• Primary Election: August 1
• General Election: November 7

Here are some resources voters need.

Independent candidates do not participate in primary elections. They will be voted on in the general election.

Kirshen has lived in Tucson for over 30 years and works as an inspection specialist at Pima Community College. He holds a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona. He previously served as a state commissioner for the Arizona Libertarian Party. Kirshen served in the United States Naval Reserve for eight years and published his 11 research papers in scientific journals.

Romero was the first woman to represent District 1 from 2007 to 2019. She was the first Latino woman elected mayor of Tucson in 2019. According to her biography on the city of Tucson website, Romero was from a family of immigrant farmers in Summerton and was the first in her family to vote and graduate from college. She has two children of her own.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona and a graduate certificate from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Romero served as the Pima County Youth Coordinator from 1996-2000. From 2000 until 2005 she served as the Pima County Neighborhood Reinvestment Coordinator, where she contributed $3.5 million to improvements in 20 districts. She is the co-founder of the Cesar Chavez Holiday Coalition and Las Adelitas, an organization that educates Latinos and encourages them to participate in political campaigns.

Mr. Wittenbraker is a subcontract administrator who specializes in the oversight of intellectual property contracts and worked from 2013 to 2015 as an executive assistant to former deputy city manager Albert Elias.

She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts and a Master of Laws degree from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

Ed Ackerley was born and raised in Tucson. He is the youngest of seven siblings. After graduating from Palo Verde High School, Ackerley went to the University of Arizona to earn his doctorate and medical doctorate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and a bachelor’s degree in radio and television from the University of Arizona, according to his campaign website.

Ackerley works for the family-owned company Ackerley Advertising and teaches at the University of Arizona. He and his wife have three sons of his.

Ackerley works in partnership with the American Advertising Federation Tucson and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He is the chairman of the Lilith His Park Foundation and the founder of the charity and Tucson business his owner coach.

No responses to survey

Ortega is a father, husband, community organizer, small business advocate and expert. She Ortega has served as an American Lung Association Counselor and Social Her Worker for the past 30 years. Ortega previously served as chief of staff to former Third Ward Councilman Karin Urich. He currently serves as Vice President of the Ironwood Ridge Neighborhood Association.

Ortega and his wife Maricela have two boys who attend public school.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and has completed several graduate courses in history and political science from the University of Arizona.

Santa Cruz is a Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching, Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of Arizona.

She is a bicycle mechanic, community organizer and mother of four.

Cunningham is a teacher at Gridley Middle School. He was a former juvenile protection officer for 10 years and a public school teacher for over 10 years.

He has a master’s degree in social services and has served in the Army Reserve and National Guard for eight years. He founded TEAM Tucson, a non-profit organization in 2006 to help his teen homeless problem.

Nat grew up in Douglas and has been a small business owner and licensed real estate agent since 2018. She previously served as president of the National Women’s Business Association and she conducts her financial literacy workshops locally.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Management and an MBA in Global Management.

Ernie Shack also echoed Wittenbreaker’s response to our survey.

Spicer is a Native American flute-playing musician at the Ritz-Carlton who previously worked in the field of primary education.

Spicer holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. She has served as president of the Old Fort Lowell Municipal Association and secretary of the Pima County Libertarian Party.

She is the founder of the Old Fort Lowell Live-At-Home program.

Kaplowich is a former corrections officer with the Arizona Department of Corrections and now owns a local trucking business.

Lee was first elected to city council in 2019 after serving 20 years in the Air Force and working in the cybersecurity industry. She is currently a senior account executive at the Arbinger Institute and a mother of three children.

Lee holds an MBA in Information Technology Management.

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