Election 2026 Candidate Information

Mesa has a Council-Manager form of government. In this form of government, the Mayor and Councilmembers (elected by Mesa citizens) set policy and the City Manager (appointed by the Mayor and City Council) implements that policy and manages the day-to-day operations of the City.

The Mayor is elected at-large by the voters residing in Mesa. The Mayor is elected for a 4-year term and may serve up to two consecutive terms in that office.

There are six (6) Councilmembers. Each is elected by voters residing in their corresponding districts. Councilmembers are elected to a 4-year term and may serve up to two consecutive terms in that office.

To qualify as a candidate for City Council in Mesa, you must be:

• a qualified and registered voter of the City of Mesa;
• registered to vote no later than the date of the first signature on the nomination petitions; and
• a resident of the Council District you wish to run in for at least two years immediately preceding filing nomination papers and shall continue such residence wherein for the term for which such candidate is elected. Locate your Council District here.

Citizens interested in running for office in Mesa should make an appointment with the City Clerk by contacting our office at 480-644-2099 or email clerk.info@mesaaz.gov. At the appointment, the City Clerk will review the nomination process and forms, guide candidates to helpful resources and answer any questions.

Before collecting any petition signatures, you must file a Candidate Statement of Interest(PDF, 102KB) with the Mesa City Clerk.

Information about who can sign petitions, who can gather petitions for you, and a checklist will be provided to you at your meeting with the City Clerk. Required signatures to qualify for the ballot are as follows:

• District Councilmember - 250 signatures are required from registered voters living in the respective District.

The opportunity to use E-Qual to gather petition signatures online has been made available through the Secretary of State’s Office.  With the use of E-Qual, the system verifies each signature. Candidates are encouraged to gather more than the minimum number of signatures required and may choose to use both paper petitions and E-Qual. Candidate and Voter Guides have been provided below.

• March 7, 2026 - Earliest Day to submit Nomination Papers
• April 6, 2026 - Last Day to submit Nomination Papers at 5:00 p.m. 

The City of Mesa appreciates your interest in the election process. All applicable forms will be updated as needed. If you have questions or need assistance during the nomination petition period or throughout the election process, please feel free to contact the City Clerk’s Office at clerk.info@mesaaz.gov.

• Candidate Campaign Finance Handbook
• Candidate Financial Disclosure Guide
• Campaign Finance Report(PDF, 2MB) (fillable)
• Candidate Financial Disclosure Statement(PDF, 450KB)
• City Charter(PDF, 389KB)
• Ethics Handbook(PDF, 845KB)
• E-Qual Candidate Guide
• E-Qual Voter Guide
• Non-partisan Nomination Paper – Declaration of Qualification(PDF, 104KB)
• Political Signs Flyer(PDF, 332KB)
• Statement of Interest(PDF, 102KB)
• Statement of Organization
• Statement of Withdrawal Voluntary
• Timeline for Candidates(PDF, 161KB)
• Termination Statement