The following guest post comes to us via Kelley Dupps, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona.
Voting is about civic engagement and civic responsibility, an ideal showcased in city elections happening now across the state. Specifically, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona (PPAA) have been working on the city council races in Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma, educating our supporters in those cities about their candidates and how they stand on the issues central to PPAA’s mission.
State legislators, school board members, and county governments are vital to our local communities’ thriving. Local ordinances are the front lines of how laws are administered and enforced, along with providing constituents access to community resources. Currently, city elections are happening and it’s important to get folks out to vote. Here’s an overview of our August primary races.
In Phoenix, four city council members are up for reelection, with three out of four of these seats being uncontested (which means the incumbent automatically wins). So Jim Waring (District 2), Laura Pastor (District 4), and Kate Gallego (District 8) have a clear path to certain victory on August 29 – Election Day! Although in uncontested races, incumbents Laura Pastor and Kate Gallego are endorsed by PPAA. Laura and Kate have long been supporters of Planned Parenthood and have served with integrity and grace on the Phoenix City Council.
In District 6, the incumbent, Sal DiCiccio, is facing a challenger. Early voting started on August 2 and Kevin Patterson is working hard to get every vote he can. As the only contested seat this cycle, the focus of August has been on this race. Kevin is a PPAA-endorsed candidate and has had volunteer support from a great group of PPAA supporters! The dedication of Planned Parenthood volunteers to go door to door for a city council race in 110 degree heat is INSPIRING! Led by PPAA volunteer Kate Fischer, a team of dedicated volunteers has talked with hundreds of voters about Election Day. When phone calls weren’t working, Kate knew she had to take it to the streets. It’s been shown that face-to-face conversations with voters leave a lasting impression and are key to getting that vote. We’re looking forward to celebrating with Team Patterson!
In Tucson, there’s a gluttony of riches in Ward 3, where PPAA endorsed each of these candidates: Paul Durham, Felicia Chew, and Tom Tronsdal. All three progressive candidates have an array of issues they’re passionate about; trusting women to make their own decisions and not taking away health care for millions of people are two of those issues. Having elected officials who understand the role Planned Parenthood plays in keeping communities healthy is vital to Planned Parenthood’s survival. (Candidates in Ward 5 and Ward 6 did not initiate any interest in PPAA’s support.)
In Yuma, PPAA has endorsed Karen Watts in the race for six at-large seats on the Yuma City Council. As a nurse practitioner, Karen understands the needs in the community and can bring resources to under-served communities. In addition, there are currently zero women serving on the Yuma City Council. Zero out of six. It’s time for Yuma to reflect their constituents by electing a more representative council.
Make sure to vote by Election Day: August 29! Click on the cities above for city-specific election information!