Municipal elections in Tucson, Arizona (2017)
2019 →
← 2015
|
| 2017 Tucson elections |
|---|
 |
| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: May 31, 2017 |
| Primary election: August 29, 2017 General election: November 7, 2017 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: City Council |
| Total seats up: 3 |
| Election type: Partisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2017 |
Voters in Tucson decided on Proposition 101 on May 16, 2017. Click here to learn more about the measure. Click here to read about Ward 3 candidate positions on two proposed sales tax increases.
Elections
Ward 3
Karin Uhlich (D) did not file for re-election in 2017.
General election
Campaign finance
Democratic primary
Campaign finance
Ward 5
General election
- ☑ Richard Fimbres
(i)
Democratic primary
- ☑ Richard Fimbres
Campaign finance
Ward 6
General election
- ☑ Steve Kozachik
- ☐ Mariano Rodriguez
- ☐ Mike Cease
Campaign finance
Democratic primary
- ☑ Steve Kozachik
Campaign finance
Republican primary
Campaign finance
Green Party primary
Campaign finance
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Arizona elections, 2017
Tucson's city council primary did not share the ballot with other local, state, and federal elections. Six county and school district ballot measures appeared on the general election ballot.
• Proposition 202: Tucson Reid Park Zoo Sales Tax Authorization Charter Amendment
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of amending the city charter to authorize a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund the Reid Park Zoo. The measure was designed to require implementation through approval of Proposition 203. |
| A no vote was a vote against amending the city charter to authorize a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund the Reid Park Zoo. The measure was designed to require implementation through approval of Proposition 203. |
• Proposition 203: Tucson Reid Park Zoo Sales Tax Implementation Initiative
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of implementing for ten years a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund the Reid Park Zoo. The measure was designed to require authorization through approval of Proposition 202. |
| A no vote was a vote against implementing for ten years a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund the Reid Park Zoo. The measure was designed to require authorization through approval of Proposition 202. |
• Proposition 204: Tucson Sales Tax for Early Childhood Education
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of enacting a 0.5 percent (half-cent) sales tax with no expiration date to fund an early childhood education financial aid program and establishing a commission to oversee the program. The initiative was designed to amend both the city charter and the city code. |
| A no vote was a vote against enacting a 0.5 percent (half-cent) sales tax with no expiration date to fund an early childhood education financial aid program and establishing a commission to oversee the program. The initiative was designed to amend both the city charter and the city code. |
• Proposition 406: Charter Amendment to Increase Mayoral and City Council Salaries
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of amending the city charter to increase the salary of the mayor from $3,500 per month to $5,775 per month, and the salaries of city council members from $2,000 per month to $3,300 per month. |
| A no vote was a vote against amending the city charter to increase the salary of the mayor, thereby leaving the mayor's salary at $3,500 per month and the salaries of city council members at $2,000 per month. |
Ballotpedia did not cover any measures in this jurisdiction on November 7, 2017.
Council map
Each member of the council is elected by district. The map below details the boundaries of Tucson's city council wards prior to the 2017 election.
You can navigate the following document by zooming in or out with the + and - buttons and using the vertical scrollbar.
Past elections
2015
| Mayor of Tucson, General election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jonathan Rothschild Incumbent |
93.1% | 61,358 | |
| Independent | Paula Huff (Write-in) | 0.2% | 109 | |
| Independent | Joshua Chesser (Write-in) | 0.1% | 71 | |
| Independent | Charles Phillips (Write-in) | 0.1% | 65 | |
| Write-in votes | 6.56% | 4,327 | ||
| Total Votes | 65,930 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections Department, "Official Canvass Consolidated Elections November 3, 2015," November 9, 2015 | ||||
| Tucson City Council Ward 1, General election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Regina Romero Incumbent |
57.6% | 45,367 | |
| Republican | Bill Hunt | 42.1% | 33,141 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.33% | 261 | ||
| Total Votes | 78,769 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections Department, "Official Canvass Consolidated Elections November 3, 2015," November 9, 2015 | ||||
| Tucson City Council Ward 2, General election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Paul Cunningham Incumbent |
57.5% | 45,296 | |
| Republican | Kelly Lawton | 42.2% | 33,231 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.31% | 246 | ||
| Total Votes | 78,773 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections Department, "Official Canvass Consolidated Elections November 3, 2015," November 9, 2015 | ||||
| Tucson City Council Ward 4, General election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Shirley C. Scott Incumbent |
55.7% | 43,824 | |
| Republican | Margaret Burkholder | 44.0% | 34,611 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.31% | 242 | ||
| Total Votes | 78,677 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections Department, "Official Canvass Consolidated Elections November 3, 2015," November 9, 2015 | ||||
Issues
Sales tax proposals divide Ward 3 primary candidates
Two proposals to raise Tucson's sales tax generated different responses from Ward 3 Democratic candidates during a candidate forum on July 11, 2017.[2] All three candidates were asked about a 0.5 percent sales tax increase proposed by Strong Start Tucson and a 0.1 percent sales tax increase proposed by the Future of Your Zoo Campaign. The Strong Start Tucson tax would have funded early childhood education programs, while the Future of Your Zoo Campaign tax funds the Reid Park Zoo. Independent Gary Watson told the Arizona Daily Star that he would defer to voter decisions about these taxes.[3][4] The following table summarizes candidate responses:
On May 16, 2017, voters approved a 0.5 percent increase to the sales tax for a five-year period. Prior to the passage of Proposition 101, the sales tax increase was estimated to generate $250 million in revenue dedicated to public safety and road projects. The city's sales tax was increased to 8.6 percent after passage of Proposition 101.
Democratic control of city council
Democrats held all six city council seats following the 2013 election when Steve Kozachik switched his affiliation from Republican to Democratic.[5] The mayor is a seventh member of the council.[6] Mayor John Rothschild (D) was first elected in 2011. The following table details members of the Tucson City Council prior to the 2017 election:
| Tucson City Council | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ward | Member | Party |
| 1 | Regina Romero | |
| 2 | Paul Cunningham | |
| 3 | Karin Uhlich | |
| 4 | Shirley C. Scott | |
| 5 | Richard Fimbres | |
| 6 | Steve Kozachik | |
About the city
- See also: Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in Pima County, Arizona. As of 2010, its population was 520,116.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Tucson uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[7]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Tucson, Arizona | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tucson | Arizona | |
| Population | 520,116 | 6,392,017 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 238 | 113,652 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 72.1% | 77.2% |
| Black/African American | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Asian | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| Native American | 3.7% | 4.5% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 43.6% | 31.3% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 85% | 87.1% |
| College graduation rate | 27.4% | 29.5% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $43,425 | $58,945 |
| Persons below poverty level | 22.5% | 15.1% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Tucson Arizona election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Tucson, Arizona | Arizona | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Tucson Office of the City Clerk, "2017 Primary Election Candidates," May 31, 2017
- ↑ Arizona Daily Star, "Tucson Ward 3 candidates clash over sales tax proposals," July 12, 2017
- ↑ Arizona Daily Star, "Tucson voters may decide on sales tax hike to fund Reid Park Zoo projects," July 7, 2017
- ↑ Strong Start Tucson, "About," accessed August 7, 2017
- ↑ Tucson.com, "Democrats sweep, maintain control of City Council," November 6, 2013
- ↑ Tucson, AZ Code of Ordinances, "Chapter IX. Legislation," accessed May 10, 2017
- ↑ Mayor Rothschild, "History and Culture of Tucson," accessed October 21, 2014
 |
State of Arizona Phoenix (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |