Valley mayoral races: Joe Arpaio loses again, Mesa contest is tight
Jul 31, 2024, 10:00 AM | Updated: 11:32 am
(File photo: Nicholas Kamm//AFP via Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Multiple metro Phoenix cities voted for mayors during Tuesday’s primary election.
One of the most high-profile candidates, former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, lost again in his bid to become mayor of Fountain Hills. He also fell short in 2022.
Mayor Ginny Dickey was the leading vote-getter as of Wednesday morning, with 45%. If she stays below 50% she’ll face Gerry Friedel, who was at 39.8%, in a November runoff, per town election rules.
Highlights of Maricopa County mayoral elections
One of the most attention-grabbing mayoral races this cycle was in Mesa. Mayor John Giles has been termed out after serving in the position since 2014, and five candidates clamored for the position.
The latest numbers showed Scott Smith and Mark Freeman apparently heading for a runoff. Smith had 29.8% while Freeman had 29%, while Ryan Winkle was in next at 14.2%.
Another tight race took place in Scottsdale, where there may be a runoff if nobody reaches 50%. Incumbent David Ortega had 40.7% of the vote, while runner-up Lisa Borowsky had 38.5%.
Another notable race took place in Gilbert. Incumbent Brigette Peterson’s announcement that she wouldn’t run for reelection came after criticism over her handling of the Gilbert Goons. The explosion of violence in the East Valley became national news after the death of 16-year-old Preston Lord, a Gilbert teen, after a brutal gang beating.
Gilbert mayoral candidate Scott Anderson was on his way to winning with 57.5%. His opponent, Natalie Dibernardo trailed with 42.5%.
The numbers could change as the remaining ballots are tallied, but major shifts are unlikely because most of the votes are already counted and reported.
Arizona primary election 2024: The mayoral results so far
Here’s a roundup of early mayoral results across the county:
- Apache Junction: Mayor Chip Wilson won his bid for reelection with 67% of the vote. Ari Kalan got 32.9%.
- Avondale: Mike Pineda was on his way to defeating Veronica Malone, leading 57.6%-42.4. The two City Council members were running to succeed outgoing Mayor Kenneth Weise.
- Cave Creek: Incumbent Bob Morris was on his way to reelection with nearly 60%, about 20 points ahead of Jim Grubb.
- Paradise Valley: Anna Thomasson has 45.8% while Mark Stanton has 38.6%. Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner did not seek reelection.
- Surprise: Kevin Sartor led with 61% over Alyson Cline, who had 34%.
Four incumbents won uncontested mayoral races: Buckeye’s Eric Orsborn, Glendale’s Jerry Weiers, Guadalupe’s Valeria Molina and Tolleson’s Juan Rodriguez.