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Councilmember Matt Orlando declared victory over state legislator Jeff Weninger in the competitive and consequential Chandler mayoral race after his commanding lead held when more ballots were counted early July 22.
"Over the past three decades, I've had the privilege of serving the people of Chandler on our City Council. ... I am honored and humbled to have been elected the Mayor of Chandler to finish the job I started 30 years ago," Orlando wrote in a Facebook post July 22.
About 30 minutes earlier, Weninger conceded defeat.
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"While the results are not yet official, it's clear that we came up short," he wrote in a Facebook post.
It was a very low turnout election.
Orlando and Weninger battled for the position for nine months. They publicly sparred over data centers, development and Flock Safety automated license plate readers at a debate hosted by The Arizona Republic.
Chandler residents seemed happy with city leadership, as incumbents Angel Encinas and Jane Poston led the pack of six candidates for City Council by narrow margins, after early counting.
Encinas and Poston both sought second terms on council. Orlando was termed-out and ran for mayor, leaving one open seat on the City Council.
Cicely Rocha-Miller, who ran in 2024, rounded out the top three vote-getters after early ballot counting.
Rocha-Miller said she feels "confident" in the election results, though noted the race was "close" and ballots still needed to be counted.
Also on the ballot was Proposition 415, which asked voters to approve the 2026 general plan, a blueprint to inform development across the city. Voters favored of the measure by an overwhelming margin.
Chandler faced key decisions about development as the availability of land to build on is shrinking. Redevelopment and vertical development are increasingly entering conversations about what residents want Chandler to look like for future generations. Those conversations also include data centers, employment corridors and infrastructure needs.
Two camps of candidates emerged in campaigning, largely tied by endorsements and party affiliation.
Rocha-Miller, a registered Democrat in 2024, had the backing of Poston and Encinas, both Democrats, and Orlando, an Independent who touted the support of organizations like Keep AZ Blue Student Coalition.
Orlando also received support from Poston and Encinas and faced off against Weninger, who is a Republican.
Political newcomer Askey had the support of local high-profile Republicans like Weninger, current Mayor Kevin Hartke, current Councilmember Jennifer Hawkins and Supervisor Mark Stewart, who previously served on the Chandler City Council and also endorsed Weninger. Askey has run in East Valley Republican circles since the early 2010s and served as the president of Chandler Republican Women, according to her campaign website.
In a Facebook post, Askey was pictured campaigning with Weninger and Hawkins.
In early returns, voters favored the Democrat and centrist slate over the Republican slate.
Local elections in Arizona are nonpartisan by design. Orlando campaigned on preventing partisanship in City Hall, though Chandler has remained largely nonpartisan compared to cities like Scottsdale. Weninger said that the role itself is not partisan, and his commitment to working with anyone was shown through his cross-party collaboration at the Legislature.
Full, unofficial results may be days away. Races may be called sooner, depending on margins and the number of early ballots that remain to be counted.
It is possible that no one or only one or two candidates win outright in the Chandler City Council election, which would force a runoff election in November. These rematches typically occur when candidates fail to hit the voter threshold required to win seats outright. The necessary threshold is often a majority of votes cast in the contest, but local rules can vary.
We will be tracking the results as ballots are counted throughout the evening. Check back for updates on the remaining races.
Who is running for Chandler mayor?
Orlando and Weninger sought to replace longtime Mayor Kevin Hartke, who was term-limited. He sought Weninger;s seat in the Arizona House of Representatives.
On paper, the mayoral opponents were similar. They've both spent more than a decade in elected office, both sat on the Chandler City Council, and, in their campaigns for mayor, focused on development, land use and infrastructure. During the Arizona Republic debate, both highlighted their public service and work experience and agreed on numerous issues, like protecting quality of life for residents and remaining at the forefront of the tech industry.
But during that debate, tensions rose over automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and data centers. In the end, they both agreed ALPRs need guardrails and Chandler has enough data centers.
Matt Orlando: The New Jersey native and Air Force veteran is serving his sixth term on the City Council and has been elected off-and-on since the 1990s. This was his second bid for mayor. Orlando's priorities in office include protecting Chandler's quality of life by ensuring smart growth and development decisions, taking into account water usage.
Jeff Weninger: Weninger co-owns several local restaurants and served on the City Council from 2007 to 2015. He then was elected as a Republican to the state House, representing parts of Chandler and the East Valley. His campaign largely focused on bringing transparency to City Hall and looking at development through a long-term lens.
Who is running for Chandler City Council?
Six candidates, including two incumbents, were seeking three citywide council seats in a race that has been civil. Councilmember Matt Orlando is term-limited and running for mayor.
Lisa Askey: Askey owns a small marketing business and is the mother of three boys. She also served as both a full-time and part-time substitute teacher in the Chandler Union School District, as a Legislative District precinct committeewoman and on city commissions. She said she was running because she wants to protect Chandler's quality of life.
Angel Encinas (incumbent): Born and raised in downtown Chandler, Encinas was elected to his first term on the council in August 2022. He was the first LGBTQ person to serve on Chandler's council and a small business owner who manages an immigration consulting firm and a real estate business. He is running for his second term in office. On council, Encinas' focus will be on modernizing, maintaining and expanding core infrastructure and services.
Joe Granado: Granado is a lifelong resident of Chandler and Air Force veteran, who formerly owned a small business focused on mechanical construction. He works at Arizona State University, where he teaches mechanical construction. He said he would find practical solutions to issues like aging infrastructure and shrinking land for development.
Ron Hardin: Hardin is a Midwest native who moved from Kansas to the Phoenix area in 1995 and is a small business owner. He ran for the Arizona House in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary. His priority on the council would be maintaining Chandler's quality of life and water security for future generations.
Jane Poston (incumbent): Poston has owned J2 Media, a video production and communications company, for more than 25 years. She is also a former city employee. She was first elected in 2022 and was running for her second term. Poston said she was running to ensure Chandler remains a place where families feel safe and can afford to live there.
Cicely Rocha-Miller: Rocha-Miller founded an event management company in 2005. She has served on Chandler's Resident Bond Exploratory Committee and graduated from the Chandler Citizen Police Academy. She ran for council in 2024 but lost in the primary election. Rocha-Miller was running to give back to her community.
Lauren De Young covers transportation and the cities of Tempe and Chandler for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Orlando declares victory in Chandler mayor's race
