Meet the candidates in Mesa's District 5 council runoff
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The only Mesa City Council member defending her seat this year is headed to a runoff next month against a Turning Point-backed challenger.
Why it matters: District 5 voters must choose between giving Alicia Goforth four more years or electing Aleks Vranicic, a Yugoslavia-born entrepreneur.
Catch up quick: Goforth, who's endorsed by Mayor Mark Freeman and has represented District 5 since January 2023, led a five-candidate July election while Vranicic finished second.
- Because no candidate won a majority, the top two advanced to the Nov. 3 runoff.
Meet the candidates:
What they're saying: "Second terms are for leading," Goforth said at a July candidate forum.
- Vranicic said residents feel unheard, adding, "I want to be that voice for the residents," ABC15 reported.
Zoom in: Both candidates are conservatives. Goforth has defended her record at City Hall by saying that she believes city spending helps improve public safety and infrastructure.
- "That comes with investment. It comes with innovation. It comes with accountability," she said, per ABC15.
The other side: Vranicic says Mesa is overspending and bloating the $36 million structural deficit while charging residents more for utilities.
- On his campaign website, he questioned the city's decision to spend $16 million on a Sloan Park locker room and batting facility.
What's next: Last day to mail back your ballot is Oct. 27.
- After that, you can drop off your ballot at a secure ballot box through Election Day, on Nov. 3.