in the Tucson area. She recently supported a rate hike for Arizona Public Service of about 8% for residential customers. She said the increase the commission approved is millions less than what APS first proposed. She also supported a moratorium that prevents APS from disconnecting power during the hottest months.
Candidate: (D) Joshua Polacheck
A Democratic candidate, Polacheck spent his middle school years in Tucson. He served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer. He said the Arizona Corporation Commission’s current Republican majority “have not seen a rate increase that they didn’t embrace wholeheartedly.” He is running for the commission because he said he wants to ensure voters get affordable, reliable, and safe public services.
Candidate: (R) Rachel Walden
A Republican candidate, Walden grew up in Arizona. She is a board member for Mesa Public Schools and spent 14 years working in the financial sector, managing regulatory and record-keeping for retirement plans. While on the Mesa school board, Walden says she has prioritized academic achievement, fiscal responsibility, and parental rights. Walden said she is running for the commission to “put the ratepayer first and prioritized reliability and affordability for now and future generations.”
Candidates running for the Arizona Corporation Commission participated in a debate:
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1
Incumbent Republican David Schweikert is running against Democratic candidate Dr. Amish Shah for Arizona’s first Congressional District. CD1 consists of nearly 800,000 residents in the northeastern Maricopa County area.
Candidate: (D) Amish Shah
Dr. Amish Shah has worked in the state legislature as a representative for five years, winning three elections and voting for several bills that eventually became law.
According to his campaign website, Dr. Shah is an emergency room and former NFL physician. He says he is committed to lowering healthcare costs and standing up to Big Pharma.
Dr. Shah believes in lowering costs for Arizonans and says politicians should stay out of “personal medical decisions.” He says he will work to ensure women have reproductive rights.
Candidate: (R) David Schweikert
With an extensive political background since he was 30 years old, seven-time Republican Incumbent David Schweikert is seeking his eighth term in Congress.
Schweikert prides himself on being a ‘Budget Hawk.’ He currently holds several seats on committees. He is the current Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee and holds a seat on the Tax and Social Security Subcommittees on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Schweikert authored and passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Cuts Act. Schweikert is focused on state economic growth. Schweikert prides himself on working with Arizona tribal communities.
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2
Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District is geographically one of the largest in the nation, encompassing the northeastern part of the state, including Apache, Coconino, Gila, Navajo and Yavapai counties in their entirety as well as portions of Graham, Maricopa, Mohave and Pinal counties. The district also includes 12 Indian Reservations, including the Hualapai, Havasupai, Hopi, Navajo, San Carlos Apache, and the White Mountain Apache people.
Candidate (D) Jonathan Nez
Jonathan Nez is the former President of the Navajo Nation. Nez says lowering the cost of living and protecting Social Security and Medicaid will be priorities if he is elected.
Nez says he will work to increase funding for fentanyl interdiction and border security. Nez says he will vote to pass the DREAM Act.
Candidate (R) Eli Crane
Incumbent candidate Eli Crane is a member of the House Freedom Caucus who was first elected to Congress in 2023. A critic of government spending, Crane has voted against the continuing resolutions to keep the government operating. He supports single-subject spending bills and opposes what he calls “unrestrained aid” to Ukraine.
Crane supports building the border wall and additional security measures which deters illegal immigration and makes the border safer.
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with Jonathan Nez ahead of the election. Incumbent Eli Crane chose not to participate:
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3
Arizona's 3rd Congressional District is in Maricopa County and includes parts of Phoenix — the communities of south Phoenix, Laveen and Maryvale — and Glendale. Registered Democratic voters hold a nearly 3-to-1 edge over registered Republican voters.
Candidate (D) Yassmin Ansari
Elected to the Phoenix City Council in 2021, Ansari served as vice mayor. Ansari is the first Iranian-American elected to political office in Arizona. She worked at the UN on a campaign aimed at hastening action to combat climate change.
As a member of the Phoenix City Council, she advocated for an ordinance to prevent housing discrimination based on income. She is also a supporter of abortion rights.
Candidate (R) Jeff Zink
Zink says he is a Conservative Republican and an America First Candidate. Zink believes in expanding school choice for all Americans.
He believes the government has over-regulated small businesses. Zink says he will only serve 3 terms if elected.
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 4
Arizona’s 4th Congressional District is in Maricopa County, including the Phoenix community of Ahwatukee and parts of Tempe, Mesa and Chandler.
