City elections to watch in Peoria, Scottsdale, Mesa and Gilbert

It's easy to fixate on our federal and statewide elections, but make sure you also get to the bottom of your ballot to weigh in on local races.

Why it matters: Your city government is responsible for picking up your trash, paving your roads, approving new development and doing a whole bunch of other things that impact your daily life probably more than any other political body.

State of play: We previously told you about Phoenix's council elections, and if you live in the suburbs, you may also have some important choices to make.

• Here are the candidates on the ballot in Peoria, Mesa, Scottsdale and Gilbert.

Peoria mayor and council

What's happening: Mayor Cathy Carlat is termed out, and the unusually competitive and contentious race to replace her pits a city hall insider against a business owner in his first campaign for public office.

Who's running:

Jason Beck: He is running as a political outsider who will focus on bringing jobs to Peoria and improving public safety. Beck is the owner of TYR Tactical, which makes items such as body armor and shields for law enforcement and military uses, and his company has hosted numerous political events for prominent Republican figures over the past couple of years.

Bridget Binsbacher: She served for seven years on the Peoria City Council before resigning to run for mayor. She is running as the experienced hand who can guide the city on issues such as economic development and quality of life. Binsbacher is currently the executive director of the Cactus League, a position she said she'd resign from if elected.

City Council: Two of the four seats up for election are contested. In the Mesquite District, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas faces Brad Shafer, who was appointed to replace Binsbacher. In the Acacia District, real estate manager Jennifer Crawford is challenging incumbent Vicki Hunt.

Mesa council

What's happening: In District 4, which contains the neighborhoods around downtown, no candidate got a majority of votes in the August election, so there will be a runoff on the November ballot.

Who's running:

Jenn Duff: Duff has served on the council for four years and co-founded the Retail, Arts, Innovation and Livability Community Development Corporation. She owns a sport fishing tackle company and is a former professional bass angler.

Trista Guzman Glover: Glover served in administrative roles in Gov. Doug Ducey's and former Gov. Jan Brewer's administrations. She's a board member of Voices for CASA Children, which helps foster children.

Scottsdale council

What's happening: Seven candidates ran for three council seats in August, but only two — Kathy Littlefield and Solange Whitehead — got enough votes to win outright.

• The next two highest vote-getters will compete in a runoff.

Who's running:

Pamela Carter: Carter runs a media company that produced faith-based and family-friendly films and hosts a syndicated talk and fitness show. She serves on the board of Help 4 Kidz, which provides religious mentoring.

Barry Graham: Graham is a CPA and former planning commission member. He also served on the city's transportation commission and was the chairman of the Building Advisory Board of Appeals.

Gilbert council

Who's running:

Bobbi Buchli: She's running to preserve Gilbert's "small town feel" by rejecting proposals for high-density apartment buildings and commuter rail. Buchli is a real estate broker who has lived in the city for more than 20 years.

Bill Spence: He spent nearly 24 years in the Navy, where he served as a nuclear engineering officer on submarines and aircraft carriers. He also touts his record of opposing high-density housing in Gilbert. He was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council in 2020 but lost his election later that year.