By james art 
Tuesday’s election in Scottsdale will resolve a number of subsequent questions for the city, ranging from who controls City Hall to a controversial multibillion-dollar tax initiative and a measure that could change the services Scottsdale can provide.
Candidates on the Scottsdale ticket include a mayoral position and two City Council seats. The races have heated up since before the primary election in July.
Mayor David Ortega is hoping to secure a second term in the role by fending off challenger and former City Council member Lisa Borowski. The two were highly critical of each other’s leadership in a heated race that included throwing blades at each other in 2024.
The City Council race includes incumbent Tammy Caputi, former Scottsdale Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Marian McAllen and personal injury attorney Adam Quassman.
Election 2024: View Arizona Election Results | Live coverage throughout Election Day
The Arizona Republic broke down what’s on the ballot in every East Valley community. Our comprehensive voter guide has a full breakdown of all the candidates and what was at stake in each race.
City Councilman Tom Durham is also on the city council, but he asked voters in September not to vote for him. Instead, he urged residents to elect Caputi and McAllen, warning that Quassman would “jeopardize the future” of the city.
Durham’s surprise announcement is directly related to the main issue dominating this year’s candidate election in Scottsdale: a battle between an opposing group of candidates and everyone else for control of City Hall.
The opposition slate now consists of Quassman and Borowski, two notably conservative candidates who tend to be more critical of Scottsdale’s leadership over alleged fiscal irresponsibility and overdevelopment. They often talk about reducing what they see as wasteful spending and would likely work to reduce many existing city initiatives if elected.
Based on the current makeup of the council, only one of the opposition candidates needs to win for that faction to secure a majority on the city council.
Scottsdale voters also decide the fate of two back-to-back ballot initiatives. These include:
- Proposition 490, which would create a 0.15% sales tax over 30 years that would generate $1.2 billion to maintain city parks and the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. It was at the center of a legal battle between the city and The Goldwater Institute over how Scottsdale billed the proposal.
- Proposition 491 would increase the state-imposed city spending cap by $271 million to avoid cuts in city services in the coming years. Essentially, it allows the city to spend more of the money it already has, so the measure won’t raise taxes or allow Scottsdale to spend more revenue than it collects.
The deadline to register to vote in order to participate in the election was October 7. Voters can check their status on the Maricopa County website. Those who choose to vote by mail can still drop off a ballot at a drop-off location or polling location until Nov. 5. Sections close at 7 p.m
The county election office doesn’t expect to have final unofficial results for at least 10 days, but will periodically update early results. The first batch is expected one hour after polling stations close.
This article will be updated as election results are released.
Reporter Sam Kmak covers Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler. Follow him to X @KmackSam or contact him at [email protected].