Voters in Tucson headed to the polls Tuesday to decide which Democratic candidates will appear on the ballot for Tucson’s City Council in November’s general election.

Selina Barajas held a strong lead over fellow Democrats Jessie Lugo and Chris Elsner for the Ward 5 seat Tuesday night.

Barajas had secured 58% of the vote, leading fellow Democratic challengers Lugo, who received 34%, and Elsner, with 8%.

With no Republican in the race, the winner is guaranteed the seat.

Ward 6 Democratic candidate Miranda Schubert held a strong lead over Leighten Rockafellow Jr. and James Sinex. The winner will face Republican Jay Tolkoff in the general election.

Tuesday night vote tallies showed Schubert with 64.5% of the vote, Rockafellow Jr. with 31.1%, and Sinex with 3.9%.

In Ward 3, incumbent Kevin Dahl had a slight lead over challenger Sadie Shaw for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Republican challenger Janet “JL” Wittenbraker in November.

Dahl had 50% of the vote over Shaw’s 48%, with fewer than 150 votes separating the two.

Meanwhile, South Tucson voters weighed in on a recall election for three City Council members, with Roxanna Valenzuela, Brian Flagg and Cesar Aguirre all retaining their seats.

Second Sky on the city’s south side was alive with purple lights and upbeat music, as people danced and children maneuvered through a packed community center.
The room was filled with hundreds of Barajas’ supporters, volunteers, family and friends — some traveling across state lines to celebrate her win. The event space had interactive games and activities to make sure even the youngest attendees stayed entertained.

Francisco Diaz, a voter in Ward 5, said he learned who Barajas was when she came knocking on his door as part of a neighborhood canvas. He said her willingness to listen and show up for everyone, no matter their background, set her apart.

“After I met her and after I saw the way she talked to me, she didn't talk down to me,” Diaz said. “And from what I've seen, she's very educated and she will approach anybody — even homeless people — and she doesn't think that she's better than them.“

Barajas’ neighbor Heather Rauch said she brings a much-needed focus on the needs of everyday people.

“She will be great for Tucson overall,” Rauch said. “She is so community-focused, and I think that we have someone that's grounded in what the community wants and listens.”

Before the results were announced, Barajas addressed the crowd and praised those who were with her throughout the journey.

“I wasn't going alone, I wasn't the only one knocking on doors talking to people in 100-degree weather,” Barajas said. “I carry each step and think of all those that came before me and all those who are here with me today and all those who are going to come after me.”

Among the attendees were prominent faces in the community, including Mayor Regina Romero and current Ward 5 Councilmember Rocque Perez.

After the results were announced, Romero took the stage to congratulate the winners and to look ahead to the general election.

“If, in November, we elect the Democratic candidates that were elected today, we are going to have five women on the council — three Latinas, two queer,” Romero said. “The candidates that Tucsonans voted for are rooted in our community, rooted in the ward that they are bound to represent.”

Barajas credited her success to the people working behind the scenes — from door canvassers to staff and volunteers. As of Tuesday night, Barajas had secured 2,025 votes, making history as the first woman to represent Ward 5.

“This is a historic moment for Ward 5, and I'm willing to work. This is the first time in 16 years that we had more than one name on the ballot and the first time our community saw a female on the ballot,” Barajas said. “A lot of families like mine have been here for generations. It's really important for me to represent this community with pride because I'm proud to be from this community.”

Over at Hotel Congress, the Pima County Democratic Party hosted its own election night party, with guests enjoying free food and music as misters cooled them outside.

Congressional District 7 candidate and former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva gave the opening remarks of the night, recognizing candidates’ efforts and the work people put in knocking on doors and urging residents to vote.

“It is not easy to be a candidate. It is not easy to put yourself out there, and so I'm just very appreciative that they were willing to do that,” Grijalva said, noting a local push for more progressive values.

The patio glowed under blue lights, the event celebrating the Democratic Party rather than any one candidate.

"It's a family fight — that's always the worst fight — but the way these three handled it, the integrity they showed and the respect that they show each other, the way they talk about each other when the other two aren't [around], there is something genuinely special,” said Pima County Democratic Party Executive Director Alex Kack.

Ward 6 candidate Schubert rented out a room for her supporters, while other candidates mingled with their families and supporters outside.

“I’m really concerned about climate. I think that’s huge right now, for myself and my grandkids,” said Schubert supporter Laurie Fransway. “I really appreciate someone in there who cares about my values.”

After the results were announced, Schubert addressed the crowd, thanking voters for their support.

“I know that the federal and state levels get a lot of attention, but the resistance starts here at the local level,” Schubert said. “Being progressive means trying different things. It means not doing things the same way that it’s always been done and not reading that as less risky than taking the leap of trying something we haven’t done before.”

With the general election still ahead, Schubert said it's important to maintain the momentum and continue to remind people how important it is to vote and participate in the civic process.

“I think we have a progressive majority,” Schubert said, describing how she thinks she would fit in on the City Council. “I think we have more people who are rejecting things like criminalizing homelessness and charging again for public transit just to scare up a few million bucks.”

Petitioners walked around asking for signatures from attendees and advocating for causes important to the Democratic Party while people waited for results to pour in. Hotel Congress began to fill with anxious yet excited energy as attendees awaited acceptance and concession speeches from candidates.

While results were not officially called at the event, Ward 3 candidate and incumbent Dahl delivered an acceptance speech, thanking his supporters, voters and canvassers. He said the nation is facing strange times and it's time for Democrats to step up.

“It's a time that Democrats have to rise to the opportunity and the challenge that we're facing. You hear it and see it in the news, read it in the news every day. We need to be the voice of democracy,” Dahl said. “We need to be the voice of justice. We need to protect the environment. We need to talk about climate change.”

Sarah Arellano is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at saraharellano@arizona.edu.

Emma LaPointe is a journalism, political science and German Studies major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at emma.m.lapointe@gmail.com.

Angelina Maynes is a University of Arizona alum and reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact her at angelinamaynes@arizona.edu.

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