Councilwoman Alicia Goforth held a clear early advantage in the race to keep her Northeast Mesa seat, while Nick Willis led the contest to represent downtown Mesa, according to the latest unofficial results posted by Maricopa County Elections this morning. The initial tallies also show Councilman Scott Somers running unopposed in his Southeast Mesa district, with voters in each council district eligible to cast ballots only when there is a contested race on their ballot. The early returns reflect voting activity in three council districts where seats were on the primary ballot and provide an early snapshot of how candidates’ campaigns resonated with voters in those parts of the city.
Front page of The Mesa Tribune featuring the headline 'Mesa Council primary barrels to finish line,' the paper reporting early leads for Goforth and Willis in the Mesa Council race.
In District 5, the Northeast Mesa contest where Goforth is seeking a second four-year term, the early vote count placed her first with 5,461 ballots cast in her favor, representing 34.57% of the early returns in that district. Trailing her was Aleks Vranicic with 4,194 votes, or 26.55% of the vote. Progressive candidate Danny Hart secured the third spot with 2,581 votes, equating to 17.73%, while Ryan Blakeman drew 2,133 votes, or 13.50%. Amanda Jones rounded out the field in those returns with 1,208 votes, totaling 7.65% of the ballots counted so far. District 5 showed higher engagement than some other parts of the city, with turnout listed at 30.48% of registered voters casting ballots in that district in this primary.
Goforth, who previously worked as an attorney, described herself in the campaign as a “commonsense conservative” and outlined a platform that emphasized protecting neighborhoods, strengthening public safety and safeguarding Mesa’s quality of life as central priorities of a potential second term. Vranicic, who works in the spa and salon industry, made fiscal responsibility and transparency, smart growth and housing policy, and keeping Mesa affordable the cornerstones of his campaign message. Danny Hart, a retired business and litigation attorney who campaigned from a progressive position, focused on affordable housing, creating more good-paying jobs and advocating for fair wages. Ryan Blakeman, a youth coach, centered his platform on neighborhood safety, calling for investments in staffing, equipment and training for first responders. Amanda Jones, a family nurse practitioner, listed safety, personal freedom and housing and homelessness among her primary issues.
In District 4, the downtown seat being vacated by Councilwoman Jenn Duff due to term limits, the early figures put Nick Willis ahead with 2,899 ballots for 56.55% of the votes counted in that district. Challenger Ray Johnson had 2,227 votes in the early returns, or 43.45%. District 4 turnout was cited at 16.94% of registered voters participating in the primary in that part of the city. Willis, a director at a government consulting firm, highlighted a set of priorities that included expanding housing options — with an emphasis on choices for first-time buyers and seniors — maintaining safe neighborhoods and ensuring city fees are reasonable. Johnson, an attorney, listed safe neighborhoods, lower utility rates, partnerships with small businesses and local schools, and building a vibrant downtown and restaurant scene as top priorities in his campaign.
Scott Somers, the councilmember in Southeast Mesa’s District 6, faced no opposition in the primary and therefore remained on the ballot as the uncontested incumbent. Even with no challenger, election materials showed participation in that district, with 23.44% of registered voters casting ballots there in this primary. The structure of these council races means residents vote only for the district seat on which they are registered when a contest is on the ballot; the primary results released this morning represent the unofficial first look at how voters in those specific council districts responded.
The citywide primary is nonpartisan, and the campaign season in Mesa’s municipal elections has been relatively low-key in the state’s third-largest municipality. The early returns released this morning give candidates an initial measure of support as they and their teams await additional ballots and final certification. The precinct-level and early-count totals reported in the unofficial results offer a breakdown of voter preferences across the districts that were on the primary ballot and provide context for how each candidate’s campaign themes aligned with voters in their part of the city.
Illustrative campaign button reading 'Election 2026' used to represent the Mesa Council primary in which Goforth and Willis have taken early leads.
Candidates’ professional backgrounds and stated priorities were reflected across the ballots counted so far. Goforth’s legal background and conservative framing underpinned her emphasis on neighborhood protection and public safety. Vranicic’s business ties informed his emphasis on fiscal responsibility and affordability. Hart’s record as a retired attorney shaped his platform on wages and housing affordability, while Blakeman emphasized investments in first responders consistent with his role as a youth coach focused on community safety. Jones framed her campaign around health-related and social issues stemming from her experience as a family nurse practitioner. In District 4, Willis’ experience in government consulting informed his housing and fee priorities, and Johnson’s legal practice informed his focus on utilities, businesses and schools.
These unofficial returns represent the earliest snapshot of the primary and are subject to change as additional ballots are processed and counted. The margins shown in the posted totals provide an early indication of which contests could be resolved in the primary and which might remain competitive pending final tallies. Election officials noted the turnout percentages for the districts with contested races, and the results will be followed by further counting and the formal certification process as prescribed under the county’s election procedures.
Updated unofficial results with 85-94% of precincts reporting show Nick Willis maintaining a 56.37% lead in District 4 and Alicia Goforth at 34.48% in District 5, with Danny Hart's tally rising to 2,801 votes, according to MesaNow.org. Scott Somers captured nearly all votes in the uncontested District 6 race.
The City of Mesa's official election calendar shows the municipal primary was held on July 21, 2026; any runoff between the top two vote-getters (if no candidate exceeds 50% in the primary) would be part of the November 3, 2026 general election, and the successful candidates' four-year terms are scheduled to begin in January 2027.
The Mesa Chamber of Commerce publicly announced endorsements ahead of the primary, naming Nick Willis for District 4, Alicia Goforth for District 5 and Scott Somers for District 6.