Ballot Math / City races / Peoria
Candidate races: City of Peoria

Peoria picks a new mayor: the county's only November mayoral race

November 3, 2026 general election. Peoria does not put its city offices on the July primary ballot; its mayor and council are chosen in November. Peoria has a mayor elected citywide and six council members elected by district, all for four year staggered terms. Three districts are on this ballot: Acacia in the southeast, Palo Verde in the center, and Pine in the southwest, per the Arizona Republic. Peoria also has a ballot measure this year, Proposition 417, covered on our city measures page.
Why the mayor's seat is open: Mayor Jason Beck filed paperwork to run for a second term, then withdrew it, announcing he would step away from public office and focus on his family and business, per the Republic. No source found says he is leaving to run for another office. His chosen successor is in the race, and so is the police chief who served under him, and the city's police unions have endorsed the successor over their former chief. That is the shape of this election.

Mayor (open seat)

Michael Finn

Peoria councilmember for the Palo Verde District since he was first elected in 2014, more than a decade on the council. He served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2025 and the council appointed him Vice Mayor for 2026. Before the council he was chief financial officer of the Peoria Unified School District, where his campaign says he managed a staff of over 400 and a budget over $200 million, and he held leadership roles at UPS and US Airways. Arizona State University graduate with an MBA. His campaign says that for the past decade he has been on the executive leadership team of a private equity backed commercial heating and cooling company.
  • Stated priorities: water planning and sustainability is his top long term issue: a 100 year assured water supply, proposed reductions to Colorado River allocations, diversifying the water portfolio, and regional cooperation. He also wants to prioritize economic development to fund city needs and attract quality employers, and to continue the momentum on economic development and public safety started under Beck. His campaign lists public safety investment, economic development, fiscal responsibility, and quality of life.
  • Campaign claims, attributed: his campaign says he helped secure the Amkor semiconductor project, which it describes as a $7 billion investment creating approximately 4,000 jobs, helped maintain Peoria's AAA bond rating, and helped lead efforts to increase patrol staffing to improve police response times, efforts he said took place when Beck took office.
  • On Flock cameras: at the October 21 Republic forum he supported Peoria's use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras, saying the Police Department has restrictions and guidelines on access.
  • Money: more than $91,000 in campaign donations, per Republic reporting on October 15 and October 21, 2026, including $13,500 from Beck and his wife, plus donations from real estate developers, lawyers, and public safety PACs. The articles do not name the filing period the total comes from; see Verification notes.
  • Endorsements found: Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, the Arizona Police Association, the Peoria Police Officers Association, and the City of Peoria Police Supervisors, per the Republic.
  • Criticism and his answer: no documented personal controversy was found. The campaign criticism reported is continuity: Beck backs Finn, and some residents worry a Finn win means little change. Finn has said his leadership style would differ from Beck's, and at the October forum, asked about Beck recently calling a resident a "jackass" at a meeting, he distanced himself: "I'm not Jason Beck," and said he did not condone the comment.

Art Miller

Listed as Arthur Miller in some reporting; the ballot and city list say Art Miller. He led the Peoria Police Department as chief for five years before announcing his retirement in 2023, then briefly served as Goodyear's interim police chief. Before Peoria: more than 30 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, leaving in 2013 to become police chief in South Pasadena, California. He told the Republic he has served over 46 years in law enforcement. His campaign adds that he served as Peoria's Deputy City Manager in 2021, overseeing Police, Fire, the City Clerk's Office, and IT, and holds a bachelor's in business management and a master's in organizational leadership from Woodbury University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the West Point Leadership Program.
  • Stated priorities: restore trust in City Hall and increase transparency, through public meetings and the city website, about how the city operates; listen to residents; smart growth. He pledges community first contact policing, citizen driven deployment of public safety resources, and a comprehensive audit of department contracts and legal liabilities to eliminate wasteful spending. In his Republic questionnaire he stated that city debt has increased by $192 million since the last mayoral election and cited a $15 million restaurant project and a $1.4 million Digital Water Tower as wasteful spending; those are his figures, not independently verified here.
  • On Flock cameras: at the October forum he said the program should be paused while leaders hear from experts on both sides and from the community.
  • Money: more than $54,000 in donations in the Republic's October 15 reporting, updated to more than $72,000 on October 21, much of it from retired Peoria residents. The articles do not name the filing period.
  • The controversy: his own police unions endorsed the other candidate. The Peoria Police Officers Association's August statement said Miller did not listen to his officers or fight for the department's needs, and called his use of law enforcement symbols in his campaign deceptive because it gave a false impression that police backed him. His campaign uses a photo of him in a police uniform with the badge and patch blurred out, and his site and signs show a Peoria police badge or patch that is not the official department one, per the Republic. His responses: he said he never had a chance to earn the endorsement and that no one returned his call; union president Michael Wadsworth said the association's former president called Miller back and left a voicemail and received no further communication. Two men who worked for Miller, former Deputy Chief Marcel Spaulding and former Lt. Jeff Carpenter, defended him as a listener and noted the endorsement was made by the association's executive board, not its members. On the imagery, Miller said he was not trying to deceive anyone and was proud he represented Peoria as chief.
  • The controversy: the victim contact numbers. Current Police Chief Thomas Intrieri told the council in September that under Miller's leadership, crime victims were contacted on average within 49 days, and more than half of victims were never contacted, per the Republic. Miller responded that the presentation "reeked of a public service announcement" for Finn, and explained that investigators may have no new information, may wait for a victim to call back, or may tell victims they will hear back in about a month.

