Voting in DTPHX: Everything You Need to Know for the November 2024 Election
by Haley Hoekstra
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The City of Phoenix Mayor and Council Election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. In this election, registered voters who reside in the City of Phoenix will elect a Mayor and decide any ballot measure propositions referred by the City Council. Also, voters residing in City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 will elect Council Members. If you aren’t familiar with or need a refresher on some critical information that will be on the ballot at the local level, here is a brief summary of the relevant details to help you stay on top of your civic duties.
In one sentence, they’re the people you can talk to about local issues that you’d like to see addressed.
Our City Council, like every city and town council, is a locally elected policy-making body with the authority to pass city laws and ordinances. Each council member’s term is four years. At regular meetings, typically open to the general public, the Council hears requests and grievances from local citizens (i.e., YOU!). They also receive updates from city staff and affiliate organizations on current projects and initiatives happening across the community.
Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 are participating in this year’s City Council Election. The November 5, 2024 election will be a County-conducted election. All candidate races and any propositions will appear on Maricopa County’s ballot for the November General Election. If no single candidate receives a majority (50% +1) of the votes for the office they are running for during the November 5, 2024 election, the top two candidates that received the most votes will advance to a runoff election to be held on March 11, 2025 (City-conducted election).
District 7 encompasses parts of Estrella, Maryvale, Laveen, South Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix. District 3 encompasses North Central Phoenix, Moon Valley and part of North Phoenix. You can use this handy tool from the City of Phoenix to determine your voting district.
Candidates Kate Gallego and Matt Evans are running in the general election for Mayor of Phoenix.
Former Councilmember Yassamin Ansari resigned in March to run for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Congressional District 3. It left an open District 7 seat to represent parts of downtown and the southwest portion of the city in Laveen and Estrella Mountain. District 7 voters will see two contests on the ballot: a special election, in which the elected official will temporarily serve until April 2025, and a regular election, in which the elected councilmember will serve a permanent four-year term beginning in mid-April 2025. City Council elections are non-partisan.
The candidates for Phoenix Council District 7 (full-term) are Martyn Bridgeman, Anna Hernandez, Michael Nowakowski, and Marcelino Quinonez.
Prop 479 is the continuation of an existing, dedicated half-cent sales tax in Maricopa County to fund transportation. This dedicated half-cent sales tax was first established by voters in 1985 with the approval of Proposition 300 and subsequently renewed in 2004 with the voters’ approval of Proposition 400. Its extension is on the November 5, 2024, Maricopa County ballot.
A yes vote would extend the tax until 2045 to continue regional transportation funding. The planned projects included in the investment plan are projected to keep this 30 minute average commute length in 2050 — even with continued population and job growth. That’s shorter than the current commute times in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle.
A no vote will discontinue the tax at the end of 2025. If Proposition 479 is not passed by voters, sales tax collections will expire, and all transportation projects, programs, and transit services included in the Regional Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan are at risk due to a lack of funding.
• With technical support from MAG staff, the Transportation Policy Committee (TPC) led the development of the new Regional Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Investment plan (“the plan”). The plan received unanimous support from the TPC and the MAG Regional Council and was found to meet all federal air quality requirements.
• If passed, a 20-year continuation of the tax is projected to generate $14.9 billion in revenues (2020 dollars).
• If Proposition 479 is approved by voters, 40.5 percent of the sales tax will be allocated to freeways and highways, 22.5 percent to arterial roads and regional transportation infrastructure, and 37 percent to transit.
• Voter-approved transportation investments (Prop 300) began in 1985 with the construction of the last segment of Interstate 10. In 2005, voters said “Yes” to the construction of Loop 101 and Loop 202 and to an increase in multi-modal transit options, including light rail, by approving Prop 400.
It can be hard to remember all the deadlines and dates for elections, so here’s a list to help you keep track:
Vote Centers and Drop Boxes will begin opening 28 days prior to Election Day for in-person voting and early ballot drop-off. Visit elections.maricopa.gov/voting/where-to-vote for more information.