A dozen candidates file to run for Tucson City Council

A dozen candidates filed to run for Tucson City Council in Wards 3, 5 and 6 ahead of the Monday deadline to submit paperwork.

But the field is not yet firmly set as candidates could still face legal challenges to their candidacies.

Only two Republican candidates filed to run, while 10 of the candidates are Democrats.

No Libertarian or independent candidates filed for any of the offices up for election.

Republican candidates in Tucson have an uphill climb in Council races because Tucson’s election system requires candidates run within their wards in the primary race, but citywide in the general.

Democrats have a significant voter-registration advantage over Republicans citywide, with nearly two Democrats for every Republican. Overall, Democrats make up 42 percent of voters, Republicans make up 22 percent and independent voters make up 36 percent of voters.

No matter who wins the elections, Tucsonans will have new faces on the City Council because two incumbents are not seeking to run this year.

Here’s how the races are stacking up.

Ward 3

Tucson City Councilman Kevin Dahl, a Democrat who first won the North Side Ward 3 seat in 2021, is the only incumbent running for reelection this year.

Dahl, who has experience leading environmental organizations such as Tucson Audubon Society and National Parks Conservation Association, filed 779 signatures on April 4.

Dahl has drawn opposition in the primary from TUSD Boardmember Sadie Shaw, who said that she wants the Council to “make thoughtful, effective decisions that solve problems without creating new ones.”

Shaw, who works for the Arts Foundation of Tucson and Southern Arizona, filed 780 signatures on Monday.

The winner of the Aug. 5 primary is set to face Republican Janet “JL” Wittenbraker in the Nov. 4 general election.

Wittenbraker, who won 32 percent of the vote when she ran for mayor of Tucson in 2023 and 43 percent in a race against Democrat Jen Allen for the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 2024, filed 206 signatures.

“I want the best for Tucson and I think the only way that happens is by having a diverse and balanced mayor and Council,” Wittenbraker said.

Ward 3 Dems needed 391 signatures on nominating petitions, with Republicans needing 114.

Ward 5

Tucson City Councilmember Richard Fimbres is not seeking a fifth term, leaving an open seat in Ward 5.

Four Democrats filed to run in the South Side ward.

Selina Barajas, who previously worked as the Sunnyside Foundation, filed 495 signatures on April 1.

Barajas launched her campaign with a long list of endorsements that included Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, Pima County Supervisors Jennifer Allen and Matt Heinz and South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, among others.

Barajas is a University of Arizona graduate who earned a master’s degree in planning at UCLA. She previously helped manage the Sunnyside Foundation’s Community Investment Fund and calls herself a “creative entrepreneur” who is opening a South Tucson coffee shop, Luna y Sol Cafe, with her husband.

Longtime local businessman Jesse Lugo turned in 503 signatures last Wednesday.

Lugo, who previously owned an independent service station and now works as a consultant to gas stations, has won the Fimbres endorsement. He has said he would keep the current ward office staff and endeavor to complete projects the incumbent has in the pipeline.

Lugo has been involved in local politics for decades and ran unsuccessfully for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2000 and for the Ward 5 seat in 2001, when he lost to Democrat Steve Leal by 568 votes.

His campaign chairs include F. Ann Rodriguez, who served seven terms as Pima County recorder before retiring rather than seek another term in 2020, retired Tucson Police officer and South Tucson police chief Sixto Molina and retired Tucson firefighter Fred Fitzpatrick.

Rookie candidate Christopher Elsner, a Peace Corps veteran who is making his first run for public office, turned in 299 signatures on Monday.

Elsner told Tucson Sentinel he wanted to focus on Tucson’s challenges, including “housing affordability and accessibility, upgrading public infrastructure, ensuring adequate funding for city services and public safety, and making sure our community is resilient and adaptable to climate change.”

Hip-hop artist Fabian Danobeytia turned in 258 signatures on Monday.

That’s not much more than the required 252 valid signatures from voters in the ward needed to qualify for the ballot, making him vulnerable to a potential challenge.

Two other candidates who filed statements of interest in the race, park advocate Manon Getsi and political gadfly Richard Hernandez, did not move forward with their campaigns.

No Republican candidate filed to run in Ward 5.

Ward 6

In Midtown Ward 6, four Democrats and one Republican filed to run.

There is no incumbent in the race because Democrat Karin Uhlich, who was appointed to the seat in May 2024 after Democrat Steve Kozachik resigned from the Council, is not seeking a full four-year term.

Democrat Miranda Schubert turned in 1,151 signatures on March 10.

Schubert works an administrative role at community radio station KXCI, 91.3 FM and has served on the city’s Board of Adjustment and the Complete Streets Coordinating Council, where she has been an advocate for more bike lanes and more sidewalks.

She is making her second run for the Ward 6 seat. She captured 28 percent of the vote against Kozachik in the 2021 primary.

Attorney Leighton Rockafellow Jr., who is making his first run for public office, turned in 815 signatures on April 4.

Three others turned in their petitions on Monday.

Pima Community College Boardmember Theresa Riel, a retired math teacher who has been active in her neighborhood association, turned in 776 signatures.

Retired science teacher Jim Sinex filed petitions with 644 signatures.

Republican Jay Tolkoff, the former owner of the now-shuttered PJ Subs “T6” Filling Station pub, turned in 216 signatures.

In Ward 6, Democrats need 576 signatures to make the primary ballot, while GOP candidates need 145.

The number of required signatures on nominating petitions is based on the number of ballots cast by voters from each party in each ward in the last election for the individual Council offices.

Tucson holds city elections in odd-numbered years, outside of the presidential and midterm election cycles.

Mayor Regina Romero and Councilmembers Lane Santa Cruz (Ward 1), Paul Cunningham (Ward 2), and Nikki Lee (Ward 4) were elected to four-year terms in 2023.