Here's what you need to know about the Tolleson City Council candidates

Three people will be running for three open seats in Tolleson's City Council race.

Incumbents Adolfo Gamez and Cruzita Mendoza will be running alongside newcomer Christine Chavira. Vice Mayor Lupe Bandin, whose term will be expiring in 2025, declined to run for another term.

The Arizona Republic sent the three candidates a series of questions.

Chavira and Gamez didn't respond.

The campaign has been a relatively uneventful one. None of the candidates have active campaign websites or social media pages.

Arizona local elections: Read our full coverage of the Tolleson council race

Like other West Valley cities, two of the biggest issues facing Tolleson today are development and transportation. Tolleson is already 90 to 95% built out, meaning there isn't much more room for growth. The new City Council candidates will help to decide the direction of growth for the remainder of the city.

Tolleson is heavily industrial and also deals with a lack of retail services. The city does not even have a grocery store, which has been one of its goals for several years. Tolleson also struggles with poverty: the 2022 poverty rate in the city was about 22%, compared to nearby Avondale's 11% and Goodyear's 5.5%.

Early voting began July 3. Voters can check on the status of their mailed-in ballot on Maricopa County’s website at https://elections.maricopa.gov/voting/voter-dashboard-login. Those who choose to vote by mail are advised to mail their ballot by July 23 or drop it off at a ballot drop-off location or voting location by July 30.

Who are the candidates?

Chavira, 62, will be running for her first time on City Council. She is a Phoenix area native, living with her husband in the Tolleson house his parents owned since the 1940s.

Chavira worked for Phoenix's housing department for nearly 30 years. She decided to run for City Council as a way to continue serving the public after retiring.

Incumbent Gamez, 68, has had quite a run, first being elected to Tolleson City Council in 1981. He was the city's first elected mayor after the City Council stopped appointing its mayors. He held the role for 22 years.

Gamez works part-time for the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations & Development Operations office at Estrella.

Throughout his tenure, Gamez has had a focus on employee retention, with more experienced employees enhancing city processes.

During his time as mayor, Gamez fought against the construction of the proposed South Mountain Freeway through the city, which would have forced the city to get rid of several companies and the city hall.

Gamez has also advocated for Tolleson's influx in industrial businesses, which provide the city with tax revenue.

Incumbent Mendoza, 71, was appointed to the City Council in 2023 to complete the term of her late husband, Albert Mendoza. She has worked for Tolleson Union High School District #214 for over 35 years as the facilities management supervisor.

Her 35 years serving the city are what made her stand out among 12 applicants that applied for the position after Albert Mendoza's death.

Mendoza had been wanting to enter city government since 2014 after being involved in her husband's tenure, although she felt it was never the right time to run for office.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or by phone at 480-259-8545. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @AlexandraHardle.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tolleson City Council election 2024: Meet the candidates