Dahl’s Tucson Council campaign qualifies for city matching funds

Ward 3 Councilman Kevin Dahl’s reelection campaign qualified for matching funds last week and he’s now eligible to receive up to roughly $140,000 from the city of Tucson for his primary campaign.

The Tucson City Clerk’s Office confirmed on May 23 that Dahl had passed an audit after first submitting his application to quality on April 8.

The matching funds program, created by voters in the 1980s, allows candidates to receive a dollar-for-dollar match for funds that they receive from individuals.

To qualify, a candidate must raise at least 200 contributions of at least $10 from city residents and agree to limit their spending. While a final limit won’t be set until July, the preliminary limit is $187,162 for the total campaign and $140,372 for the primary campaign.

Dahl has been the top fundraiser among all candidates running for City Council this year, reporting $31,931 in contributions. He had $22,807 in the bank at the end of the first-quarter reporting period on March 31.

His fundraising report indicates he is now eligible for $31,421 in matching funds based on what he had raised by the end of March.

Dahl’s opponent in the Aug. 5 primary, Tucson Unified School District Boardmember Sadie Shaw, told the Sentinel she had an appointment with the City Clerk’s Office to turn in her application for matching funds on Tuesday, May 27.

Shaw’s most recent report showed she had raised $2,366 between March 13, when she entered the race, and March 31.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Janet “JL” Wittenbraker in the Nov. 4 general election.

Wittenbraker’s most recent fundraising report showed she had raised no money as of March 31. 

Wittenbraker, who previously ran for mayor of Tucson in 2023 and for the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 2024, told the Sentinel had collected about half of the 200 contributions needed to apply for matching funds.

In Midtown Ward 6, four Democrats — Miranda Schubert, Leighton Rockafellow Jr., Theresa Riel and Jim Sinex — are vying in the Aug. 5 primary. 

Schubert, who works as operations manager at community radio station KXCI, is the only Ward 6 candidate to have qualified for matching funds.

Schubert had raised $19,431 in contributions and an additional $16,459 in public matching funds, bringing her total of $35,891. 

After spending $13,482, she had $22,409 left in the bank.

Rockafellow, who works as an attorney, turned in his application for matching funds on May 14. His report showed he had raised $26,145 and had $15,588 left in the bank.

He would be eligible for $26,145 in matching funds once approved, according to his report.

Riel had not yet applied for matching funds. The Pima Community College boardmember’s most recent campaign finance report, showing activity through March 31, showed she had raised $3,050 and had $2,537 left in the bank. 

Sinex, a retired science teacher, had raised nothing outside of a $324 contribution to his own campaign as of March 31 and had not applied for matching funds.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Jay Tolkoff, a former owner of a local sandwich shop who has also run his own construction company.

Tolkoff’s finance reports showed he had raised $100 that he had loaned the campaign through March 31.

There’s no incumbent in the Midtown Ward 6 race because Councilmember Karin Uhlich is not seeking the office. Uhlich was appointed to the seat in May 2024 after Democrat Steve Kozachik resigned from the council.

In Ward 5 on the South Side, two of the three Democrats have applied for matching funds.

Selina Barajas’ and Jesse Lugo’s applications are both undergoing audits.

Lugo, a former service station owner who still works as a fuel broker, filed a May 9 application for matching funds. Lugo reported raising $25,920 and still had $20,657 in the bank.

His report showed he would be eligible for $24,320 in matching funds once he qualifies.

Selina Barajas, an entrepreneur and consultant who is opening a South Tucson cafe, applied for matching funds as part of her first-quarter filing.

That report noted she had raised $15,336 and had spent $6,160, leaving her with $9,224 as of March 31.

She noted in her report that she would be eligible to receive $14,373 in city funds once she qualifies for the program.

The third candidate in the Democratic primary, Chris Elsner, has not yet applied for matching funds.

Elsner, a returned Peace Corps member who works for the organization at the University of Arizona, is making his first run for public office.His most recent report showed that through March 31, he had raised $4,043, including $500 from his mother, Linda Elsner, and $500 from his mother-in-law, Linda Allen, and a personal donation of $1,460.

He had $1,541 in the bank at the end of the quarter.