Corey Woods defeats Mark Mitchell in Tempe mayor’s race

PHOENIX — Voters in Tempe have elected a new mayor.

Corey Woods has defeated incumbent Mark Mitchell, according to preliminary results Tuesday from the Maricopa County Elections Department.

Woods captured 57% of the votes to rush past the two-term Mitchell and became the first African-American mayor in the city’s history.

Woods already knows his way around City Hall – he served on the council from 2008 to 2016 and was former vice mayor.

He currently is community relations officer for Arizona State University Preparatory Academy in downtown Phoenix.

Mitchell has served as mayor since 2012 and had previously served three terms on the city council.

Woods will join council members Randy Keating and Joel Navarro, who were reelected, and newcomer Doreen Garlid at July’s swearing-in ceremony.

Garlid, a former business manager at Fox 10, led the fight for the three open seats with 25% of the votes, followed by Navarro with 24% and Keating with 22%.

Five candidates ran for the seats.

There are 90,777 registered voters in Tempe; around 25,000 ballots had been counted Tuesday night.

Another East Valley city held an election, as well.

Chandler’s Proposition 426 passed easily. The measure will amend the city’s charter to read that primary, regular, and special elections can occur on election dates authorized by state law.

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