Council, Acacia District (southeast Peoria)

One name is printed on the ballot. The race exists because of a question about where the incumbent lives, and because a resident filed to run against her as a write in. Both parts are documented below, including the city attorney's conclusion.

Jennifer Crawford (incumbent)

Elected in November 2022 and sworn in January 3, 2023. She was appointed Mayor Pro Tem in January 2024 and Vice Mayor in January 2025. Her city biography cites over 30 years of business and marketing experience in the private sector, operating small businesses and a nonprofit, and current work as a self employed consultant. She and her husband have lived in Peoria since 2004, per the city biography. Her stated focus: public safety, economic development, and revitalization of downtown Peoria.
  • Stated priorities: water security integrated into every major planning and growth decision, with continued investment in conservation, water reuse, infrastructure, and regional partnerships; and continuing downtown Peoria revitalization through infrastructure investment, local business support, public space enhancements, and community centered design. As her record, in her own questionnaire statement, she cites three and a half years in which the city started downtown revitalization, bolstered public safety, and made significant investments in water security.
  • Money: no campaign finance total was found in the city pages or coverage searched.
  • The controversy: residency, with the official outcome. Residents challenged Crawford's eligibility after she sold the house she had listed as her residence on election paperwork. Peoria's charter requires council candidates to live in the district they represent and to keep living there through their term. Property and business records tie her to a home in north Peoria's Willow District, owned by her family's trust since 2024, and her husband updated his voter registration to that home, per the Republic's review of records. On October 5, Crawford filed an amended statement listing a UPS Store mailbox in Acacia as her physical and mailing address, and she has refused to say where in Acacia she lives, citing fears for her and her family's safety after threats linked to the allegation. The city's answer: City Attorney Emily Jurmu, after a review that included Crawford's legally protected address, said she had "no legal or factual basis to question" Crawford's residency or believe the Acacia seat was vacant, and concluded the allegation was not meritorious. Jurmu also said Crawford may have been the victim of a false allegation predicated on falsified documents. Mayor Beck identified resident Jon Forsythe as the resident who may have shared falsified documents, said the matter was turned over to a law enforcement agency, and Forsythe denied wrongdoing and said everything he provided was publicly available. Separately, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, whom Crawford had asked to review the matter, said her office's review under state law was limited to whether Crawford lived in Peoria, not in her district.

Emily Saeteurn (reported write in candidate)

Identified as a write in candidate by Arizona Republic reporting only; she does not appear on the City of Peoria's official candidate list, and her qualified write in certification status was not confirmed in this research. See Verification notes before treating her status as settled. She works in social work and higher education: she is pursuing a PhD in social work at Arizona State University, where she is a research specialist at the Center for Child Well Being, and she previously worked in hospice, refugee resettlement, and child welfare. She says she has lived in the Acacia District for 13 years, southwest of 67th Avenue and Cactus Road, and a Republic review of property records confirmed she lives in Acacia. She filed as a write in in the final week to do so, after residents questioned Crawford's residency.
  • Stated priorities: south Peoria residents feel left out while the city expands in the north, and the area could use more investment in parks, programs, and facilities. On data centers and Flock Safety cameras, she said the city should be transparent, obtain resident feedback, and continue to protect safety and privacy. On residency itself, she said a district representative should disclose where they live, while saying she takes Crawford at her word that she resides in Acacia and that the community still does not have all the answers.
  • Money: no candidate committee for Saeteurn is listed on the city's committee records page, and no total was found.
  • Controversies: none documented about Saeteurn herself in the coverage searched.

Council, Palo Verde District (central Peoria): unopposed

This is Finn's district; he is running for mayor instead. One candidate is on the ballot.

Tad Snidecor (unopposed on the printed ballot)

Retired U.S. Marine First Sergeant. He has led suicide prevention and mental health programs for service members and veterans, is a board member for Soldier's Best Friend, and served on the Peoria Veterans Board. The Republic credits him with more than 30 years of leadership experience across business, logistics, crisis response, healthcare, and government operations.
  • Stated priorities: not found. Snidecor was the only Peoria council candidate who did not respond to the Republic's council questionnaire, and no campaign site for him was found in the searches for this page. An unopposed candidate with no public platform is a thin record, and this page reports that rather than filling it in.
  • Money: no candidate committee listed on the city's committee page and no total found.
  • Controversies: none found in the coverage searched.

Council, Pine District (southwest Peoria): open seat

Incumbent Denette Dunn opted not to run for reelection. Two candidates with deep Peoria roots, and one documented controversy that the candidate at its center has answered head on.

