Photo via Arizona Corporation Commission
By Reis Thebault | New York Times
A slate of liberal candidates won control of the board of Arizona’s largest public utility this week, according to preliminary results posted on Wednesday, emerging from a surprisingly contentious race that attracted national attention.
The winning candidates, who campaigned as the Clean Energy Team, drew support from the Sierra Club and the actress Jane Fonda as they ran against a rival slate backed by state business leaders and Turning Point USA, the conservative group Charlie Kirk founded.
The utility, the Salt River Project, delivers power and water to millions of customers across metropolitan Phoenix, and its board determines how much households will pay for those precious services in one of America’s hottest and driest cities.
Two of the Turning Point-endorsed candidates also prevailed, winning their races for board president and vice president, who act as conduits between the elected officials and the utility’s management. Still, members of the power district board aligned with the Clean Energy Team will now hold an eight-to-six majority, meaning proponents of renewable power will control the utility’s policymaking for the first time.
“Starting when we’re sworn in, S.R.P. will be the largest utility in the country with a majority vote of clean energy supporters,” said Ken Clark, who is one of the team’s newly elected candidates and will represent a swath of north-central Phoenix. “There has been a pent-up demand, especially in Arizona, for people to have their energy freedom, to have solar panels, batteries and more energy-efficient measures.”
The Salt River Project’s elections, open only to property owners, have always been low-turnout affairs, held separately from other state and local races. This year’s was different, thanks largely to Turning Point’s funding and organizing, but the results suggest the group’s strategy may have backfired: Liberal organizations used Turning Point’s involvement to raise awareness about the contest and urge participation from new voters.
Press Release: SRP Announces 2026 Board and Council Election Results
Voters in the Salt River Project elections held on Tuesday, April 7, filled the offices of President and Vice President and 22 seats on the Board and Council of the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (District) and also filled the offices of President and Vice President and 20 seats on the Board and Council of the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (Association).
Unofficial results for winners of President, Vice President and board seats on the Association are as follows:
President: Chris Dobson
Vice President: Barry Paceley
District 2: Paul Rovey (incumbent)
District 4: Leslie C. Williams (incumbent)
District 6: Ken Clark
District 8: Melisssa Harlan
District 10: Mark Pace (incumbent)
Unofficial results for winners of council seats on the Association are:
District 2: Jerry E. Geiger, T. Suzanne Naylor, Bill Sheely (incumbents)
District 4: M. Brandon Brooks, Ian Rakow, Michael G. Rakow (incumbents)
District 6: Allison Gullick, Sara Travise, John Travise
District 8: Regina Gutierrez, Nicole Brown, Randy J. Miller
District 10: Dave B. Lamoreaux, Eric M. Pedersen, William “Billy” P. Schrader III (incumbents)
Unofficial results for winners of President, Vice President and board seats on the District are as follows:
President: Chris Dobson
Vice President: Barry Paceley
District 2: Paul Rovey (incumbent)
District 4: Lupe Conchas
District 6: Ken Clark
District 8: Melissa Harlan
District 10: Mark Pace (incumbent)
District At-large Seats:
District 12: Krista H. O’Brien (incumbent)
District 14: Kathy L. Mohr-Almeida (incumbent)
Unofficial results for winners of council seats on the District are:
District 2: Jerry E. Geiger, T. Suzanne Naylor, Bill Sheely (incumbents)
District 4: M. Brandon Brooks, Ian Rakow, Michael G. Rakow (incumbents)
District 6: Allison Gullick, Sara Travise, John Travise
District 8: Regina Gutierrez, Nicole Brown, Randy J. Miller
District 10: Dave B. Lamoreaux, Eric M. Pedersen, William “Billy” P. Schrader III (incumbents)
Results from Tuesday’s election become official after a canvass by the SRP Board at its next meeting on Monday, April 13. The newly elected officials will take office May 4 and 5. The unofficial 2026 election results are available on the SRP Elections website at www.srp.net/results.
SRP is composed of two separate organizations: the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association, a private water corporation formed in 1903; and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, an agricultural improvement district and a political subdivision of the State of Arizona formed in 1937 that oversees SRP’s electric operations.
Each company of SRP is governed separately. SRP Board members establish policy, approve annual budgets, and set prices and fees. SRP Council members amend and enact bylaws, make appointments to fill vacancies on the SRP Boards and Councils, and approve revenue bonds issued by the District.