Candidate (D) Greg Stanton
Stanton, the incumbent, is seeking his fourth term in Congress. On border security, Stanton says the United States needs to establish operational control of our southern U.S. border. It’s why he supports the bipartisan Senate bill killed by Donald Trump.
Stanton believes securing Arizona’s water future and the growth of Arizona’s economy is directly tied to how well we plan for our water future. During his time in Congress, Stanton helped create a $200 million Arizona Environmental Infrastructure Authority to provide communities with resources to address their water infrastructure needs. To date, more than $45 million has been delivered to more than two dozen projects.
Candidate (R) Kelly Cooper
Cooper says he will help improve the economy. He advocates security in the community and raising the standard of living, noting that many struggle to afford a home. He believes in energy independence and opposes any attempt to stop the U.S. from drilling.
Cooper supports creating a secure, efficient, and common-sense immigration system. He advocates for a robust guest worker system that supports our vital industries.
Cooper ran against Stanton for the seat in 2022 and lost.
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5
Arizona’s 5th Congressional District consists of parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties. It includes parts of Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek and San Tan Valley. The average voter is 38.7 years old, earns more than $100,000.
Candidate (D) Katrina Schaffner
Schaffner is a Ukrainian activist who is running because she opposes Biggs’ opposition to U.S. funding of Ukraine’s war against Russia. Schaffner says, if elected, she will advocate for an economy and healthcare system that works for everyone.
Schaffner wants to protect renters, extend tax credits to homeowners and hold corporations accountable, ensuring billionaires pay their fair share of taxes.
Candidate (R) Andy Biggs
Biggs, who is the incumbent, is seeking his 5th term in the U.S. House. He is an influential member within the House Freedom Caucus. Biggs helped orchestrate the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.
He is a border hawk, opposes funding for Ukraine and is a consistent vote opposing continuing resolutions to keep the federal government open. A loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump, Biggs did not vote to certify Arizona’s vote for Joe Biden on January 6, 2021.
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with U.S. House CD5 candidate Katrina Schaffner. Incumbent Andy Biggs chose not to participate:
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6
Incumbent Juan Ciscomani (R) is running for reelection against Kirsten Engel (D), whom he beat by just 5,232 votes in the 2022 General Election. Congressional District 6 (CD6) covers Greenlee County, the majority of Cochise County, as well as areas of Graham, Pima and Pinal counties.
Candidate (D) Kirsten Engel
Kristen Engel served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021, and briefly in the Arizona Senate in 2021 before dropping out to run for Congress in the 2022 General Election.
Engel graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Law. She teaches environmental and administrative law at the University of Arizona, where she is also the co-director of the Program on Environmental Law, Science and Policy.
According to her campaign website, Engel is focused on combating drought and rising utility costs, reproductive freedom and abortion access, lowering prescription drug costs, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.
Engel is also focused on securing the southern U.S. border while reforming the immigration system and strengthening social security benefits.
Engel is endorsed by Senator Mark Kelly (D), Attorney General Kris Mayes (D), and Emily’s List.
Candidate (R) Juan Ciscomani
Juan Ciscomani is the incumbent who was elected to the seat in 2022. He currently sits on the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Previously, he worked as an aide to former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R).
Ciscomani was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. In 2023, Ciscomani delivered the GOP’s response to President Biden’s State of the Union address in Spanish.
According to Ciscomani’s campaign website, he supports increasing border security, with a plan to “end catch and release,” renew building the southern U.S. border wall, and reinstate ‘Remain in Mexico.’
Ciscomani initially praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. According to his campaign website, Ciscomani is pro-life, but “rejects the extremes,” noting he is against the federal abortion ban and is “for timetables and exceptions, including for rape, incest and the life of the mother.”
He supports the military, veterans, and first responders, and believes in “securing America’s energy independence,” according to his campaign website.
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7
Congressional District 7 is the second largest Congressional District in the state. It runs along the Arizona-Mexico border and includes parts of Tucson, Yuma, Nogales, Avondale, and Tolleson. It spans across Maricopa, Pinal, Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties, and is home to four Tribal nations: Cocopah, Pascua Yaqui, Quechan, and Tohono O’odham.
Candidate (D) Raúl Grijalva
Democratic incumbent Raúl Grijalva was elected to the U.S. Representative for the newly drawn Congressional District 7 (CD7) in 2002.
Grijalva currently serves as a ranking member on the House Natural Resources Committee. He is also a member of the House Education and Labor Committee.