Eva Osuna

She previously worked for the state Division of Developmental Disabilities and Child Protective Services, and later taught special education. She founded a nonprofit in honor of her sister that provides scholarships to students in the Peoria Unified School District, and she has served on Peoria's Historic Preservation Commission and the Downtown Peoria Revitalization Committee. In her questionnaire she describes herself as a lifelong Peoria resident who has spent decades volunteering and serving on committees. Her campaign adds family history: her mother helped with the 1954 census effort that contributed to Peoria's incorporation, and her uncle, Johnny Osuna, served on the City Council for 16 years and has a city park named in his honor.
  • Stated priorities: strengthen local government communication and transparency; invest in neighborhood services and community spaces, including parks and programs; economic growth that benefits Pine District residents; and standing up for South Peoria so Pine neighborhoods receive attention and investment. Her top long term issue, to the Republic: maintaining public trust and quality of life as the city grows, starting with stronger communication between City Hall and residents.
  • Money: her committee is registered with the city (Committee to Elect Eva Osuna), but no finance total was found in the sources searched.
  • Controversies: none found in the coverage searched.

Joysaphine Waitman-Powell

Director of strategic initiatives for Mentally Anonymous, a Peoria based nonprofit that advocates for mental wellness. She serves on the board of Engaged Arizona, a nonprofit that works to register and educate voters, and is a leader in the National Coalition of Black Women's Phoenix chapter. She currently sits on the Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission, and describes herself as a nonprofit executive and mother who has spent years connecting residents with resources and helping shape the city's growth.
  • Stated priorities: Peoria's biggest long term challenge is managing growth while preserving quality of life, and her first step would be strengthening opportunities for meaningful resident engagement early in the development process. She says she will keep prioritizing affordability, economic opportunity, and policies that reflect the realities families face daily.
  • Endorsements found: the Peoria Police Officers Association endorsed her this cycle; after the association decided to stop participating in politics, its president said it still stands by its endorsements of Finn and Waitman-Powell.
  • Money: her committee is registered with the city (Friends of Joysaphine Waitman-Powell), but no finance total was found in the sources searched.
  • Controversy, rent judgments, with her response: courts have ordered Waitman-Powell and her husband to pay more than $39,000 after missing rent payments over the past five years in Arizona, per the Republic's review of court records. Nearly a dozen judgments have been entered against them since 2021 regarding two Peoria homes they rented at different times; she was also taken to court over missed rent in Florida and Georgia in the mid 2010s, was named in nearly two dozen cases in total, and more than a handful were dismissed. Her response: she acknowledged falling behind on rent and said the experience is "exactly why" she is running. Her statement said, in part: "Falling behind is not a moral failure," and "I've spent years as an organizer standing with neighbors facing eviction, because their story is my story." She also noted that filings do not always mean a family was evicted, and that several filings can involve the same home.
  • Controversy, serving on Planning and Zoning while running: a former city clerk specialist told the council that historically, board and commission members had to resign to run, and called her continued service an ethical issue, while noting there was no official rule. Waitman-Powell said she met with the city clerk, who consulted the city attorney, and was told she was not required to resign from the unpaid volunteer seat. City spokesperson Diane Arthur confirmed resignation is not required under city law, and would be required only if the candidate becomes a councilmember.

Verification notes

  • Emily Saeteurn's status: Arizona Republic reporting identifies her as a filed write in candidate. The City of Peoria's official 2026 candidate list does not name her, and no official qualified write in list naming her was located in this research. Write in votes count only for qualified write in candidates, so her certification status matters and is flagged here as unconfirmed.
  • Campaign finance totals for Crawford, Saeteurn, Snidecor, Osuna, and Waitman-Powell were not found in the city pages or coverage searched. The committees exist and reports are searchable through the city's Political Committee Records; totals were not extracted for this page.
  • The mayoral donation totals (Finn more than $91,000; Miller more than $54,000, then more than $72,000) come from Republic articles dated October 15 and October 21, 2026. The articles do not name the filing period, so this page does not label them with one.
  • No vote by vote council record for Finn or Crawford was compiled from official council records for this page. What is printed is campaign stated accomplishments and the episodes documented in Republic reporting.
  • Crawford's current Acacia address is not public in the sources cited, by her stated choice; the city attorney's review relied on a legally protected address. This page reports the dispute and the official conclusion, not an address.
  • Peoria's mayoral term limit (two consecutive terms) comes from the Republic's profile of Mayor Beck; term lengths themselves are from the City of Peoria. Council term limits were not retrieved from a city source.

How to vote without getting your ballot rejected

  • Mail it by Tuesday, October 27, 2026. After that day, do not mail it: use a drop box or a vote center instead.
  • It must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. Postmarks do not count.
  • Sign and date the affidavit envelope, and write a current phone number on it. If your signature is questioned, the county uses that number to contact you so your vote can still count.
  • For a write in: write the name and fill the oval. Only votes for qualified write in candidates are counted; check the city's elections page for the qualified list.
  • Leaving any item blank is allowed. It does not affect the rest of your ballot.

Sources

Ballot Math: analysis only, no endorsements. Same template as every race on this site: offices and record, money with dates, stated priorities, controversies with responses, and gaps admitted in the open.