Mesa Mayoral Election 2024: Meet the Candidates

Mesa voters are about to choose a new mayor for the first time in a decade.

The crowded field of candidates includes newcomers and familiar faces to Mesa politics.

Five men are running to replace term-limited Mayor John Giles and lead the state’s third-most populous city: Carey Davis, Mark Freeman, Scott Neely, Scott Smith and Ryan Winkle.

Over the next four years, Mesa’s next mayor could decide to implement major projects such as Site 17 and Fiesta Redefied. He or she will also face challenges in addressing growing issues such as homelessness and transportation.

Voters have a choice between two camps of candidates. They can either stick with someone who has already been elected in Mesa or choose a newcomer with a more conservative profile.

Early voting began July 3. Voters can check the status of their mail-in ballot on the Maricopa County website at https://elections.maricopa.gov/voting/voter-dashboard-login. Those who choose to vote by mail are advised to mail their ballot by July 23 or drop it off at a ballot drop-off location or polling place by July 30.

Who’s running for mayor of Mesa?

Davis, after retiring in 2019, moved to Mesa to be closer to his children, who live in the East Valley.

Although he is a stranger to Arizona politics, Davis served as mayor of San Bernardino, California, from 2014 to 2018. Two years earlier, San Bernardino had filed for bankruptcy, and Davis, with his financial background as a certified public accountant, stepped in to “steer the city through” that period.

He also serves as treasurer of Republican Legislative District 15.

Freeman currently serves on the Mesa City Council, representing District 1, the north-central area of the city, and is term-limited. He worked as a firefighter for 31 years with the Mesa Fire and Medical Department before retiring in 2011. His ancestry goes back to the early Mormon pioneers who settled in Mesa.

Arizona Local Elections: Read our complete coverage of the Mesa mayoral race

He said he was running for mayor to keep “Mesa at the forefront of innovation,” but did not provide further details.

Neely has officially launched his campaign to become a Republican candidate for governor in 2022. He made his living in the concrete business and owns three businesses. He has lived in Mesa for more than 20 years.

He has no electoral experience. He is running for mayor because of the “need for fresh perspectives and pragmatic solutions,” he told the Republic newspaper, referring to his status as a newcomer to Mesa’s political scene.

Smith is seeking a second term as Mesa mayor. He was previously elected twice to the office, in 2008 and 2012. He resigned midway through his second term to run as a Republican for governor in 2014, which he lost to Doug Ducey.

Smith served as Valley Metro’s CEO from 2016 until his retirement in 2022. He said he wanted to return to the seat because he wanted to keep Mesa’s momentum going and believed “there was unfinished business that needed to be addressed.”

Smith did not elaborate on the outstanding issues he was referring to, but said housing was a top priority he would address during his term.

Winkle had already served on the council for four months before the City Council voted to oust him due to an arrest for drinking under the influence of alcohol.

In the years since, he has become a community advocate for small businesses, including serving as executive director of Rail CDC, a Mesa-based community development corporation that provides assistance to businesses along the light rail line.

He serves on various other boards and committees, including the Resilience Leaders Council led by Arizona State University President Michael Crow. As mayor, his goal would be to “establish community task forces to gather ideas from the neighborhood” to address issues such as housing and government transparency.

Where are they in terms of growth?

Over the past decade, Mesa has begun to shed its identity as a residential community amid major developments along its downtown and in the southeastern parts of the city near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

Davis’ economic growth priorities focus primarily on streamlining city governance processes to limit spending. He opposes the city’s investment in Arizona State University’s downtown campus.

“I haven’t seen any net benefit to the ASU campus in the downtown area,” Davis said. On the housing issue, he said at the Mesa Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, the city is focusing too much on adding high-density multifamily projects and instead focusing on bringing in single-family homes.

Freeman said on his campaign website that he is committed to implementing “pro-growth policies that stimulate entrepreneurship and support local businesses.” A key priority to maintaining growth is an adequate water supply and system, he said at a Mesa Chamber of Commerce candidate forum.

At the same forum, Neely said he wants to revise city ordinances to allow residents to run small businesses from their homes. He called it an “industrial-residential zoning” code.

Smith, who helped Mesa grow, wants to continue that momentum, focusing on revising city codes and working with property owners to help redevelop aging areas of the city.

To increase the housing stock, he said, the city must be creative and innovative in finding ways to solve the problem.

Winkle is focused on small businesses and reinvesting in community development, giving them “control,” he wrote in a social media post. He said the city plays a crucial role in supporting businesses. He wants to add regulatory support and streamline government processes, as well as add training for small businesses.

Strategy with tax money

Mesa has a $2.6 billion budget, and many candidates have ideas about how to manage it.

Davis would run with a conservative mindset to cut spending. “Mesa needs to be a better steward of taxpayer resources,” he said in The Republic’s questionnaire. He would not support raising taxes to address a decline in tax revenue due to state policies.

“With proper management, improved operational efficiency and the elimination of unnecessary expenses, Mesa can live within its means and not overburden taxpayers,” he said. He also touted his experience in extricating San Bernandino from bankruptcy when he was mayor. Davis cited the new city council chamber project, scheduled to be completed in September, as an example of unnecessary spending.

Freeman said his goal is to maintain municipal services at their current level and in particular to ensure that revenue reductions do not “interfere with water storage and resilience.”

Neely said in a social media post that Mesa has sales tax rates that are too high and that he will “prioritize tax reform” to lower them. He says that drives away businesses.

Smith is another candidate who touts his experience with municipal budgets. He served as mayor during the Great Recession.

“We did not consider tax increases to solve our problems then, and I would not support a primary property tax or any other tax increase to address the current challenge,” Smith wrote in The Republic’s questionnaire.

Winkle said the city survives on taxes and that “limiting that direct connection is contrary to good community management.” If the city manages its budget properly, it won’t need to cut programs in a time of declining revenues.

Major supports?

Davis has received support from East Valley politicians, including Republican Sen. David Farnsworth and Republican state Reps. Barbara Parker and Jacqueline Parker.

Barbara Parker said in a social media post: “We need real change and new, experienced leadership!”

Among Freeman’s backers is former U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon.

“I truly believe that Mesa has a chance to become the greatest city in America… But not without the right leader and I think Mark is that leader,” Salmon said in one of Freeman’s campaign videos.

Neely said at a candidate forum that he was not seeking support from organizations or politicians because “tough decisions need to be made without special interests seeking favors.”

Smith has garnered numerous endorsements from city council members, political figures and local business owners.

City Councilors Julie Spilsbury and Scott Somers are supporting Smith. Former Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement of support that “Smith’s return to lead Mesa will help secure its future.”

Smith also set a new fundraising record, raising $302,000 from Jan. 1 to March 31. Among those who donated to Smith are Mesa developer Andrew Cohn, Arizona’s richest man Ernest Garcia and Banner Health CEO Peter Fine.

Winkle’s social media platforms did not immediately share support for his mayoral bid.