Grijalva supports immigration system reform, campaign finance reform, providing better access to high-quality education to children, and advancing his climate agenda, which includes the Environmental Justice for All Act.
Candidate (R) Daniel Francis Butierez Sr.
Daniel Francis Butierez Sr. is a contractor who owns two small businesses in Tucson, according to his campaign website.
He spent 10 years in prison due to a wrongful conviction and, according to his website, became homeless for two years as a result of the wrongful conviction.
The third-generation Arizonan is running to “secure the southern border,” and provide more resources to Border Patrol agents.
Butierez Sr. is a proponent of the Second Amendment. He is running to “reduce crime, reduce taxes, improve education, secure our border, get our homeless on the path getting on their feet and drug addicts off of drugs,” his campaign website notes.
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with Daniel Francis Butierez Sr. Incumbent Raúl Grijalva chose not to participate.
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 8
Congressional District 8 covers parts of Maricopa County, including the cities of Glendale, Peoria, Sun City West, and New River, as well as parts of Yavapai County. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R), who was elected to the district in 2018, announced she would retire at the end of her term to run for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in District 4.
Candidate (D) Gregory Whitten
Gregory Whitten is a biosecurity expert who believes senior citizens need better access to healthcare. He wants to protect access to Medicare and make prescription drugs more affordable.
Whitten describes himself as a moderate, pointing to John McCain as political inspiration.
Affordable housing, securing Arizona’s water future, and strengthening public education are among Whitten’s top priorities.
Candidate (R) Abe Hamadeh
Abraham “Abe” Hamadeh ran for Arizona Attorney General in 2022, losing the election by 280 votes to current Attorney General Kris Mayes (D). After losing the race, Hamadeh filed multiple lawsuits challenging the election’s results.
The pro-life Republican is endorsed by former President Donald Trump and is a former Maricopa County Prosecutor who served in the U.S. Army Reserve.
If elected, Hamadeh said he would advocate for the return of the traditional budget process, stop funding U.S. aid to Ukraine, secure the southern U.S. border by ending “catch and release,” and work to finish the border wall.
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with Gregory Whitten. Abe Hamadeh chose not to participate:
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CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 9
Congressional District 9 runs along the westernmost part of Arizona, encompassing all of La Paz County, and large portions of Mohave and Yuma counties. California, Nevada, and a portion of Utah border the congressional district.
Candidate (D) Quacy Smith
Quacy Smith is a lawyer and retired Marine from Blythe, California, which borders Congressional District 9 and has lived in Arizona for 17 years. As a lawyer, Smith represented the family of Ali Osman, a man who was shot and killed by Phoenix Police after he threw rocks at them.
Smith believes in reproductive rights for women “that ensures a woman’s right to choose within a reasonable framework of regulations,” according to his campaign website. He supports comprehensive immigration reform, emphasizing border security and “realistic pathways to legal status for undocumented immigrants.”
Smith wants to strengthen and protect Social Security benefits and believes in the right to bear arms with “common-sense measures to enhance public safety.”
Candidate (R) Paul Gosar
Paul Gosar is the incumbent candidate for Congressional District 8. A former dentist, Gosar represented Arizona’s 4th Congressional District from 2013 to 2023.
He currently serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Gosar is pro-life, opposes the Affordable Care Act, and supports the Second Amendment. On January 6th, 2021, Gosar objected to the counting of Arizona’s electoral vote for President Joe Biden.
Gosar’s congressional website notes he is “focused on fighting illegal immigration, securing the border, holding Washington bureaucrats accountable, cutting wasteful government spending, fighting woke ideology and the weaponization of the federal government and ensuring that he is representing the interests of his constituents.”
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with Quacy Smith. Paul Gosar chose not to participate:
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MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY
The Maricopa County Attorney is the top prosecutor in the fourth largest county in the nation, overseeing more than 900 employees and prosecuting criminal cases throughout the county.
Candidate: (R) Rachel Mitchell
Incumbent Rachel Mitchell has held the position of Maricopa County Attorney for the last two years and has been a prosecutor for the last 30 years. The Arizona native received her undergraduate degree from Grand Canyon University and her law degree from Arizona State University.
Mitchell’s priority is prosecuting crimes against children and strengthening sexual assault laws in Arizona. She has advocated for making the courtroom a more comfortable experience for victims testifying in abuse cases and has successfully prosecuted sexual assault and sex trafficking cases.
