By Jen Fifield | Arizona Republic
The Phoenix mayor and four City Council seats are up for grabs in November.
Mayor Kate Gallego faces two challengers on the ballot, Merissa Hamilton and Tim Seay. Both say they are running for office in Phoenix for the first time because the city needs better leadership, but are going up against a recently elected incumbent who has raised more than $1 million.
The mayoral and council election is officially nonpartisan, but Gallego and Seay are Democrats and Hamilton is Republican.
Of the four open council seats, two incumbents — Council members Debra Stark in District 3 and Betty Guardado in District 5 — are running for reelection, while the other two — Thelda Williams in District 1 and Michael Nowakowski in District 7 — are unable to run again because of term limits.
That guarantees at least two new faces on the council.
