Meet the 3 candidates running for Scottsdale City Council
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Three candidates are vying for two Scottsdale City Council seats in the Nov. 3 election.
Why it matters: The winners will help determine the city's approach to water security, development and neighborhood concerns about short-term rentals.
Here are the candidates:
State of play: Incumbent Councilmember Barry Graham and former state lawmaker Michelle Ugenti-Rita are running on a joint conservative platform.
- Raoul Zubia is asking supporters to vote only for him.
How it works: Voters may select up to two candidates in this nonpartisan election, and the two receiving the most votes will win, joining Councilmember Solange Whitehead, who won another term outright in the July primary.
- Former Councilmember Bob Littlefield also advanced from the primary but later withdrew.
The clearest contrast between the candidates is on how Scottsdale should pursue turning wastewater into drinking water.
- Zubia supports expanding water purification. During public comment at Tuesday's council meeting, he criticized the lack of a long-term water plan, saying, "We need to get back to investing in water security."
- Ugenti-Rita opposes adding purified recycled water directly to the drinking supply.
- Graham questions the cost and urgency of an expansion, calling it a last resort for a future water crisis rather than something Scottsdale needs now.
Yes, but: The bigger clash is over Axon, the homegrown Taser and body camera manufacturer. All three welcomed Axon's headquarters, but not its 1,900 apartment proposal.
- Graham voted against both the original plan and the later 1,200-home compromise. Ugenti-Rita says voters should have decided the project, which is being challenged in appeals court.
- Zubia has said Scottsdale could welcome Axon's jobs while demanding less density, which prompted Graham and Ugenti-Rita to say he is too friendly with Axon.
The bottom line: The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Friday.