The veteran attorney was in the national spotlight in the legal world when she questioned both Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.
Candidate: (D) Tamika Wooten
Tamika Wooten has experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge throughout her 34 years in law. Wooten graduated early from high school, received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her law degree from the University of Arizona.
Wooten’s priority is crime prevention and restorative justice practices, focusing on juveniles, veterans, and non-violent offenders who struggle with mental health and addiction issues. The mother of two has spent the majority of her legal career within the Maricopa County criminal justice system, fighting for children and families.
While holding the title of Chief City Prosecutor in Glendale, Wooten worked with the Presiding Judge to create a domestic violence program for victims.
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MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
District 1 Candidate: (D) Joel Navarro
A fourth-generation Arizonan, Navarro was born and raised in Tempe. He has served as a trained firefighter and paramedic with Phoenix Fire Department since 1995, currently as a deputy chief. Navarro first served on the Tempe City Council in May 2008, winning re-election in 2012, 2016 and 2020. His campaign website says he has focused on public safety, neighborhoods, parks, housing, homelessness and drug addiction/opioids. Navarro, his wife, Stephanie, and their youngest son Henley, live in the same Tempe neighborhood he grew up in.
District 1 Candidate: (R) Mark Stewart
Stewart has lived in Chandler since 2001 and has been on the city's council since January 2017. He is originally from the Midwest and holds an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Stewart’s vision of governance emphasizes safety, livability and creating business opportunities within the community. His campaign website says his core belief is that the most effective government operates minimally yet efficiently. He currently runs a marketing agency and men’s health clinics.
District 2 Candidate: (D) Julie Cieniawski
Cieniawski is a career public school educator who currently serves on the Scottsdale Unified School District governing board. She is a first-generation college graduate who serves as Vice Chair for The Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, which addresses issues of family homelessness in communities. She served on the Arizona Education Association Board of Directors for 6 years. Her website says she chooses to be a solution-oriented individual and wants to prioritize seeking comprehensive options in her decision-making.
District 2 Candidate: (R) Thomas Galvin
Galvin currently serves as vice chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. His top priority, according to the county website, is to protect Maricopa County taxpayers by being fiscally responsible with their financial resources. Galvin has focused on public safety, economic development, housing and water as supervisor. He is an attorney who has lived in Arizona for 15 years. He and his wife are raising a young son.
District 3 Candidate: (D) Daniel Valenzuela
Valenzuela served on the Phoenix City Council from 2011 to 2018. He is a retired firefighter after doing the job for 20 years. He wants to focus on public safety, strengthening neighborhoods and transforming the economy so that people can succeed. Valenzuela’s website says he lifted the public safety hiring freeze and secured federal grants to hire more first responders. He also was the Phoenix Economy and Innovation Subcommittee chair.
District 3 Candidate: (R) Kate Brophy McGee
Brophy McGee is a third-generation Arizonan, born and raised in a southern Arizona ranching family. Brophy McGee worked as a community banker and has lived in the Sunnyslope neighborhood for nearly 40 years. She served as a senator in the state legislature after serving nearly 10 years on the Washington Elementary School Board, including as board president. In 2021, Brophy McGee was appointed to the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission, representing District 3. She is currently co-chair of the Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women.
District 4 Candidate: (D) David M Sandoval
Sandoval is a local business owner. He is serving his second term as a Peoria Unified School District governing board member. Sandoval is focusing on youth and wants to provide them with an equitable opportunity to be successful, according to his campaign website.
District 4 Candidate: (R) Debbie Lesko
Lesko currently serves as the congresswoman representing Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. She was sworn into the US House of Representatives in May 2018 and was re-elected for a third full term. Lesko serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Before her role in DC, Lesko served in the state legislature for nine years, with three years as a state senator. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. She lives in Peoria with her husband, with whom she has three kids.
District 5 Candidate: (D) Steve Gallardo
Gallardo is the current Maricopa County Supervisor for District 5. He was born in Phoenix and is a 4th generation Arizonan. In 2002, Gallardo was elected to the state legislature, where he represented a newly created legislative district covering the southwest Valley. He previously served as a member of the Cartwright Elementary School Governing Board. Gallardo's priorities include public safety and building strong communities for all.
