Democrats, including newcomer, take all 3 Tucson City Council races

The unofficial results for Tucson’s City Council elections show Democrats swept the ticket, with two longtime incumbents retaining their seats and newcomer Kevin Dahl winning an open position.

More than 73,400 ballots have been tabulated for this year’s citywide council elections. Some votes submitted on Election Day have yet to be counted, but all of the front-runners have earned the clear majority of votes in their races — ranging from 58% to 71% — as of Tuesday.

The City Clerk’s Office did not provide the number of ballots that still need to be counted. The results of the elections are unofficial until they are certified at a later date. Voters citywide cast ballots in all the ward races.

Ward 3

Democrat Kevin Dahl will be Tucson’s newest City Council member after winning nearly 58% of the votes counted in the Ward 3 race.

Dahl is a conservationist who serves as the Arizona senior program manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. He’s also led Native Seeds/SEARCH and the Tucson Audubon Society, two groups dedicated to environmental protection.

His top issues over the next four years will include addressing climate change by ensuring the city stays true to its climate initiatives. Affordable housing in Tucson is another key issue for Dahl, whose strategy could include repurposing vacant homes to increase housing options.

“I was very excited. I look forward to serving on the council,” Dahl said. “I ran on the issue of fighting climate change and preparing Tucson to be protected from the impact of increasing heat and drought. That was a message that played well with the voters.”

Dahl will replace Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, who was tapped to replace Councilman Paul Durham earlier this year following his resignation. She previously held the position from 2005 to 2017.

Uhlich did not seek a full term, making this year’s election in Ward 3 a battle between Dahl and two other political newcomers: Republican Alan Harwell Jr. and Independent Lucy LiBosha.

Harwell received about 27% of the vote. His top issues were to increase funding for law enforcement and oppose COVID mitigation measures like vaccine mandates for city employees.

The Republican candidate declined to comment on the election results.

LiBosha is an Army veteran and current high school math teacher in the Tucson Unified School District who has received about 12% of the counted votes. Her key issues included encouraging neighborhood-led public works programs and putting money toward social services such as mental health-care resources.

The independent candidate said the results are “not an electoral reflection of the needs of the Tucson community as a whole.” She added that many working people were not aware of the election, and that she will continue to hold out for diverse and community-oriented representation in the city.

“My truth is that we ran out of money, resources and time to engage every community. Our platform is solid, inclusive and critically thoughtful,” LiBosha said. “I believe that there would have been a very different outcome in a society that mandates systems (and) practices in place for the whole of our society to engage in the electoral process.”

Dahl will assume the Ward 3 position early next year and will be up for reelection in 2025.

Ward 6

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Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik will retain his position after securing 65% of the votes counted for the Ward 6 election.

Kozachik is a Democrat who has served on the council since 2009. During his time in office, he has spearheaded efforts to address a number of key city issues such as road repair and the placement of 5G utility poles.

He plans to focus on water security issues during his next four-year term, specifically groundwater that has been contaminated with potentially harmful chemicals called PFAS. Other issues in Kozachik’s crosshairs include COVID-19 mitigation and creating more high-paying jobs in Tucson.

“I’m grateful to the community for recognizing the work that my staff and I have been doing for the past four years,” Kozachik said. “We have some really fundamental, important issues ahead of us. We’re just looking forward to digging in first thing in the morning.”

Independent candidate Val Romero was Kozachik’s sole opponent in the Ward 6 election. The political newcomer has received about 30% of the counted votes.

Romero is a business owner whose campaign focused on issues such as opposing COVID vaccine mandates for city employees, strengthening the Tucson Police Department and promoting the growth of small businesses in the city. He could not be reached for comment about the election results.

The Ward 6 City Council seat will be up for reelection again in 2025.

Ward 5

Councilman Richard Fimbres has won the lion’s share of the votes counted in the Ward 5 election, securing his position for the next four years.

Fimbres is a Democrat who has served on the council for the past 12 years. He has held many public service jobs throughout his career, including a 32-year stint at the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and an appointment as the director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The incumbent has received 71% of the votes tabulated. He had been running unopposed but was challenged by write-in candidates Shelley Cross — a Republican — and Libertarian Adalberto Diaz.

Combined, the write-in challengers have received about 6% of the vote.

Fimbres has focused on economic development during his tenure on the City Council. Policies championed by the councilman have produced thousands of new jobs in Tucson and created work opportunities for homeless people across the city.

Over the next four years, Fimbres said he plans to continue efforts to promote economic growth and provide support for residents who have been financially affected by the pandemic.

“I want to thank my colleagues on the Council, city staff, businesses, organizations and others for whom I’ve worked with, building the Renaissance of Ward 5,” Fimbres said in a post-election press release. “I look forward to the next chapters of the Ward 5 Renaissance and continue providing services to the most vulnerable and needy in our community.”

Fimbres will hold the seat until 2025, when the position will be up for grabs once again.