District 5 Candidate: (R) Ann Niemann
Niemann is a resident of South Mountain and has lived in Arizona for 21 years. Her website says she is married with 10 children and 28 grandchildren. Her faith as an evangelical Christian is what gives her her foundation for valuing family and American freedoms. Niemann has an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale. Her website says she is focused on fair and transparent elections and defending against government overreach.
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MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER
The Maricopa County Recorder is responsible for voter registration and early voting, including all mail voting for more than 2.4 million registered voters. The recorder's office is also in charge of the public recording of more than 50 million documents, including property deeds. The current recorder, Stephen Richer, was defeated in the Republican primary in July.
Candidate: (D) Tim Stringham
Attorney Tim Stringham is an Arizona native who is a first-time political candidate. He said prior leadership experience in the Army and Navy has helped prepare him for the job of running for the Maricopa County Recorder's Office.
Stringham said he wants to protect the ability to vote by mail, and he said politicians shouldn't make voting more difficult.
Stringham said he'll work to ensure that each eligible citizen gets to vote "in a safe, secure, and convenient way" and that each vote will be counted "fairly and transparently."
Candidate: (R) Justin Heap
State Representative Justin Heap has said, "Election integrity has become the civil rights issue of our time."
In the Arizona Legislature for the past two years, he voted in favor of hand-counting ballots and ending early voting. He supports a precinct model instead of voting centers on Election Day.
Heap has expressed concern about inaccurate voter rolls and the time it takes to count ballots in Maricopa County.
Arizona Clean Elections hosted a discussion with Maricopa County Recorder candidate (D) Tim Stringham following the state's primary, (R) Justin Heap chose not to participate. Heap did participate in a primary debate against then-candidates for the Republican ticket:
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MARICOPA COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
The role of the Maricopa County School Superintendent and its office is to oversee local governing school board elections as well as bond and override elections. The Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent also handles school finance, homeschooling and private school records.
Candidate: (D) Laura Metcalfe
Metcalfe has nearly three decades of experience in the classroom from being a classroom teacher to school principal and having worked in the Maricopa County Superintendent’s office.
Metcalfe says she is running to “restore fiscal integrity” in the superintendent’s office. She says she wants to work with local stakeholders and choose appointees who would support public education. She also wants to strengthen local partnerships for career and technical students or kids with non-traditional pathways so they have access to more expanded opportunities.
Candidate: (R) Shelli Boggs
Boggs has more than 20 years of experience as a certified teacher and has been a governing board member for the East Valley Institute of Technology since 2018.
Boggs says she supports school choice and prioritizes collaboration between parents, teachers and school leaders. She says she is running to “restore integrity and accountability” to the office. She also feels strongly that education should be focused on empowering students with the needed skills for success “without interference from political or social agendas” among other platforms that include bringing more transparency to the office and community involvement.
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MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF
2020 Republican nominee and former Joe Arpaio underling Jerry Sheridan faces off with Democratic nominee Tyler Kamp who worked for the Phoenix Police Department before working in West Africa for an NGO fighting human trafficking.
Candidate: (D) Tyler Kamp
Tyler Kamp is a fifth-generation Maricopa County resident and Arizona State University graduate. Kamp then worked for the Phoenix Police Department in roles such as Shift Commander, Gang Enforcement Sergeant and Homicide Detective. Kamp left the department and moved to West Africa to work for an organization fighting human trafficking. ABC15’s Investigators uncovered “substantiated” allegations of sexual harassment against Kamp during his time at Phoenix PD. Kamp says his priorities if elected are ending the Melendres court-ordered oversight, improving staffing and pursuing proactive law enforcement.
Candidate: (R) Jerry Sheridan
Jerry Sheridan began his career with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in 1977. In 2010, he was promoted to be Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Chief Deputy and he and Arpaio were both found in civil contempt of court orders relating to the Melendres orders. In 2020, Sheridan won the GOP nomination but lost the general election to former Sheriff Paul Penzone. In 2024, Sheridan has campaigned on a return to tough-on-crime policies, but has maintained he is different and comes with less baggage than Arpaio. Sheridan has advocated for a low-level offender detention center “like what we used to have in Tent City” to clear space in jails and allow the low-level offenders to work in a furlough program. Sheridan says stopping drug smuggling and better staffing for MCSO are other priorities if he is elected.
The Arizona Media Association hosted a debate with Maricopa County sheriff candidates (R) Jerry Sheridan and (D) Tyler Andrew Kamp:
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Not seeing specific candidate/race information? AZ Clean Elections has a list of candidates running for elected office in the state.
